Cold therapy is best for reducing swelling right after an injury because it decreases blood flow to the area. Try submerging your toe in an ice bath if you want better coverage of the affected area.
Elevation decreases blood flow to the area, which helps manage pain and swelling. Try to keep it elevated for at least 2 to 3 hours per day to speed up the healing process.
Slip-on sandals with arch support are a good choice. Just be careful putting them on and taking them off. If you’ve injured your big toe, avoid wearing sandals that have a toe-hold.
Don’t apply heat before the swelling has gone done—just stick to ice. Heat increases blood flow to the area and can make any swelling worse.
If you’re pregnant, avoid taking ibuprofen because it can cause pregnancy complications. Don’t take ibuprofen in high doses or daily for longer than 1 week because it can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. The maximum daily dose is 800–1,200 mg per day for minor aches and pains. Each pill of acetaminophen contains around 325 mg—don’t take more than 4,000 mg within 24 hours.
If you run a lot or play sports like soccer that require a lot of foot action, take at least 5-7 days off so your toenail can heal.
Stretchy gauze might be more comfortable and stay on better than a regular adhesive bandage. To put it on, cover your toe with a small gauze pad and then wrap the gauze around your toe so it’s slightly tight but not so tight that you feel lots of pressure. Take off the bandage and let the wound “breathe” once you notice the bleeding has stopped. Apply antibacterial ointment or petroleum jelly on your toe before you bandage it to help speed up the healing process.
Another way to calculate your ideal intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by 2. The result is how many ounces you should drink a day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds (64 kg), you should drink around 70 fluid ounces (2,100 mL) per day. Avoid alcohol and highly-caffeinated drinks like coffee and black tea while your toe is healing because these will only dehydrate your body and extend your recovery time.
Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, winter squash, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower are also great sources of this vital nutrient. If your doctor says it’s okay, you can also take vitamin C supplements to help boost your intake. The maximum daily amount of vitamin C is 2,000 mg. Any more than that won’t hurt you, but it may cause an upset stomach if you take the maximum daily dosage all at once.
Aloe vera can help soothe the inflamed skin on and around your toe. It’ll also help repair the broken blood vessels just under your skin.
You can also take arnica orally by dissolving 2 pills under your tongue every 6 hours or by drinking 2 to 3 cups of arnica tea every day. Note that arnica is a homeopathic remedy and not all medical studies have found it to be effective at healing bruises faster.
Dropping a heavy object on your toe or stubbing it against something hard are 2 of the most common ways people can break their toe. It usually takes about 4-6 weeks for a broken toe to heal up completely. If it’s not your big toe that’s potentially broken, your doctor may recommend you treat it at home first.
You can do this at home, but it’s best to have it done by a doctor (especially if you’re squeamish about blood or needles).
Keep your toe wrapped for 1 week after the toenail removal and check in with your doctor if you notice excessive bleeding, swelling, or pain. Take it easy for 2 weeks after the procedure—that means no running, jumping, or sports for a while. It’ll take 6 to 18 months for a new toenail to grow in.
If there’s lots of pus seeping from the nail and the area around it is inflamed, you may need to have surgery. A wedge resection is the most common type of surgery to treat this (as well as ingrown toenails). [18] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
You can also file them down, but it may take more time. For your littlest toenails, use a smaller pair of clippers if you have some.
You should have enough room in the toe box to comfortably wiggle your toes. If you have a history of bruised toenails from running, buy shoes that are 1/2 to 1 full size bigger than your regular size. Just be sure to wear cushy socks and check the distance from your big toe to the end of the toe box. Try on new shoes to buy at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen.
It’s important to have moisture-wicking socks because any moisture can cause the sock to slip on your foot or the inner sole of the shoe, putting pressure on your toes and causing unnecessary friction. When you put on your socks, the front seam should lay flat across the top of your toes. If the sock tends to slip in your shoes and the seam ends up under your nails or at the tips of your toes, that’s a sign you need better fitting socks. The heel part of the sock should be stretched around your heel without any bunching or sagging material. If you often wear hiking boots, choose medium to thick socks made from a blend of materials like merino wool, nylon, lycra, and elastane.
Putting your forefoot down first may seem intuitive, but it’ll shift your foot inside your shoe, causing your toes to hit the front of the toe box.
