The big toe hurts – patients often come to the doctor with such a complaint. Answer the question: why does my thumb hurt? - it’s definitely impossible. The causes of this condition may include arthritis, arthrosis, gout, onychocryptosis and other dangerous diseases.
In such situations, a person is deprived of the opportunity to wear tight shoes, he feels discomfort when walking and, in the end, decides to seek help from doctors. To understand where the pain in the patient’s big toe came from, the doctor carefully examines the nature of the pain.
Acute pain in the toe of the left or right foot can be accompanied by various diseases. The causes of pain in this area may have mechanical and infectious etiologies. The most common of them:
Each of the reasons is worth considering in more detail, because pain in the thumb can be unbearable.
Gout on the legs. The big toe may hurt with this disease. The nature of the painful sensations accompanying this disease is sharp and severe. The pathological process is accompanied by redness and inflammation. Gouty nodes form on the joints of the fingers.
Note! The causes of gouty arthritis are crystallization of uric acid salts. They accumulate in soft tissues and cause unbearable pain. Gout predominantly affects men, but the disease is sometimes observed in women. The average age of those affected is 50 years.
Arthritis can contribute to the occurrence of pain in the big toe of the lower limb. The disease is characterized by destruction of cartilage tissue and joint damage.
Pain may occur when walking for a long time and bending a finger. The discomfort is aching and often boring in nature. On the side of the foot you can see a protruding curved bone.
In the late stage of the disease, swelling and slight deformation of the big toe are noted. The causes of arthritis have different sources. Most often, pathology develops due to hypothermia, poor physical activity and infectious diseases.
Arthrosis. Symptoms of the first stage of arthrosis are stiffness in the fingers of any of the lower extremities. It all depends on the location of the disease. If arthrosis develops, the patient may notice curvature or swelling of the finger. It is possible that the lateral bone on the foot may bulge.
When walking, severe pain is felt in the finger, which accumulates around the inflamed joint.
Why does arthrosis of the big toe occur? There are several reasons for the development of this pathology:
Important! If the patient wants to keep his joints healthy, he must take preventive measures and promptly treat injuries. Treatment of arthrosis is more effective at an early stage of development.
A pathological change in the natural shape of the foot, called flat feet, can also cause pain in the big toe. This orthopedic defect can greatly affect the patient’s gait and cause significant discomfort when walking.
Transverse flatfoot causes the bunion to protrude and the big toe to bend. The soft tissues wear out and the person feels acute pain. Pathology simultaneously develops in both the right and left legs. This problem often prevents a person from walking for a long time and bending his thumb.
What to do if your big toe hurts, what treatment should you take? Pain in the fingers of the lower extremities can be treated only with the use of qualified medical therapy, or rather, in three main ways:
Treatment with medications for pain in the big toe is prescribed only if an accurate diagnosis has been established. In case of arthrosis or arthritis, especially if the finger is swollen and there is severe inflammation, the doctor recommends the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
In addition to relieving inflammation, non-steroidal drugs help reduce pain (diclofenac, ketoprofen, ibuprofen, naproxen). If restoration of damaged articular cartilage is necessary, injections of chondroprotectors (glucosamine chondroitin) must be given. Treatment with these medications helps manage pain.
For acute unbearable pain, in addition to the above drugs, treatment with hormonal analgesics in the form of injections (dexamethasone) is prescribed.
Pain in the big toe can be treated with dietary supplements and vitamin complexes. The action of these drugs is aimed at strengthening cartilage tissue and preventing deformation and bulging of the bone.
Why are they effective? These complexes contain calcium, vitamin D and collagen - the main building material of bone tissue. In addition, preparations with collagen for joints are also shown separately.
The definitive treatment method is surgical treatment. It is necessary if the disease causes severe discomfort and is severe. Surgical intervention cannot be avoided in case of such a pathology as an ingrown toenail. In this situation, the doctor removes the entire nail or leaves part of it.
The operation is performed using phenol or electrocoagulation. Removal is performed under local anesthesia. With further correct pedicure, the ingrown toenail will not appear again.
Surgically, you can stop the protrusion of the bone due to arthrosis. Laser surgery is usually used for this. This is explained by the fact that this technique has virtually no contraindications.
For arthrosis of the toe, the most popular physiotherapy procedures are:
If the finger is swollen and its pad is red, electrophoresis must be used. This technique relieves redness well and eliminates inflammation.
A swollen fingertip due to gout, arthritis or arthrosis will return to normal after a course of magnetic therapy. The magnetic field has a swelling effect and prevents the occurrence of infection.
Complex therapy, which consists of several types of physiotherapeutic procedures, can not only eliminate pain, but also has a beneficial effect on the overall health of the body.
If a person has at least once in his life encountered a violation of the integrity of bones, then it is very important for him to know how to develop a finger after a fracture. The injury presented is quite common. It can be obtained both in domestic and industrial conditions; people of all ages, areas of activity and lifestyle are not insured. Traumatologists diagnose a fracture in 10% of all calls for help. It is very important not only to provide first aid to the victim, but also to have a professional cast applied, as well as monitor the rehabilitation period, which sometimes takes quite a long time.
If you neglect the doctor’s recommendations regarding restoration of mobility, then in the future the finger may change its appearance, the anatomy and internal circulation and metabolism will be disrupted. Against this background, various concomitant pathologies of the fingers often develop.
The first procedures to restore mobility should begin only after the bones have completely fused and the doctor removes the plaster cast. Don’t be afraid if the first sensations are unpleasant, and your fingers seem like they’re not yours and are getting in the way. To eliminate this discomfort, experts offer a wide range of exercises. However, it is important to remember that at first the load should be minimal, with a gradual increase.
Toe development
So, if you have a broken toe, then you need to start working out with the following exercise: place your feet on the floor or another surface (flat and hard), and then tear your toes off the floor and return them to their place. First, the exercise is done with all fingers, and then in turn. Also, without changing the starting position, you need to spread your fingers to the sides and bring them back. And again, with your feet on the floor, you need to perform several rotations with your finger so that the pad rises and falls, sliding across the surface.
There is also an interesting exercise where they take scraps of fabric, and, for example, elements from a construction set, and mix two piles into one. After this, you need to carefully, without much tension, move the proposed elements on different sides using your fingers.
Developing the toes is much more difficult; there are more exercises for the arms. Doctors also recommend rolling a rubber ball on the floor. You can also use special massage rollers that are sold in the store.
Development of fingers after a fracture
To restore mobility to your thumb, you need to pretend as if you are trying to light an imaginary lighter. You can alternately clench your fist so that your thumb is either inside or outside. After this, you can relax your hand and try to reach the thumb with each finger in turn, and then the same action should be done through one finger.
Then you can add a pinch, as if you were trying to add salt to something. A fairly good exercise involves the person bending the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers and making rotations with the thumb.
It is very important to perform all actions so that they are felt, but at the same time not to overstrain the newly recovered fingers. This applies to both arms and legs.
If a person has just recovered from a broken toe, then he should take care of wearing comfortable shoes for some time. Tight and narrowed models are strictly contraindicated, and high-heeled shoes will also have to be abandoned. This is due to the fact that when lifting the leg, improper distribution of weight occurs, which is why fragile bones can be injured again.
If you massage every day and wear the right shoes, perhaps even with orthopedic insoles, the rehabilitation period can be halved. Light massage and physical therapy also help with recovery. Also note that if, after performing a set of exercises, aching pain appears, and the fracture area is swollen or swollen, you should urgently visit a doctor and stop exercising.
A finger fracture is a fairly common injury, since there are no preventive measures for it. But not everyone knows how to develop a finger after a fracture without harming it. There are many exercises and techniques that help quickly restore its functions.
Before you learn about exercises for developing a finger after a fracture, you need to study the main symptoms of this injury. You also need to know how to provide first aid.
A fracture of a finger can occur on either the leg or the arm. And it doesn’t matter which finger is injured, be it the little finger on the foot or the index finger on the hand. A fracture can happen at any time and anywhere. It is not subject to age, and it can occur even when a person awkwardly gets out of a chair or bed. The phalanges work great every day, they help a person in everything. But the bad thing is that they cannot be protected.
If an ordinary person can suffer from this, what can we say about athletes who play different sports. Their load on their toes or hands is increased several times.
A fracture generally occurs when the finger hits something or something falls on it. And there is no prevention for this, except that, as my parents said in childhood, drink a lot of milk and eat cottage cheese, which strengthens the bones. But if there is a car accident or a person is injured at work, then these parental methods will certainly not help.
The fingers are tubular bones. Their main function is to touch (touch) and carry out other various actions.
A fracture can be of two types:
The type of fracture will determine the treatment of the patient and the provision of first aid. The most dangerous is a displaced fracture. After it, the finger can take a very long time to recover, and it happens that surgical intervention is required to quickly eliminate the displacement.
As for fractures of the toe and hand, they follow a similar path, but still have their own characteristics. If a person’s finger is swollen and the skin turns blue, this does not mean that he necessarily has a fracture. Such symptoms may also indicate a banal bruise. Therefore, it is quite difficult to determine from external signs whether it is a fracture or not. Sometimes even this type of fracture, such as a marginal one, is very difficult to determine. For example, a person notices that his phalanx is shortened, while the bone crunches, his finger hurts when he tries to walk or grab something, and this gives him reason to think that he has a fracture. To find out an accurate diagnosis, you need to consult a traumatologist, who, after an examination, always prescribes an x-ray, because you can’t always trust only the symptoms.
It’s a completely different matter if a person has an open fracture. Here you can already see that this is not a bruise, since a bone will stick out from the wound. If there is a bone sticking out of the wound, this does not mean that huge bleeding will follow, but all because there are no central arteries on a person’s fingers. If a person wants to get up and walk, he will experience unbearable pain.
There is a risk that the patient will develop an infection. This mainly concerns an open fracture.
If there is an inflammatory process in your finger, you may notice symptoms such as:
This means that microbes are already beginning to multiply in the wound. Such symptoms may occur several days after the fracture if the patient does not consult a doctor in time.
It is quite difficult to distinguish a bruised finger from a fracture or dislocation. Therefore, in order not to guess and not self-medicate, you need to turn to professionals who will not only quickly diagnose, but also help you recover.
When it comes to first aid, sometimes time passes by seconds. First you need to call an ambulance, then you need to immobilize your finger, for this you will need a splint. But that doesn't mean you have to go cut a piece of tire off the car and attach it to a pin. For this case, a pen, a small twig from a tree, an ice cream stick will do, and you can secure the splint with a cloth or bandage. Now you need to avoid swelling, and for this you need ice or a cold bottle of water. If such a cooling compress is taken from the freezer, then it must first be wrapped in a towel. The hospital will already carry out a number of procedures and apply a plaster cast.
And then the moment came when everything grew together and the doctor removed the plaster. But this does not mean that the functions of the finger will also quickly recover on their own. In fact, this is a very complex process that takes a lot of time.
All development exercises must be performed correctly and without laziness.
At first, a person will feel that the fingers are in the way and cause discomfort, but this can be corrected with the help of a whole list of exercises that will need to be performed daily. But the development itself should begin with a minimal load, and then gradually it can be increased. After the doctor removes the plaster, he will prescribe physiotherapy, for example electrophoresis, UHF, laser, magnet.
At home, you need to develop your fingers as follows. So, the first exercise is to place your hands on the table, palms facing down (if the fracture is on the leg, then place the legs on a flat, hard surface). And then we begin to simultaneously lift all our fingers from the table or floor, and then take turns lifting them off the table or floor. Then in the same position you can separate and bring them together. While remaining in the same position, you can make circular movements with your fingers so that you can touch the table or floor with your pads. Now you can put all your fingers (the exercise does not apply to your feet) together and make it look like you took a pinch of salt.
The next exercise concerns only the fingers. The exercise involves forming rings with your fingers. That is, the others need to be brought closer to the thumb in turn. This exercise is very difficult and must be done until it succeeds, as it is really very important to restore all functions.
A good and simple exercise in which you only need to snap your fingers. Then you can slowly bend each finger into a fist simultaneously and alternately. You can buy yourself a children's construction set and assemble it every day. Also a good exercise for development would be sorting out beads.
Another good exercise would be the following. Pour two small piles of, for example, rice and buckwheat, mix them and sort them out. If a person works on a computer or plays a musical instrument, then this is another exercise that will help you recover faster. Stores sell special expanders that often help with arm fractures. You can massage your hand and fingers using your healthy hand.
There are massage rollers for the toes. You can also scatter, for example, pencils or markers and roll them on the floor.
Any of the above exercises should be performed 10-15 times and do 3-4 approaches per day. Doctors often recommend doing exercises in a bowl of warm water and sea salt. After exercise, be sure to massage your toes or hands, then treat them with anti-inflammatory ointment.
These fairly simple exercises will help a person quickly return to a normal lifestyle.
I have a double displaced ankle fracture and torn ligaments. The surgery took place almost a month ago. Now my leg is without a cast or orthosis, I walk with the help of crutches and do light exercises. What worries me is that in a sitting position, with the leg at a right angle to the floor, it is not possible to place the heel on the floor. the leg is like a ballerina's - with an elongated toe. I don’t understand what the reason is. maybe because of the stitched ligaments? The doctor says that everything is fine in the picture, it’s just the swelling that’s bothering me. Please tell me who has encountered this, is it normal? and how long will it take?
Yana, good afternoon!
My fracture, however, was the simplest, without displacement. But the leg also did not bend for a long time after removing the orthosis - a maximum of 90 degrees. Even when I started walking with a cane (about two months after the injury), I had to walk up the stairs and out of the minibus sideways, with side steps. I took baths with salt and tried to pull my foot with my heel towards me in the water. And also, when I was going down the stairs, I tried to carefully descend from the last step not sideways, but straight (from the last one - so as not to fly too far, if that happens)))
Indeed, the swelling is disturbing. My swelling went down about three months after the injury, and walking became much easier. Now (I broke my leg in September) I can go down the stairs normally, almost skipping, and I don’t even really think that something was wrong.
True, I still can’t get the heel of the problem leg to be level with the healthy heel when I sit. Maybe it should have been more actively developed. But, since this moment in my life somehow does not interfere with me, then okay.
I hope my experience will be useful to you and everything will be okay. Get well soon!
Raisa , thank you for your answer and wishes!
I am not a fighter by nature, and if some people recover contrary to doctors’ predictions, then on the contrary, I need constant reassurance from the outside that everything is fine. You cheered me up with your story, thank you! I’m trying to develop my leg, but apparently I need to work harder
Yana, I’m far from a fighter either))
I remember almost immediately after the fracture I felt panic. There is even my topic “Please support” on the forum. It seems to me that it is as if the voice of nature is waking up. In the wild, it is much more difficult for a creature that breaks its leg to survive. And this voice sometimes drowns out all reasonable arguments.
Exercise therapy and physiotherapy help a lot. Both the exercises themselves and the inspiring example of other people. Here, a man came to one lesson on crutches - time passed, he already came with a cane.
Just when I was going to class, a moment came that, even despite the remaining swelling and bruises, my leg began to be perceived as healthy. The thought “my leg is fine” just naturally comes to mind. And then it’s a matter of technology – to finalize the charter. I think it will be the same for you!
Good afternoon I had an operation after a fracture, there are now screws and some kind of plate in my leg. I’m not in a cast, the doctor told me to work out my leg, but I have the same problem with bending my leg, and what’s more, I still feel this piece of iron in my leg. it hurts(((((
Raisa , I’m reading your message and I believe that everything will be fine.
When I was in the hospital, the doctor said that without the operation there would be a disability, and I asked: “And if I have the operation everything will be fine?” In response, he just threw up his hands. Somehow not very reassuring. You’ll have to set yourself in a positive mood, it’s good that there is a forum and people ready to support
How long ago did you have the operation? Is it possible to develop the leg, is there progress?
Yes, you can feel the piece of iron in your leg. I couldn’t even look at my leg for a long time - there were bruises from the cast, swelling and redness, and in general the leg seemed somehow crooked. I feel numbness (it decreased after a couple of weeks) and tingling in my fingers and soles.
But the biggest problem is bending. Today I saw a traumatologist and said that the cause could be either swelling or a bolt that was twisted during surgery. But continue to develop the leg
Yanochka, the most important thing is to be patient. All these processes, unfortunately, are not very fast, but read how many complex cases have already been described only on our forum (I suspect that it is hundreds, if not thousands, times less than in real life). Yes, slowly. Yes, sometimes through pain and fear. Yes, step by step - but at different times we all moved towards the same goal: to learn to walk again, and even! which many have succeeded in! wear heels. You definitely need to believe in yourself and in your victory.
And pay attention: what’s bad about our forum? Because not many people here communicate at the same time. But what does it mean? Only one thing: people recovered and began to walk normally. We shared our experience (for which many thanks to everyone, I believe that the information collected here will help many future breakdowns, although I hope that there will be as few of them as possible), and moved on. I really believe that it (the forum) was created for a reason; the experience collected here is already priceless.
And everything will be wonderful for you! The main thing is patience.
That's another matter - a medical error, but the doctor should know this, right?
Tassy , thanks for your support!
The operation was performed by a good doctor with experience. If the reason is that the bolt is too twisted, this will soon become clear, because it will be filmed in March.
Edited by Yana (2015-02-18 12:13:02)
Good luck, Yanochka! Even if the bolt is twisted, the leg will come off, even if not in one day. I would be grateful if you could share later how it went for you. For those who come later. Good luck, keep your fingers crossed!
I had a consultation with the doctor who performed the operation. I was very worried about my stiff leg, but he said that everything was fine, let’s remove the screw, it will immediately feel better.
So I'm expecting it to be released next week.
Edited by Yana (2015-03-22 17:22:57)
Well, Yanochka, we keep our fingers crossed for you! Break a leg.
Thank you! and to hell))
The screw was removed 5 days ago. Well, what can I say, a miracle did not happen, the leg began to turn more freely, but the amplitude of the “toe-to-toe” movement, one might say, remained the same. They allowed me to fully step on my foot and walk, but I can’t do anything. I walk very slowly with the help of crutches, I tried with one crutch, but it looks more like an extra step and it seems to me that in this case the movement of the leg is incorrect. In a few days the stitches will be removed and I will start going to exercise therapy.
The screw was removed 5 days ago. Well what can I say, no miracle happened
Yanochka! And no one expected a miracle.
Even after the simplest fractures, without surgery, without metal, it still takes a lot of time and patience for everything to recover. Read my story: the fracture was the simplest, without displacement, without surgery (tiny crack), they wanted to remove the plaster splint after 2 weeks, at my insistence they removed it after 3. It took me 3-4 months to fully recover.
That’s why I always write: time and patience are our allies. Slowly, without excessive effort, we develop the leg. Everything will definitely be fine, but not in 1 day. But everything will definitely be fine, and in a few months you will forget about it completely.
Hold on! Exercise therapy is very good. Write!
Tassy, thanks for your support.
Finally, I was given a referral for physical therapy (after the removal of the positioning screw, 16 days had passed). The doctor said that he would soon prescribe it, it turns out that I go to exercise therapy five times, is it really possible to develop my leg well during this time?
I learned to walk gradually: first with two crutches, then with one. First, she leaned on a crutch on the side of the sore leg, then on the side of the healthy leg (in this case, the gait turned out to be more even, almost without lameness, although more painful).
Yesterday I went to the clinic, my leg was very tired and today I’m on crutches again, walking without them is very painful, I’m limping more than before(
Edited by Yana (2015-04-11 17:13:19)
It will remain so for now. No, nothing will happen in exercise therapy in 5 lessons, but you will have a methodology and can practice at home. In my opinion, the main thing is not to rush and not to overdo it. You need to be patient (I remember how difficult it is, but it is necessary), and gradually, step by step, accustom the leg to the loads.
For my minor fracture, the cast was removed at the end of May, but I only started walking in September without any problems or lameness.
What other advice can I give: do not neglect baths with sea salt. Apply ointments or gels to swollen areas (I used Dolobene - gel). Elevate your legs to higher places more often; it’s even good to sleep with a cushion under your leg.
Just a little more patience, Yanochka, and everything will pass.
This week I went to physical therapy. The doctor was surprised: “Why didn’t you come earlier? So much time has been lost.” Well, what can I say, as soon as they gave me the direction, I came.
The leg still doesn’t bend, at least I don’t see any progress. I feel that for this reason I am walking incorrectly. The exercise therapy doctor said that the pelvis was skewed ((So now I lean more on exercises rather than walking.
Edited by Yana (2015-04-16 16:22:29)
The most unpleasant thing is when doctors say something at the wrong time. But I'm sure everything will work out. Not quite a critical situation, thank God! Yes, more exercise, but my advice is still not to overexert yourself. Excessive loads can have a negative impact. Hang in there, Yanochka!
I was discharged. I only managed to go to exercise therapy 8 times (2.5 weeks). The first day my husband drove me to work, then there were holidays, and I began to walk better. Now I get to work on my own, I go down the stairs with both feet, but with a limp.
The leg swells and the color is different. I do exercises every day, but the problem of a stiff leg remains (I can’t sit down at all), and it seems that there is no progress ((
For those who roll the bottle, I want to convey the words of the physical therapy doctor. You need to skate correctly, not just mindless movements back and forth, but try to reach the floor with your toe/heel (so that the joint works). She also said that you need to start walking with two crutches. I didn't recommend using a cane
Hooray! Congratulations! This is about the discharge.
As for the fact that the problem remains, I think it’s a matter of time. The more complex the fracture, the more time it takes to recover. Well, there are a lot of other factors, of course.
By the way, I didn’t use a cane either, that’s exactly how I walked - with two crutches at first. And then immediately without crutches.
Yanochka, good luck to you! Write how the recovery of the leg is progressing.
Yana, your problem really resonated with me. The infection was the same: everything was OK, the leg didn’t hurt much when walking, and it quickly stopped swelling, but it didn’t bend, and at least shoot yourself! Yeah, especially on a four-lane road, where the length of the traffic light, even at a normal pace, is enough to run across the neck. As a result, after a month and a half of this almost normal walking, I “broke it” - I made a deep lunge forward with my healthy leg, like a fencer. It worked, let's just say - my gait is already normal until I get thoroughly tired (then it starts to ache a little again, and a limp appears). But it’s better not to repeat after me - the cases are different, after all, and in general, as they say, my nerves lost, otherwise I might not have dared. To be honest, I didn’t really achieve anything with rolling various objects on the floor, but careful, gradual pulling of the foot with my fingers towards myself and away from myself while sitting gave some increase (however, small, but I felt it perfectly) in amplitude. There were even a couple of small “crunches” in both ankles, after which it became easier to walk. I did this:
1.Sitting on the bed with your legs stretched out in front of you;
2. He held not the toes, but the middle of the foot (a little closer to the toes - or rather, the bases of the toes), with the entire palm. This seemed justified to me. because there's no point in stretching the fascia (plantar muscle) if the talus doesn't move, right?
3. I pulled her not only towards me. but also from himself - he rested his hand and bent down;
4.No sudden movements or jerks - in both directions I increased the force gradually, bending further and further. trying to advance at least a little more;
5. This is a purely sports habit, I don’t know if it was necessary, but before each such “session” I warmed up the joint - I did 20 raises on my toes and another 20 rotations of this foot in such an amplitude as it turned out (I have it, By the way, it is still very limited - the second foot can turn much wider).
Good evening! I also broke down here on February 14, fracture of both ankles of my left leg with displacement and subluxation. We had surgery and now have a titanium plate in my leg and pins on the inside. At the moment, the doctor allowed me to start using my leg, but I have the same problem - my leg doesn’t bend. She began to move on the third day after the operation, naturally without fanaticism, as the surgeon advised. There is no result yet, it feels like there is a stopper there and does not allow the leg to bend, and the plate can be removed after half a year. I try to do gymnastics myself, move my foot, twist it, but I can’t bend it as it should. It’s like a cry from the heart, everyone says wait, everything will happen, but I have a feeling that this is unlikely.
Hello, tell me, did you ask your doctor about iron, it often happens that it prevents you from returning to full amplitude? But the period after the turning point is still very short; unfortunately, the turning point occurs quickly, but “development” takes much longer. What exercises and procedures do you do for this?
I didn’t talk to the doctor about iron, I’ll ask at my next appointment, thank you!
And I do the exercises in circular movements with my foot, pulling the toe, pulling the toe towards myself. I even put a scarf under my foot and pulled my foot towards me by both ends.
Yes, I understand that I want results quickly, but still. Can you advise which course of exercises is effective or something else.
Here is a person who has the same problem. How to return full amplitude to the foot? , and also during “physical exercises”, many people stand with their toes on a book (for example) and, holding on to some kind of support, lower themselves down with their weight. It hurts, but each time the book is placed thicker. The main thing is not to overdo it, the period is short and the ligaments are weak, it is possible to pull the Achilles tendon, and this is serious.
Thank you very much for your advice and help. I'll read everything.
Why does my toe swell? The causes of this pathological condition will be listed below. We will also tell you which doctor you should contact in case of such a phenomenon and what should be done in this case.
If your toe is swollen, it may indicate the presence of several diseases. However, you should not immediately panic, because this phenomenon does not always indicate serious changes in the body. Very often this pathological condition is associated with wearing uncomfortable or tight shoes.
What to do if your toe is swollen? First of all, you should contact an experienced doctor. Several specialists can act as it. First you need to visit your local therapist. After a survey and examination, the doctor will be able to refer you to a more specialized specialist.
If a person has severe pain in his toe, he may need advice:
The cause of such a pathology should only be identified by an experienced specialist. As medical practice shows, swelling, pain and redness of the phalanx on the lower extremities can be associated with the following diseases:
It should also be noted that this phenomenon is often caused by injuries and damage of various types.
To understand how to treat a patient if his toe is swollen, it is necessary to identify the presence of one or another abnormality. Let us consider all the features of the above diseases in more detail.
A swollen and red toe - such symptoms often indicate the development of arthrosis. This is a pathology caused by degenerative-dystrophic disorders in cartilage tissue.
The cause of the development of such a disease may be deformation changes in the lower extremities (for example, flat feet or asymmetry). In overweight patients, this disease occurs in 58% of cases.
Everyday heavy physical activity can also cause the development of arthrosis. If an athlete’s toe is swollen, then this is not surprising. After all, the phalanges of the lower extremities in such people very often become deformed and swell due to regular bruises, injuries and sprains.
Diseases of the thyroid gland and metabolic disorders are also becoming common causes of arthrosis.
Osteoarthritis of the big toe joint can manifest itself in different ways. Conventionally, the course of this pathology is divided into 3 stages:
Diagnosis of arthrosis should be carried out by a surgeon or rheumatologist. Sometimes just a visual examination is enough to determine this disease.
The treatment of such a disease is complex. To do this, they use NSAIDs and follow a diet, and also include physiotherapy and gymnastics in the daily routine.
If your toe is swollen, this may indicate the development of gout. As a rule, such a disease occurs due to impaired metabolic processes. Most often it is confirmed by men over 45 years old. If gout is not treated on time, it will completely destroy the phalanx.
With this disease, the big toe becomes swollen and quite painful. Such sensations are paroxysmal in nature and can last for 5-22 days. After 3 attacks, the phalanx begins to gradually collapse.
To relieve the pain of gout, you can apply cold to the affected area.
Therapy for such a disease is complex. Her course includes magnetic therapy, laser therapy, ultraphonophoresis and massage using electrostatic fields.
It is pointless to treat a tumor of the thumb with gout on your own. Therapy must be carried out only in a specialized hospital.
A common cause of swelling and pain in the big toe is panaritium. This pathological phenomenon can be observed near the nail, on the back side under the epidermis, as well as under the nail and next to the periungual fold.
If all appropriate measures are not taken in time, the inflammatory process can quite easily spread to a bone, tendon or joint.
The main symptoms of panaritium may be the following:
The cause of the development of panaritium and, as a consequence, a finger tumor, is an inflammatory process that occurs due to infection entering the tissue (for example, through hangnails, cracks or microwounds).
Most rarely, such a disease develops against the background of fungal foot disease.
If your big toe is swollen due to the development of felon, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to avoid serious complications that could lead to foot deformity or gangrene.
Treatment of such an inflammatory process involves surgical opening of the purulent cavity, as well as drainage, taking anti-inflammatory drugs, treating the thumb with local antiseptics and the use of drugs that strengthen the immune system.
If you stub your toe, it may soon become red and swollen. However, such symptoms do not always occur after a strong blow to the lower limb. Sometimes the symptoms described arise from subtle daily injuries that a person may not even be aware of.
People involved in physical labor or professional sports often experience pain in the area of their big toes. Experts attribute this to the fact that the load on the lower limbs of athletes is always colossal. In this case, fingers that do not perform the main supporting function may simply not cope with it. This is what causes damage to the bones of the phalanges, including cracks and fractures. All these pathological phenomena are almost always accompanied by swelling and localized pain.
So what should you do if you stub your toe? If, over time, the injury site becomes swollen or red, you should immediately contact a traumatologist. The same applies to such a symptom as pain.
To identify damage to the phalanx, the doctor must examine and interview the patient. However, this is not enough to diagnose a dislocation or fracture. For this purpose, the doctor may prescribe an x-ray. Further actions of the specialist should be aimed at immobilizing the injured area (for example, applying plaster), as well as prescribing painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, the patient may be recommended to take calcium and B vitamins, which will contribute to the speedy recovery of the injured joint.
If during a medical examination all of the above causes of swelling of the toe were rejected, then doctors will prescribe additional research methods that will make it possible to make a more accurate diagnosis.
In addition to arthrosis, gout, panaritium and injuries, the following diseases can contribute to the development of this pathological condition:
If you suspect such conditions, you should immediately contact a qualified doctor.