To go into A&E?

[TheDietStartsTomorrow]

I know I should probably ring NHS Direct but in my experience they often send you to the A&E for minor things so asking here first before I commit to spending the next 3-4 hours in a wretched hospital waiting room.

I banged my foot against a table threee days ago. It was excruciating at the time, but I spent the rest of the day with it up (mostly) and have rested it over the weekend as much as a working mum can reasonably expect to do so over Sunday and the bank holiday.

Today, the sweling just doesn't seem to have subsided. Two toes are a deep purple and part of my foot has gone green. I can't bend it, can only walk on my heel and it's still quite tender with a constant throbbing pain. I've been limping all day.

Should I go to A&E or will it just be a waste of their time and mine? DC are at home for the holidays and I've got to go in to work tomorrow so honestly will find an AE trip very time consuming.

What would you do?

Is there not a minor injuries clinic in your area you could use?

I'd go to a&e, why wait til tomorrow if you're going there anyway?

Well you're going to have to do something at some point! You can't just leave it like that without getting it checked. Can you see the Dr tomorrow? Mind you they will surely send you to A and E for an x ray anyway I would've thought!

You need a minor injuries unit not A&E, is there one near you?

no expert but I think you should go to A&E. Purple and green does not sound right!

go
you need an x-ray.
god luck, hope it isn't broken but better to be sure

Can you post a photo?

It would depend on the type of green tbh and how much pain I was in...lots of 'normal' bruises have a greenish tinge after a couple of days.

Same thing happened to me last month when I fell downstairs. Complete waste of time going to minor injuries, I did have an x ray which showed no break. But I could move foot although I had excruciating pain. Nurse said they don't give crutches, or bandage or pain killers. Told me to stand on it as much as possible and to be honest the pain went after about 4 days x

System, my feet are too ugly and I'm too vain to post a pic. I bruise very easily so the purple/green might just be bruising? It's a faint green, like the colour of the veins on my wrist.

I've never even heard of a minor injuries unit. Will google now. I keep thinking that if I'd broken it, I'd be in a lot more pain that I am. Although I believe I have a high pain threshold, people have often said if you break a bone, you're in screaming excruciating pain which I'm not in. It's a constant, painful throbbing.

Maybe you are thinking of a dislocation...that is excruciating and you would certainly scream but a break can be not that painful. Probably you should get it checked.

I used to be a A&E nurse and would send people for X-ray. We had set criteria for X-rays and not weight bearing was one, bony tenderness, deformity. Can't remember everything. Broken bones are not in the slightest bit more painful. Sprains are usually worse! Looking at a foot and bruising are just not good ways of judging, it needs prodding! Most big a&e s have a minor injuries section .

I did the same as you a few years ago and i think I broke one of my toes. It took about 2-3 weeks for the bruising/swelling to go down and the bruise covered half my foot and I had to wear crocs and sort of walk on my heel.

If you are worried though i would go to A and E and get it X-rayed in case its Your foot and not your toe but mine took ages to get better and my toe is slightly shorter now, only I can tell though

I broke a bone in my hand and thought I'd dislocated or sprained it so didn't go to A&E initially. When I did go and was x-rayed it was broken. But I'd left it too long - 2 weeks- so I'd get it checked out sooner rather than later. I'd probably go early tomorrow as the queues will be shorter first thing in the morning.... No drunks!!

Id imagine the gp would say go and get an xray, so you may as well go to a&e and get it over with. At least youll know whats the matter and they can give you pain meds and proper advice