possibly losing a toenail (yukky pic)

Has anyone lost a toenail before? I went on a 9-mile walk while in Virginia two weeks ago, and I think I'm losing my right big toenail. Both of my big toes were mushed up a bit, and the left one hurts & is blackened as well, but the right one looks VERY bad. It's still sore to the touch, (feels bruised) and this morning it started feeling... tight and painful up where the nail attaches to the toe.

I don't wanna gross anyone out, but there's a pic down below this...























I didn't touch-up the color or anything... so you can see from my other toenails just exactly how discolored it still is. Does this look like I'm gonna lose it? Is there anything I should be doing for/about this? I don't wanna take this into the doctor if I don't have to, because when I go in even for broken toes all they do is take an x-ray, bill me & send me right home again.

Any ideas or helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My toes honestly ache.
love,
mom

 

umm... kay... uh... I'd try soaking it in some iodine. Either that, or at least some tea tree oil. Preferably iodine, lots of it.

 

you might lose it, you might not. it's nothing more than a bruise under the toenail; the pain is probably just pressure from the blood under the nail. not worth going to the doctor for, though....just gotta wait (and wait, and wait) for it to heal and the blood to grow out with the nail. wear sandals if you can, and paint the toenail if it bothers you so you don't have to look at it!

 

You need to release some of the blood from under the toenail. This sounds scary but it won't hurt and it really works. Get a small paperclip, open one end up and heat its tip until red hot. put it on the purple part of your toenail and press and twist gently until the blood starts to come out. Instant relief.

I am a skier and have lost both my big toenails twice. The nails grow back just fine. (PS I am an MD)

If you are squeamish about the above go to an urgent care center and they'll do it for you. Scubadoc

 

yeah, that's a pretty common way of releasing the pressure. once the pressure is gone, the pain goes away.

i dont think i could drill a hole in my own toenail though. i still have trouble wrapping my head around having to pay to see a doc. we're so lucky up here in canada. do you have health insurance and all that fun stuff?

good luck to you.

 

So I should drill through the nail with a sterile clip??? OW!

Yeah, I was wondering if the pain was coming from pressure. That makes a lot of sense. I think I'll see if I can get my husband to do that... I'm not sure I could do it to myself.

Nimh I do have health insurance, but I'm tired of paying $20 for silly little things. And since I'm still able to walk okay, I guess I'd delegated this to the "silly little thing" category. But I'm still not able to wear anything other than open-toed sandals without pain, so if DH doesn't wanna do it, I think I'm going to bite the bullet & go in.
love,
mom

 

good luck!

 

Do you think the infection risk is worth performing surgery on oneself? Most MDs would advise against it. I work in health care, as well, and I am a bit scared of people making holes in their bodies with paper clips. Nothing like a good case of sepsis.

It happend two weeks ago. That blood should be mostly coagulated, and the pressure should be releiving itself as the fluid is absorbed. I'd see a doctor in person.

JMO.

 

no need for the doctor...it'll just eventually fall off on its own. you can put a hole in it if you want, but i wouldnt recomend it. it just takes time