If putting weight on your toe is excruciatingly painful, you might have a bad break. In this case, you should see a doctor right away. Minor fractures aren’t as painful, and may not need medical treatment. Tingling in addition to pain could indicate a fracture. See a doctor right away.
Place the injured toe near the corresponding healthy toe on your other foot. If the injured toe looks much bigger than the healthy toe, you might have a fracture. [2] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
If you can see that the toe bone has broken through the skin, it’s definitely broken, and you should see the doctor immediately.
If the pain is so severe that you can’t walk on the toe, see your doctor right away. If the toe looks like it’s pointing in the wrong direction or is otherwise badly misshapen, see your doctor right away. Seek emergency services if the toe is cold or tingling, or it turns blue due to lack of oxygen. [3] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
Don’t leave the ice in place for more than 20 minutes, as it may damage your skin if you leave it there too long. You can take an analgesic like ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain.
When you’re at home, keep your foot elevated to help with swelling. After several weeks of healing, gradually begin using your toe again, but don’t overdo it. If you feel pain or stress, take a step back and rest your foot.
If you lose feeling in the taped toes or they change in color, the tape is probably too tight. Remove it immediately. Ask your doctor for guidance in reapplying the tape. Diabetics should not tape their toes. Instead, special flat-footed orthopedic shoes should be worn, as prescribed by your doctor. [5] X Research source
Be sure to follow the doctor’s orders when caring for a severe injury. Ignoring doctor’s orders can cause an injury to take much longer to heal than necessary.