What is a broken pinky toe?
Injuries happen all the time. An ordinary person can get into small injuries every day and still proceed as normal, these are called minor injuries. This is especially true for developing children and growing adults, but even a full blown adult is not exempted. Many factors contribute to these small wounds, may it be at home or outside. Examples of which are bumping your head on a hard surface or dropping a heavy object in your feet or hitting your toe into something. The last of the example mentioned does not impose any threat to anyone but may cause effects that you need to deal with.
One particular effect of injuring your toes is a broken (fractured) pinky toe. This condition does not obstruct your main activities, but it does bring discomfort and pain, not to mention the duration of its healing. On an average basis, the healing process will take up to four to six weeks, depending on the approach you take. A broken pinkie toe, or any toe, does not immediately mean that you have to seek a doctor. Steps can be taken to reduce and eliminate the pain. But in situations wherein you have a broken toe without even getting into an accident, a trip to the doctor is advised. It may be something serious and professional treatment is needed.
Symptoms of Broken Pinky Toe:
We usually ignore the pain after a little injury thinking that it will just go away soon enough. But there are times that it will not, and that is why it is imperative to know the symptoms of having this toe fracture.
- Continuous pain
The painful feeling of hitting your toe into something is perfectly reasonable. There are nerve endings and tissues around your little toe, so pain is inevitable. However, if the pain does not subside even after a few hours has passed already, a fractured toe may be the cause of it.
- Swelling toes
If the pain is also accompanied by swelling, it may be an indication of a broken little toe. Swelling is a natural occurrence because it protects the injury from getting worse. If the swelling is continuous and does not subside, there is a high chance of a toe fracture.
- Change in color or bruising
A fractured bone typical reaction is bruising. This is when the affected area would start to change in color and bruise as an effect. The affected toe can turn into colors ranging from dark red to even black in some severe cases.
- Fever
Having a fractured toe may also alter your temperature as a reaction, thus the fever. It is a typical experience and redness may also be seen.
- Toe deformation
This distortion can be seen in more severe cases. It may stick out in a weird and unusual angle and could not be returned when you try to place it back immediately.
Treatment: What to do for a Broken Pinky Toe
Treatment can be done at home when you broke the little toe. There are easy steps to follow for this to be remedied and avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor.
- Rest is needed
The usually healing time of a broken toe is four to eight weeks, and it will greatly help you if you take care of yourself by resting and avoiding any activities that may stress out the fractured toe. Do not even try to run during these times. Walk slowly and avoid wiggling your toes. It may be hard especially for active people, but it is imperative to discipline yourself for a faster heal time. Not resting enough will only mean prolonging your injury.
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- Elevate your toes
Elevation of toes proves to be an excellent way to reduce the swelling of it. A simple act of raising your toe can already go a long way.
- Ice it up
Do not in any way rub the ice directly to the affected area. It is best to grab a towel that can cover it up before dabbing it to your fractured toe. It will not only help reduce the swell but eliminate some discomfort and pain as well.
- Proper compression
You can fix any deformation of your pinky toe by banding it up with its neighboring toe. It can get difficult considering the size of your pinky, but proper compression can already fix your pinky toe in no time.
- Wear the appropriate footwear
It is often advised to discard any closed shoes during this period. This is not only to eliminate the pain but prevent the swelling from becoming worse.
- Over the counter medications
You can buy over the counter medications to reduce the swelling and discomfort. Medicine is also advised if the pain intensity is at its worst.
Injuring your pinky toe may not happen that often, but knowing how to fix it if the situation arises is very advantageous for you too. It may not be too much, but it can get you better results without spending too much or anything at all.
