Any Doctors in the House???

[Mike Sofka]

So last night, I was going through my closet and I pulled out my electric guitar and it slid out of the box and it slammed on to my big toe! I about lost it it hurt so badly! (You know the little knob at the bottom of the guitar that holds the guitar strap? That smashed right into my big toe). Needless to say, that stinkin' guitar is pretty heavy and it caused some major damage. It split my toenail right in half and started bleeding instantly...It is now the next morning and it is still bleeding, especially when I stand up because all of the blood rushes to it.

Are there any doctors or moms in the house? What should I do? I have doused it with Peroxide. I have it wrapped pretty good so it doesn't bleed everywhere...when I'm at home I keep the dressing off so air can get to it to help the healing.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!!

Thanks!
~Mike

[treebeau]

Dang!
In what key was your scream?
I didn't know that electric guitar playing would require steel toed boots.

Seriously, though, sounds like you have done the right things, first aid wise. I suggest that whenever you can, lay down on your back and elevate your foot.

Expect more from our resident physician "monkeymdb" (I think that is the id) who is a med student.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Mike Sofka]

I think I screamed in high C...which guys shouldn't do...but when my toe is layed open..I think I reserve the right!

I have had my foot elevated...that has been helping...it doesn't throb as much when it's elevated...I'm trying to keep the blood from flowing to it so hard.

Hopefully monkeymdb will see this thread! Thank you for your suggestion. I appreciate it.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

You might consider hauling the toe in to the doctor's office - if the nail was split badly enough to bleed freely and if you plan to wear shoes for the next month or so I'd like you to be trimmed up and given a heavy-duty antiseptic of some sort. Nasty things grow inside shoes (think ingrown-toenail grade infection here, but in the whole nail bed...)

This is not a trained medical opinion, but it's Mom experience showing.

The peroxide was a good move. Bandaging and elevation likewise. I'm just remembering Murphy's law, the approaching weekend, and so forth.

Damaged toes do hurt, don't they. Sympathy from the left coast, as if that would help...

[barfle]

Splitting the big toe nail to the point where it's still bleeding? Yikes!

Yeah, get it to a professional. I've lost toenails before by jamming them, but they didn't split, they just came loose, so there wasn't any bleeding to speak of (lots of bruising and tenderness, but that's INTERNAL bleeding, and not so subject to infection) so I didn't see a doctor about them, but this sounds worse by far.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I'm now recalling an urgent-care visit I made once, when a place where a mole formerly had been wouldn't quit bleeding - the PA in the Urgent office had a bottle of something-or-other that stopped bleeding instantly. I still don't know what he keeps in that bottle but it's magic.

Anything that bleeds is also an invitation to germs - you have to do something about it. The longer you put it off, the likelier you'll have a large mess to deal with.

Also, it's messy and uncomfortable and inconvenient. But you probably already noticed that.

[Mike Sofka]

Selma,

I think the magic solution in the bottle was probably super glue! Just put a dab of that crap on an open wound and it will close it right up! Hee hee...kidding of course!

Thank you to both you and barfle for your suggestions. I am definitely not wearing shoes! I figured that having air able to reach it would be the best. It was just instinctual to wear sandals, use peroxide, douse it with Neosporin Antibacterial and wrap it in gauze.

The problem with me going to the doctor is...well...I don't really have insurance right now. I just started a new job and I don't receive benefits until October. Which I hope that comes sooner than later because I play hockey and I'm out there skating around without any health insurance..probably not smart.

I did go the the pharmacist at my local store and asked her about my toe...she told me the exact thing that I did about, sandals, peroxide, Neosporin and gauze...it's the instinct thing...oh, and the fact that I was raised by a really great mom...and dad for that matter. I could hear their voices in my head. Of course right when the injury happend, the only voice I heard in my head was me screaming in a high C!

[RC]

a Styptic...remember the "styptic pens" guys used to keep around in case they cut themselves shaving?

I'm sure you're not still bleeding but that popped into my head this morning.
No worries, it will pop out within 10 minutes.

[Mike Sofka]

That's right, Styptic! That stuff buuuuuuurns!!! I don't think that would have been wise to use on my open wound. This sucker is deep! Makes me sick! I literally think I was about "this close" to the bone....ick!!!! Usually, pain is no bother for me...but when skin is flying everywhere...that's another story!

[RC]

eeeewwww

[barfle]

Super glue is probably not a bad idea, although again I would recommend professional care. Super glue has been used to treat battlefield wounds. I found that out one time I busted a tooth (in front, no less) and stuck it back on with super glue. It held for a week (I was careful about it) and when I went to the dentist, he recommended a deep cleaning around it, and that hygenist broke it back off. By then I was under the care of professionals, who told me about using super glue for battlefield wounds.

I won't say it's the right thing to do in this instance, but I wouldn't consider it out of the question, either. Best bet is still to get someone who knows what they're doing, even a paramedic or an urgent care technician. It might cost you a hundred bucks, but getting the toe amputated later could be a lot worse. I can promise you, the toe won't grow back if it gets infected and gangrenous.

[lliam]

Mike, make sure you soak your toe in salt water before re-dressing it. If the toe is still not getting better after a week or so, go back to your pharmacist and get an Iodine dressing. I had both my big toenails removed last year. I had to do the salt-water treatment every day before re-dressing. After a week I had to go to the practice nurse at my doctors for an inspection of my toes, and, she used the iodine dressing because she didn't like the look of my big toes. They healed nicely after that. That was October last year and, I had to wear sandals the whole time.