Fell down the stairs a few minutes ago and one of my toes really hurts. I think I bent most of them backwards a bit as I hurtled downwards, slamming into the closet door.
My toe has a heartbeat now. I wonder if there’s any way to know whether or not it’s actually broken without an x-ray.
When I broke mine, it turned sort of black the next day. There wasn’t much to do except tape it to a non-broken toe.
Thirty years later I can still remember how that hurt like the dickens.
You do know that you won’t be able to kick butt for a while, don’t you?
Ohjebocraposummubi… ABBIE, I’m not sure who “they’ are but I’ve always been told that, " they say that if you are not sure if it is broken or not , then it i’snt”.
Sorry, Abbie .
Abbie, as someone still suffering from a broken tailbone, you have all my sympathy, even if it isn’t broke. Want some nice hot tea?
FWIW, the other diagnostic I’d heard, aside from an X-ray, is that if it gets better in less than two weeks, it wasn’t broken. Not exactly fun to consider, I know.
OtakuLoki is probably right. I broke my little toe and it was months before it felt normal. I didn’t get x-rayed. I fell and it spread out away from the other toes. Ouch!
I feel your pain. I hope it’s just sprained.
Broken toes 3X … :smack:
After the first I never wasted the time, energy, pain, or money to have a Dr. pull, poke, twist and splint … too much like ‘midevil’ torture …
If it is broken, and you’re an active person, splints and/or taping to a nearby unbroken toe just a waste of time (and it just makes the other toe hurt, too!), especially since all that can really be done is a pain pill or two (short term) and endure the pain till it heals (long term).
Sincere regrets for your pain … hope it’s not broken and you heal soon.
Aiiiii! Are you not going to see a doctor or a hospital? :eek:
My sympathies. I broke my big toe (at least once, maybe twice). I was shocked and amazed at how such a small bone can hurt so damn much. Get it looked at. If it broke and heals crooked, you’ll be in for a lifetime of occasional pain. At least if you go to a doctor, he can prescribe pain pills. You’re going to need them.
No discoloration today. Last night I couldn’t walk; now I can kind of hobble. It hurts, but not as bad as last night, so maybe it’s just a sprain.
The rule of thumb about 2 weeks of pain is a good one. I figured there’s no point in going to the doctor because all they can do is X-ray it, and tape it if it’s broken. Turns out Scotch tape works just as well as that medical tape they use.
Owww. Take it easy, Abbie–let your family and friends go and pamper, spoil, and indulge you. 
When I broke my toe my toenail turned black and fell off!
Just giving you something to look forward to. 
It did grow back eventually…
SteveG1, for minor breaks like toes, and tailbones, at least locally, the only pain pill prescribed are usually double doeses of ibuprofen, or maybe Tylenol 3 with codiene. Given that ‘incentive’ I chose not to see a doctor, myself.
I feel for ya* I did my ankle playing football about 18 months ago and didn’t get it seen to, now it hurts once every few weeks. I’d definately not recommend going out drinking and hoping it will stop hurting, it doesnt work.
*I’ll also feel for Dopers that need to make sure their SO’s are still there. As long as aforementioned SO is a lovely lady of course! 
Sorry to hear, Abbie.
Hope you’re feeling better soon.
As far as I can recall, that sounds like what I experienced when I sprained one of my toes. It was pretty nasty and I was afraid I broke it the night it happened, then the next few days it was somewhat better and I could hobble around, and it kept gradually getting better. Screw the scotch tape, get ye some frozen peas. Glad to know it’s not broken, though. Get well soon.
Hi Abbie,
Please do youself a favour and Rest, Ice, & Elevate your toe:
A baggie with half & half water & ice over a towel on your toe, about 20 minutes every couple hours, and put your feet up for the next few days, either on a couch, ottoman, or milk crates.
This is the perfect opportunity for a LOTR extended editions, of Godfather, or Tom Hanks retrospective marathon session, for example.
If the pain and swelling haven’t improved in 24-48 hours, if it still preventing you from walking wiht your normal stride, say, on Monday, then you may want to your Doc.
Ibuprofen (Advin, Motrin) , if your stomach can handle it, will do you more good than acetominophen (Tylenol), because it also reduces inflamation.
Hope you feel better soon. Happy Easter, if appropriate.
trupa, who is neither a an MD nor plays one on TV, but has dinner with one frequently.
Gah, I shouldn’t post in a hurry. Sorry for all the typos.
trupa, off to get a seat at the Easter Vigil
I am an emergency doctor. I see many broken toes.
You CANNOT tell if it is broken based on whether you can walk on it, the extent of the bruising, whether the nail is involved or the position of the swelling.
Most toe fractures heal well with conservative treatments. Most do not need a cast and crutches. Many times toe fractures can be dealt with just by taping the hurt toe to its next door buddy (e.g. “piggy with roast beef” to “little piggy with none”). There are exceptions, and you should get X-rays if you have pains at the BASE of your first or fifth toes, as these fractures are more serious. It would probably be worth getting an X-ray for persistent pain, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to wait a day or two. I think trupa’s advice is reasonable, and all Internet advice should be taken with a grain of aspirin.
my stomach is rather good at detecting broken bones. queasy=break.
are you feeling queasy?