Dislocated toe - splinting?

[NotQuiteCockney]

DH stubbed his pinky toe, quite badly. It seemed to be at a bit of an odd angle afterwards (although it didn't hurt really).

At his request, I tried to gently pop it back in. It went 'pop' and hurt more.

Does he need to go to A+E or minor injuries? Or should I just splint it?

[Heathcliffscathy]

oooooowwwwwwwwwww!



no advice just poor dh

[NotQuiteCockney]

Yeah, it really hurt. It was a bit alarming, popping it back in, too - it really went 'pop'.

[Heathcliffscathy]

eeewwwwww.

come on expert poppers post away!

[NotQuiteCockney]

I looked at more first aid sites and decided to tape it.

[NotQuiteCockney]

God, if it were me, I would have just gone to A+E.

[TwoIfBySea]

I did that about 4 years ago, f**king painful would describe it! I went to A&E and it was the nurse practioner who popped it back in to position. She then taped it to the next toe along and that was it.

There is nothing much you can do about it.

Bit of advice for people though, if you ever break your ring finger take your rings off immediately as the cutter they use in hospital burns! Yes, I am extremely clumsy!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ah, thanks.

Did they x-ray it? (DH is concerned he may have broken it and dislocated it.)

How long did you have it taped up for?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, and did it hurt more after she popped it back in, than it did before?

[Jacksmama]

Don't bother going to A&E if you've already popped it back in (which you did). It will swell and turn purple, probably all the way into the foot. He won't be able to bend it - so no need to tape or splint it - and it will hurt like stink for at least a week. Then the swelling and bruising will go down slowly, he'll be able to put weight on it, and in about a month it will be as good as new.

Things you can do: ice it (stick entire foot into bucket of icy water), put Arnica gel on it, take ibuprofen/ paracetamol for pain relief.

How do I know all this, you ask...

Guess what I did to my toe recently...

[Jacksmama]

Same applies even if it's broken. Nothing they can do for toes in hospital that you can't do at home.

[TwoIfBySea]

It was x-rayed because they weren't sure if it was dislocated or broken because of the way it was sticking out funny! Turned out it was "only" dislocated. It was taped up for a few weeks - I didn't have to go back to A&E unlike my broken fingers. So I was given a roll of tape home with me to retape it myself, little bit of gauze between the tootsies - it was fairly easy.

And I don't know if it hurt more as I nearly passed out so have actually blanked on how sore it was! I was told just to take ibuprofen for the pain.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, thanks guys.

DH has never really been injured before (!!), so he's finding it all a bit of a shock, to put it mildly.

I think we're not doing anything else about it. I've given him my cache of drugs (voltarol otc, cocodamol), and he'll decide what to take.

[lulalullabye]

Make sure you tape it to the next toe. This stops any movement and allows it to heal It is unusual to get a fracture and a dislocation so sounds like just a dislocation. anti imflamatories and rest.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I did tape it. It seems ok this morning, at least, it doesn't hurt if he doesn't move it.