Blunt Toenail Injury
Toenail injury frequently occurs in athletes, marathon runners and sportsmen especially tennis players.
It includes both the blunt and the sharp trauma.
Blunt trauma is the type of injury in which no blood comes out of the skin; however blood vessels are torn beneath the skin accumulating the blood in it.
Blackened nail is the term usually given by the layman to this type of injury.
The toenail of athletes is in a continuous state of stress and pressure, which causes damage to the underlying capillaries.
Multiple names have been given to this condition like tennis toe and skier's toe, according to the conditions in which it occurs.
The worst outcome of blackened nail is throbbing pain felt with every beat of the heart.
The patient feels that his or her toe is in a continuous state of extreme pressure causing discomfort.
Discoloration of the toe is another point of concern in this type of injury.
Initially fresh blood gathers at the base of the nail making it red.
As time passes the blood coagulates and loses its properties turning the color to blue or reddish blue.
Over a period of several weeks the toe becomes purple or black.
Two approaches can be adapted for this type of nail injury.
If the accumulation of blood is in less than one half of the total surface of the toenail, then just relax.
Wait and see, it will resolve automatically in a few weeks.
However, if the accumulated blood occupies more than half of the toenail surface and is causing pain and discomfort, get the hematoma (accumulated blood) drained.
You should avoid draining it yourself at home because you may end up causing infection of the toe and thus worsening it.
Drainage of the hematoma should always be done either in a doctor's office or a minor operation theater.
A sterilized drill is used to make a hole in the nail which then allows the blood to ooze out.
Once the blood is removed, the pain settles and the color of the nail changes gradually.
The outcome of this procedure is very good because it improves the healing rate of the toenail drastically and the patient is able to walk and jog within a short time frame.
There is no special follow-up for the patients after this procedure.
Although the pain may be completely alleviated, the use of analgesics is advised for several more days after the blunt toenail injury.
It includes both the blunt and the sharp trauma.
Blunt trauma is the type of injury in which no blood comes out of the skin; however blood vessels are torn beneath the skin accumulating the blood in it.
Blackened nail is the term usually given by the layman to this type of injury.
The toenail of athletes is in a continuous state of stress and pressure, which causes damage to the underlying capillaries.
Multiple names have been given to this condition like tennis toe and skier's toe, according to the conditions in which it occurs.
The worst outcome of blackened nail is throbbing pain felt with every beat of the heart.
The patient feels that his or her toe is in a continuous state of extreme pressure causing discomfort.
Discoloration of the toe is another point of concern in this type of injury.
Initially fresh blood gathers at the base of the nail making it red.
As time passes the blood coagulates and loses its properties turning the color to blue or reddish blue.
Over a period of several weeks the toe becomes purple or black.
Two approaches can be adapted for this type of nail injury.
If the accumulation of blood is in less than one half of the total surface of the toenail, then just relax.
Wait and see, it will resolve automatically in a few weeks.
However, if the accumulated blood occupies more than half of the toenail surface and is causing pain and discomfort, get the hematoma (accumulated blood) drained.
You should avoid draining it yourself at home because you may end up causing infection of the toe and thus worsening it.
Drainage of the hematoma should always be done either in a doctor's office or a minor operation theater.
A sterilized drill is used to make a hole in the nail which then allows the blood to ooze out.
Once the blood is removed, the pain settles and the color of the nail changes gradually.
The outcome of this procedure is very good because it improves the healing rate of the toenail drastically and the patient is able to walk and jog within a short time frame.
There is no special follow-up for the patients after this procedure.
Although the pain may be completely alleviated, the use of analgesics is advised for several more days after the blunt toenail injury.
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