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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to NOT want to go to A&E with broken little toe?

29 replies

razors · 20/06/2011 21:23

I was at a children's party on Sunday and collided with a child in trainers and think I have broken my toe - red, bruised and swollen. I went to my GP this morning to get it looked at but was told to go to A&E.........really? was surprised - thought a nurse would just bandage it up as I was told (last time I broke same toe!) that they pretty much heal themselves. Anyone had any experience of this? should I go A&E? or just hobble on until Thursday until I can see my GP?

OP posts:

Pumpernickel10 · 20/06/2011 21:24

GP will probably send you to A&E anyway, you in much pain?

Happymm · 20/06/2011 21:24

They will only strap it to the next one unless seriously deformed. I'd hobble on...

M0naLisa · 20/06/2011 21:25

Yes i was sent to A&E when i kicked the hoover instead of the football and broke my little toe.

Asinine · 20/06/2011 21:26

Yes, they will only strap it up and possibly give you some codeine if you ask.

smudgethepuppydog · 20/06/2011 21:28

I'm pretty sure I've broken mine tonight, my little toe had an arguemnt with a rather solid piece of furniture and lost miserably. I will not be going to A&E for it though as I don't think ours even bothers strapping them up any more. I shall hobble on bravely without whinging

Original poster

razors · 20/06/2011 21:29

mmmm yummy yummy codeine......: )

Not too much pain Pumpernickel as long as I don't bend it - then it hurts A LOT!

Ouch MonaLisa - that hurt!

So maybe I should go then?

OP posts:

Original poster

razors · 20/06/2011 21:30

Ooh smudge - I feel your pain......

OP posts:

DogsBestFriend · 20/06/2011 21:32

If it's any comfort I hit the wall with my little toe years ago. It swelled up and was too painful to get a shoe on for a few days (I was most pissed off as I'd planned to go to a footie match that evening!). I didn't do anything about it and it healed itself without further problem.

Going on that I'd say sod waiting in A&E for hours as there's little I'd imagine that they can do anyway.

youarekidding · 20/06/2011 21:32

I hurt mine at 8yo. Went to A & E and my mum was basically told I was putting it on. Hurt even to walk on my heel. Apparently broken toes are deformed.

22 yeras later my toe is still bent and mishapen and loads of people comment on what happened to it.

My advice would be go - not to be told your a fraud but to prevent it becomming permanently crooked.

Do you have a minor injuries near you? That would be a better option if you do.

keepingupwiththejoneses · 20/06/2011 21:34

I have broken my little toes a few times. After the first time, I just strap it up myself, easy to do with either a few plasters or some medical tape.

atmywitssend · 20/06/2011 21:36

I broke 2 toes whilst pregnant. I went to Minor Injuries, was told "they're broken" just by looking at them, strapped them up and told to take paracetemol (ouch ouch ouch). A few weeks later it still wasn't healed but I tripped and did it again. Didn"t bother seeing anyone and they're fine no. So I'd say, no, don't go.

Original poster

razors · 20/06/2011 21:37

Minor injuries? Will see if their is one locally thanks! Your poor little toe!

Yeah Dog - that is what I thought.....didn't fancy sitting there for hours to be told there is nothing for it... not even Codeine :-0

OP posts:

animula · 20/06/2011 21:39

Dh has just broken his - but he dislocated it too. So off to A and E with him.

I broke mine and didn't go to A and E.

Unless it is mis-shapen, they will just tape it to the others.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 20/06/2011 21:40

I had my broken little toe strapped up by Minor Injuries as well. Deffo not an A&E job unless the bone is sticking out of the skin or something grim like that.

Itchywoolyjumper · 20/06/2011 21:47

I broke mine at the start of a 12 hour shift in the hospital. I hobbled down to A&E and they gave me some paracetamol and sent me hobbling back to my ward. I was pretty disapointed, I was hoping for a little plaster cast like a hula hoop crisp but apparently they don't do anything unless its really bad.

fatlazymummy · 20/06/2011 21:47

I broke 2 of my toes a couple of years ago. I just taped them together. If you straighten them out as best as you can they should heal ok. I worked in A and E for a short while and there's no way I'd waste hours of my life waiting around for something I can easily do myself.
Same treatment for broken fingers by the way. Just tape them to the next finger [and remove any rings on that hand]

Cymar · 20/06/2011 21:49

When my motorbike skidded landed pretty hard on my big toe, I went to the local minor injuries unit. I had it X-rayed and strapped and was told there wasn't much else they could do except advise me to either take some ibuprofen and paracetamol or I could see my GP for some better pain relief if that didn't work.

Original poster

razors · 20/06/2011 21:55

Thank you everyone - I don't think it warranted a visit to A&E either - have just found a minor injuries unit at a local hospital so I'll take myself there tomorrow to get it looked at and strapped.

Be careful out there : )

OP posts:

WillowFae · 20/06/2011 22:28

I broke my big toe in November - playing football on the XBox Kinnect. I DID go to A&E. The best thing about going is that it put me in the system with the fracture clinic and I was able to get a special shoe to keep the weight off my big toe.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 20/06/2011 22:33

I broke my little toe on the first day of my mat leave with dd1- it was at a 90 degree angle to the rest of my foot after my huge pregnant belly obscured my line of vision and I misjudged the wooden foot of the sofa (ouch!) DH insisted on taking me to A+E because of the weird angle, but, after a 3 hour wait, they said yup, it was broken, and put some micropore tape round it to tape it to it's neighbour (not that I was expecting anything else- DH was so freaked out he wouldn't have let me stay at home!) the tape came off the next day, and I strapped it up myself for the next fortnight, so I probably wouldn't bother going again if (god forbid!) it happened again!

LiegeAndLief · 20/06/2011 22:33

I broke my little toe when I was about 16 and was sent to A&E (was at school at the time). They x-rayed it, said it was broken, and then did precisely nothing. I guess there's not much they can do (although I like the hula hoop plaster cast idea).

Hope minor injuries is good and yours doesn't hurt too much. I couldn't get a shoe on for days and had to walk through Heathrow airport barefoot. A man in the check-in queue behind me actually asked me if I realised I'd lost my shoes..

fluffles · 20/06/2011 22:40

broke my little toe twice doing martial arts - as did most people at some point if they stuck around long enough... we always just taped them as straight as possible to the next toe and waited for them to heal themselves. they do end up a bit crooked but not sure that a&e would do anything different.

BurningBridges · 20/06/2011 22:43

I broke both my little toes a couple of years ago - first one I didn't realise and kept hobbling around in flip flops for 6 weeks then had to get an x-ray. By then it was slightly mis-shapen but nothing anyone could do. Second time I couldn't walk for a week and had to have it strapped for 2 months as it was a vertical break, so down the bone, not across. But even then they just strap it to the next toe, you are better off doing it yourself. You can buy really good strapping tape in any chemist, get a nice padded one and change every day. But also a really good tip - wear closed shoes all the time whilst its healing (6 weeks) - no flip flops. If you are the uk then weather is so bad here you won't need sandals in any case!

Pumpernickel10 · 20/06/2011 22:49

Do you have a cottage hospital you can go to, we have one attached to the Dr surgery. It's for minor injuries, maybe you have one in your area.

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 20/08/2013 17:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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