Stubbing your toe can be incredibly painful. In most cases, the pain subsides after a minute or two. In other cases, what seems like a simple stubbed toe can become an intensely painful and increasingly worsening injury. If your toe pain gets worse over the course of several hours and your toe is swollen, bruised, deformed, or numb, you may have a broken toe bone and should seek medical care immediately. If you have pain, swelling, bruising, and felt a popping sensation at the time of injury, you may have a toe sprain. You can also injure your toenail when stubbing your toe, which can make blood pool under the nail and cause pain and pressure in the toenail. If you have stubbed your toe and are concerned about the injury, it is suggested that you schedule an appointment with a podiatrist. 

Broken toes may cause a lot of pain and should be treated as soon as possible. If you have any concerns about your feet, contact Michael Tomey, DPM from Cary Foot & Ankle Specialists. Our doctor will treat your foot and ankle needs.

What Is a Broken Toe?

A broken toe occurs when one or more of the toe bones of the foot are broken after an injury. Injuries such as stubbing your toe or dropping a heavy object on it may cause a toe fracture.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

• Swelling
• Pain (with/without wearing shoes)
• Stiffness
• Nail Injury

Although the injured toe should be monitored daily, it is especially important to have a podiatrist look at your toe if you have severe symptoms. Some of these symptoms include worsening or new pain that is not relieved with medication, sores, redness, or open wounds near the toe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Cary, NC . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.