A stubbed toe may seem to be a minor injury.

However, it can be intensely painful.
Stubbing a toe can even cause breaks, sprains, broken nails, and infections.

The pain of a stubbed toe usually subsides after a few minutes.
In some cases, however, the impact could break the toe or the toenail, causing intense pain that may get worse over hours or days.

 

What is a stubbed toe?
A stubbed toe is the name for any injury that happens when a person suddenly hits or jams their toe.
Some common causes include accidentally kicking the toe into a wall or doorframe, tripping over a toy on the floor, or catching the toe on a gate or other object.

 

 

The symptoms of a stubbed toe are similar at first, regardless of whether the injury is serious or minor.
They include:
1. intense pain that can be either dull or sharp;
2. pain that radiates elsewhere in the foot or ankle;
3. pain when putting weight on the injured area.

 

Stubbed toes can hurt a lot, even when the injury is not serious.
This is because there are many nerves in the toe, including two nerves on either side.
There is little fat to cushion the toes, which can intensify the pain and increase the risk of injuries such as bone bruises and fractures.

 

 

Is it stubbed, bruised, broken, or sprained?

 

It can be difficult to self diagnose a stubbed toe.
Strains, sprains, bone contusions, and broken toes can all feel very similar.
If symptoms do not improve after a few minutes, it may mean that the toe is broken.

 

Stubbing the toe can result in several different injuries:

Broken or fractured toe
A broken toe or a toe fracture is a break in one of the 14 toe bones.

It can be very painful and make it difficult to walk.

Symptoms of a broken toe include:

1. swelling around the toe and sometimes into the foot;
2. discoloration, such as black or blue bruising, around the toe;
3. a change in the shape of the toe, if a bone is out of place;
4. trouble moving the toe;
5. significant pain when walking or putting weight on the toe;
6. pain that gets worse over several hours;
7. a loss of feeling in the toe or foot;
8. a visible bone poking into the skin, which can occur after trauma, such as closing the toe in a heavy door.

The symptoms of a bone bruise, strain, and sprain are similar to those of a broken toe.

 

Sprains and strains
A sprain is an injury to the ligaments that connect the bones of the toe.
A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon.
Mild strains and sprains may just stretch a ligament, muscle, or tendon.
However, more severe injuries can tear the tissue.

 

Bone bruise
A bone bruise is a deep bruise that injures blood vessels in or around the bone.
They can be intensely painful, but they will usually heal within a couple of months.
A bone bruise does not show up on an X-ray.

Toenail injuries
Injuries to the toenails can be very painful, especially if the toenail breaks deep in the nail plate.
If the injury is serious enough to bleed, it may be painful to walk for several weeks.
Sometimes the toenail falls off, either right after stubbing the toe or weeks later.

People may notice the following injuries after stubbing their toe:
1. a cracked or broken nail;
2. bleeding along the edge of, or underneath, the toenail;
3. swelling or pain under the toenail;
4. pus or fluid under the toenail.

 

Subungual hematoma
A subungual hematoma is a spot of blood under the toenail.
Severe hematomas can cause large blood spots and intense, painful pressure.
Hematomas, regardless of size, often cause the toenail to fall off.
It can take 6-9 months for a subungual hematoma to disappear.

 

Toe infections
If the impact from stubbing a toe causes broken skin or nails, bacteria can enter the skin to cause an infection.

People with diabetes or a weakened immune system are more vulnerable to toe and foot infections.

 

Skin infections along the nail are called paronychia.

 

Symptoms of an infected toe include:
1. redness and swelling;
2. tenderness or pain;
3. discoloration or thickening of the nail;
4. pain or itching around the toenail, even many months after the injury.