My pinky toe is gonna fall off.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-31-2007, 03:53 PM

A week ago I stubbed my toe in the garage. It tore off half my toe nail Verticaly . Surprisingly it didnt bleed much. I washed it and put antibactrial cream on it. But now its turning black and throbs. I have no medical and no money. I hate to spend my phone bill money at the doctors if I dont have to but it doesnt look like this is getting better. Is there anything I can do?

**baronmom** · 05-31-2007, 04:00 PM

Don't have any advice, but I just wanted to tell you I hope it gets better. I cringed when I read what you did to it.

**yankeegal** · 05-31-2007, 04:07 PM

Is it turning black as in bruising, maybe? Have you iced it at all? I'm in no way a medical person-just a Mom who has self-doctored her share of sprains and cuts....I hope you feel better.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-31-2007, 04:11 PM

I hate to say this but black as in rotten. Like a moldy piece of fruit.

**Mom23boys** · 05-31-2007, 04:30 PM

I would ice it and then if you can, go to Walgreens, Wal-Mart, or some store with a pharmacy and purchse a splint to put over the injured toe with some tape. My mom broke her toe and that is all they could do for it was place it in a splint, not a cast.

I hope it starts to heal soon.

**itsahumanzoo** · 05-31-2007, 04:35 PM

Is the skin black, or is it the remaining nail? Because nails do turn black when they're hit very hard. But, if you feel like it's serious, you might want to go to urgent care and get it checked out. Because if it is bad, the longer you wait, the more expensive it'll be to treat.

**frugalfriend** · 05-31-2007, 04:40 PM

Is it the toenail that is black? If just the toeNAIL, you will be o.k. Something heavy fell on my big toe once and the nail turned black and blue and eventually a new nail grew in. If it is your actual toe, I think you should get some medical attention. Do you have a clinic maybe you could go to? Try Googling "Free clinics" in your area. If you have a doctor that you have seen before, call and ask the staff if they know where you can get some free or inexpensive care. Good luck and hope it stops hurting soon!!

**justpeachy92** · 05-31-2007, 04:47 PM

I see you are in Florida. Call the department of health in your county and get an appointment. They base what you pay on income with the max amount to see a dr being $40, you can also get medicine if need be from the pharmacy. The main dept of health offices have pharmacies, and what you pay is income based. I have lost a couple of toe nails and finger nails, it is normal for it to turn black before it falls off, but I have never had them throb in pain before....could be infected.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-31-2007, 04:50 PM

I m thinking its just the nail. the thing is that my toe is so tiny and the nail is almost not visible ( my wee littel piggy curls up so much that the nail is hidden under he curves) so it kinda all looks same.
The pp had a point about the longer you wait the more expensive it gets. I will have my dh get a better look at it and tell me if he thinks its just the nail. If he says no then i will go to the doctor.

Infection is more my concern because of the way it feels. After all it was in the dirty garage. Thanks everyone.

**Libby** · 05-31-2007, 08:58 PM

Does the actual toe hurt if you were to bend it or wiggle the toe using your fingers/hand or when hubby touches it? Or just the nail bed area/tip of toe.

I just had an ingrown toenail removed - part of my nail...and its been about 3 going onto 4 months and the nailbed and a bit of toe below (leading back to the foot) still hurts or is very sensitive. But I knew b/c of the brusing in the nail bed that it was alright b/c thats where the blackness stopped. My actual toe didnt really hurt...just around the nailbed where the nail was removed so it wouldnt grow anymore.

Soak your foot in epsom salted water...elevate it and clean it properly and keep putting antibacterial cream on it. But if its your actual toe that hurts..suck it up, go into dept and get it looked at pronto....you definately need your baby toe WAY more then you'd think!

Hope it gets better soon and stops hurting *hugs*

**FrugalMomof3** · 05-31-2007, 09:02 PM

No advice, I jst hope it get's better for ya

**mommaT** · 05-31-2007, 11:35 PM

yeouch! Hope it feels better soon!

**OzFreeBird** · 06-01-2007, 04:21 AM

I hate to be a pessimist but if it is black and you feel feverish, get to a doctor quick. It could be gangrenous.

**Dancing Lotus** · 06-01-2007, 09:04 AM

I got dh to inspect it for me and he said whats left of my nail is going to fall out and that the tip of my toe is what is black. The tip was cut off and its just hanging on and the tissue has died and thats what is black. Yucky! But he did say that the rest of it looks fine and he cant see any infection.
Thanks everyone!

**Jayne** · 06-01-2007, 10:14 AM

I would head to the nearest ER ....your tip is black , so I would think it needs to be removed before you get blood poisoning....your health is more important than your phone bill...take care