Bruise under the big toe nail. Bruise under the nail Bleeding under the nail

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A bruise under the big toe nail occurs due to hemorrhage with subsequent soaking of the soft tissues in blood. The appearance of a hematoma is accompanied by rupture of subcutaneous vessels and pain. Subungual bruises reach large sizes, causing a person discomfort when walking and wearing shoes.

What does it look like

Subungual hematoma most often has a dark blue color. The nail turns black and separates from the soft tissue over time. The patient feels throbbing pain in the area of ​​the affected toe. Blood is not removed from the tissues for a long time; stagnation leads to swelling of the finger and redness of its skin. Over time, external signs of injury become less intense, bruises on toenails resolve only after replacing the damaged nail plate with a healthy one. Rarely, the hematoma spreads to the entire phalanx.

Why do they appear?

A bruise under the nail is formed under the influence of the following factors:

• mechanical impact (heavy objects falling on the leg, pinching of the nail phalanges);
• fractures of the nail plate and foot bones;
• wearing tight shoes for a long time (constant pressure is placed on the big toe, which leads to blood stagnation and damage to the subcutaneous vessels);
• occupational deformation (bruises on the nails of the big toes appear when wearing winter ski shoes and skates that put excessive pressure on the forefoot);
• administration of medications that reduce blood clotting (liquid blood seeps through the walls of blood vessels, forming hematomas);
• dysfunction of the cardiovascular system (blood supply to tissues is disrupted, the condition of the vascular walls worsens);
• malignant tumors of the skin and bones;
• diabetes mellitus;
• fungal infections accompanied by detachment of the nail plate.

How does a hematoma form?

2-3 hours after the mechanical impact, a bruise begins to form under the nail. Subungual hematoma goes through the following stages in its development:

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21.10.2019

1. Swelling of soft tissues and skin. At this stage, there is still no bruise on the nail; it appears after a rupture of the vascular wall with hemorrhage under the nail plate.
2. The appearance of a pink spot. The periungual areas become crimson in color, and the nail turns blue. At this stage, the sensitivity of the finger decreases and pain is felt.
3. Formation of a large purple spot. At this stage, the severity of pain decreases.
4. Blue discoloration of the hematoma. The bruise acquires clear boundaries and its diameter decreases. Pain appears only when pressed; there is no discomfort at rest.
5. Disappearance. After a week, the spot under the nail turns black and sharply decreases in size. The boundaries of the hematoma remain pronounced, there is no pain. It may resolve spontaneously within a week.

What is the danger

A bruise under the nail requires immediate treatment. Lack of therapy contributes to the development of complications:

• Infection. A space is formed between the soft tissues and the plate on the big toe into which bacteria can penetrate. This is accompanied by swelling and suppuration, increased local temperature and severe pain.
• Deformations of the growing nail plate. The dead nail remains in place until a healthy one grows back. While walking, shoes press on your toe, causing the surface of the new plate to become uneven.

How to treat

For a hematoma under the nail, treatment begins with applying a cold compress. This helps relieve pain and prevent the bruise from spreading. The affected toe or hand is wrapped in gauze soaked in cold water. Keep the compress for 5 minutes. The procedure is repeated every half hour until the pain completely disappears. Opening the nail helps speed up the healing process. The procedure is carried out as follows:

• Painkillers and antispasmodics (Baralgin, Spazmalgon). The drugs help relieve pain.
• Lotions with Dimexide. The drug increases blood circulation, promoting faster resorption of the bruise under the fingernail.
• Anti-inflammatory ointments (Zhivokost, Diclofenac). Relieves swelling of the injured limb, increases blood supply to tissues, and relieves pain.
• Local anticoagulants (Heparin ointment). The agents promote rapid resorption of the hematoma and accelerate the restoration of the walls of veins and arteries.

Traditional methods

You can remove bruises on your legs at home using the following folk remedies:

• Bath with sea salt. 3 liters of warm water are poured into the basin, after which 1 tbsp is added. l. salt. The feet are immersed in water for 15 minutes, after which a moisturizer is applied to the skin.
• Bodyagi masks. 20 g of powder is mixed with water to form a thick paste. The mass is applied to the bruised area for 15-20 minutes. The procedure is repeated every 4 hours.
• Laundry soap ointments. 40 g of the product are rubbed, mixed with 30 ml of ammonia, 50 g of oil for lamps, 30 ml of camphor alcohol and 200 ml of turpentine. The product is used to treat the affected areas 6 times a day. After a week, the hematoma under the nail resolves.
• Apple cider vinegar lotion. Vinegar is mixed with dry wine in equal proportions. Add 1 tbsp to 0.5 liters of liquid. l. sea ​​salt. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed, gauze is soaked in the composition, which is applied to the site of the hematoma under the toenail every 2 hours.

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No one is immune from injury, so it’s worth finding out why the nail on your big toe turned blue and how to deal with this problem. Patients with bruises under their toenails rarely go to the hospital. But is this right?

Let's look at the main signs of a hematoma and how to treat it yourself to avoid negative consequences.

Main symptoms

In essence, a subungual hematoma is a blood clot that occurs due to force. If the blow was strong, the vessels under the nail rupture. Blood flowing from damaged vessels bakes and forms hematomas.

The main signs of a problem are the following factors:

• severe pain;
• the damaged area turns blue;
• swelling of the fingers of varying degrees.

These symptoms appear to varying degrees. For example, after a strong blow, a throbbing pain is felt, the bruise under the big toe nail turns black, and deformation of the nail may be observed.

If the cause is the pressure of tight or poor-quality shoes, there is a gradual change in the color of the nail plate from bluish to almost black. The pain in this case is not so strong, but lasts much longer.

Causes of hematomas under the nails

Subungual hemorrhages appear as a result of normal physiological processes in the human body. Most often they occur after a bruise. Due to the fact that there is no blood flow in this part of the body, subungual hemorrhages accumulate and harden.

In medical terminology, hematomas are classified as ICD 10. There are several reasons for their appearance.

These include:

• mechanical shocks;
• injuries caused by uncomfortable shoes;
• taking certain medications;
• cardiovascular failure;
• consequences of serious pathologies (skin cancer, diabetes);
• fungal infection.

A bruise under the thumbnail caused by mechanical damage is a common problem. After all, cases of heavy objects falling on the foot or fingers getting pinched are not uncommon. When the bones of the foot are fractured, dried blood also accumulates under the nail in the toe area.

When choosing a new pair of shoes, pay attention to their comfort. If constant pressure is created in the sock, a subungual hematoma may develop on the big toe. Often a similar problem occurs among athletes who engage in winter sports.

As a result of taking certain blood clotting medications, bruising may occur under the nail plates. This side effect is rare and must be diagnosed by your doctor.

In patients suffering from cardiovascular insufficiency, blackening of the nail plates on the fingers and toes is observed. This occurs without injury, but due to insufficient oxygen supply to the cells. A similar phenomenon occurs in the presence of more severe diseases. When the first signs appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor as it is difficult to distinguish them from other causes on your own.

Another reason for darkening of the nail plate is a fungal infection. Harmful organisms, affecting cells, provoke severe itching, as well. Blackening is observed in severe stages of fungal infection. Therefore, before this happens, the patient will experience other symptoms of the disease.

We provide first aid

If you injure your finger in the nail area, immediately apply ice to the injury. For this purpose, you can also use any frozen product, or a bottle of cold water from the freezer. To prevent the inflammatory process from spreading to healthy tissue, it is recommended to take medications that have an anti-inflammatory effect. A popular medicine in this series is Ibuprofen.

What to do in case of partial or complete loss of the nail plate? Wash the damaged area thoroughly with antibacterial soap and treat with hydrogen peroxide. Next, the wound needs to be treated with Tetracycline or Syntomycin ointment.

These drugs contain antibiotics, so they fight different types of bacteria. The wound must be isolated with a gauze bandage. It is worth noting that damage of this kind requires examination by a doctor.

To speed up the healing process, it is recommended to treat the hematoma with Troxevasin, Venitan or Venoruton. A similar gley-based ointment can dissolve dried blood under the nail. Thanks to this, the bruise will disappear much faster. There are many reviews about the drugs on the Internet, and users also attach photos before and after treatment.

Tatyana, 42 years old: “Previously I treated bruises to the family with the famous Badyaga. But lately the results have not been encouraging. I decided to try Troxevasin - the bruise under the nail went away in almost a week. I recommend it to everyone."

When to go to the hospital

Home treatment is not appropriate in some cases. Hematomas that are larger than a quarter of the nail require special treatment. Severe and acute pain after injury indicates a fracture. Be sure to consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examination if the color of the nail plate has changed without injury.

Treatment of complex hematomas occurs by drainage. This process looks like this: the nail tissue is pierced in the middle of the blood stain, and the blood is removed through the hole.

After surgery, a damp sterile bandage must be applied to the wound. In case of significant or complete loss of the nail plate, sutures are required.

Home treatments

Home treatment without a puncture is allowed with the permission of a doctor if the size of the hematomas is not significant. After the pain subsides, it is recommended to use a solution of potassium permanganate.

The color of the solution should be similar to dark cherry. Dip your finger into the hot solution and hold for up to twenty minutes. Such procedures soften the nail plate and speed up the removal of dried blood.

A bruised nail is a very common occurrence in everyday life. It usually happens by accident and always unexpectedly. It is impossible to protect yourself one hundred percent from such a phenomenon. But almost always after such a bruise there remains a consequence - blueness under the nail, scientifically - a hematoma.

Causes and symptoms

After hitting the nail plates, the fingers turn red and swelling may begin to appear. Broken vessels under the nails release blood and hemorrhage occurs, which eventually begins to look like a dark spot or bruise under the nail.

Since the blood is in a confined space, its localization does not spread further. The accumulated blood remains under the nail. After an hour or two, the color of the nail plate begins to take on unnatural shades. The initial color that appears is red. Then a crimson tint may appear. The emerging blue discoloration is often accompanied by numbness of the finger under the plate. In the photo, you can distinguish the appearance of different colors on the nail:

There is a bruise under the nail in the photo.

The main reasons for the development of such a pathological process can be caused by the following actions:

• involuntary hitting of fingers or toes on any hard object;
• accidental pinching of fingers or toes;
• falling quite heavy objects onto your fingers;
• walking for a long time in tight and constricting shoes;
• practicing active and play sports, especially in inappropriate shoes.

The first signs in these cases are sharp pain - bursting and throbbing, redness and, after a short time, swelling that appears.

Sometimes the pain is so strong that it is impossible to touch the nail. Limitations in finger movement may also occur.

Treatment and course of the disease, will it go away on its own?

The very next day after the injury, the hematoma may first turn purple, and later, after five to seven days, a purple-black color. After some time, both redness and swelling decrease and then disappear completely. In this case, the edges of the dark spot on the nail become sharply defined.

The hematoma itself can resolve on its own only if a slight blow is applied to the nail plate, when the amount of blood leaked into the subungual space was insignificant. If you receive an injury with a greater impact force, the bruise on the big toe nail is eliminated only together with the growing new plate. This is done by gradually cutting off the old nail. With a strong blow, gradual peeling of the nail may occur due to poor circulation.

If the hematoma is small in size and there is no severe pain, treatment can be carried out at home.

Immediately after receiving a blow to the finger, ice must be applied to the injured nail plate. In its absence, any frozen food from the refrigerator will provide indispensable help. It is possible to use a stream of cold running water. This action must be performed for 5-7 minutes every half hour until severe pain stops.

In order to relieve pain, you can use a cabbage leaf, which is tied to your finger with a bandage. After the pain stops, you can take the advice of traditional medicine to soften the plate and allow blood to escape. For this, a dark-colored solution of potassium permanganate is prepared. It is heated until hot, but not scalding. It is necessary to keep the injured finger in this solution for up to 20 minutes.

However, in some cases you cannot do without the help of a doctor:

1. The area of ​​the hematoma occupies a significant part of the nail. In the future, rejection of the nail plate is possible.
2. The pain is very strong and acute. Possible finger fracture. An x-ray is required.
3. There was no injury before the change in nail plate color. This manifestation is possible due to other pathological diseases.

In order to remove it in the event of a strong blow and release a large amount of blood into the subungual space (which in itself will partly be the removal of the hematoma), it is necessary to puncture the nail. At home, this can be done using a needle heated over a fire. However, before you perform such an action yourself, you need to think carefully. Firstly, in this case, an infection can occur, and secondly, the puncture can be made with such force that the needle will be driven into the finger bone.

Such a mini-operation, if necessary, should be performed by a specialist - a traumatologist.

If you receive a serious injury, your doctor may prescribe removal of the nail followed by stitches.

Prevention

Basic preventive measures to avoid injuries at work are prescribed in the safety regulations. In everyday life, care and caution are required when performing any work or action. After all, you can trip out of the blue, and then a bruise under your nail will appear very quickly.

Injured toenails due to tight shoes can be avoided by being careful when choosing such products. It is advisable to give preference to convenience. It is not always necessary to chase fashion.

What can a subungual hematoma be easily confused with?

However, in addition to the injury or bruise, such a symptom as hematoma under the nail. may occur as a manifestation of more serious pathologies, including:

• blood clotting disorders;
• problems of the cardiovascular system;
• manifestation of vascular fragility;
• melanoma – neoplasms of the skin;
• long-term use of certain medications.

The manifestation of subungual melanoma is clearly visible in the photo:

A bruise under the toenail may be a consequence of Martynov's disease. It is characterized by frequent injuries to the second toe. This is caused by its greatest length on the lower limbs. As a result, it is he who accounts for the greater number of blows and bruises.

A hematoma under the nail, or rather a dark spot very similar to it, can occur due to broken bones in the legs or arms. Many sprained limbs may also be accompanied by bruising. Subsequently, they appear on the nails as blackened spots.

Polyneuropathy in diabetes mellitus is expressed by damage to peripheral nerve endings. As a result, loss of sensitivity may occur. In such patients, bruising on the toes is a common symptom. With this disease, a person can walk in tight shoes and not feel any discomfort. It is quite difficult to treat such a disease.

To avoid the appearance of damaged plates, be careful and careful. This will have a beneficial effect not only on the health of the nails, but also on their integrity.

If a bruise occurs under the big toe nail, you should seek help from a doctor, because injury to the plate is dangerous and has serious consequences. Common causes of the disease are mechanical shocks and fungal infections. If a hematoma occurs, you need to give yourself first aid, drink painkillers and take measures to eliminate the pathological condition.

What is a bruise under the nail

After mechanical impact, hitting furniture or a door, a bruise may appear on the nail of the big toe. This formation is characterized by burst vessels under the plate, the appearance of hemorrhage, and blood stagnation. The blood first turns bluish, then purple, and finally turns black. Over time, redness and swelling decrease and become less pronounced.

What does a bruise look like under the big toe nail?

Externally, a bruise under the toenail is characterized by blackening of the plate, and throbbing pain is felt under the nail. As a result, the blood does not come out from under the nail, so it stagnates, the finger swells, and most of it turns red. Over time, these symptoms subside, but the hematoma cannot resolve on its own and disappears only after the healthy plate has completely grown back. Rarely, a bruise appears on the finger itself.

How does a hematoma form?

About 1-2 hours pass from the moment of injury, after which a hematoma begins to form under the big toe nail. Swelling and redness of the foot immediately appear, but the bruise itself appears after blood is released from the burst vessels and accumulates under the plate. Stages of hematoma development:

1. A small pink spot appears, the nail bed turns crimson, and the nail turns blue. The person feels numbness and pain.
2. Formation of a large purple spot, pain reduction.
3. After a few days, the hematoma turns blue, its edges become sharp, the area decreases, pain is present only when pressed, there is no discomfort.
4. After a week, the bruise turns black and decreases to 3-5 mm in diameter. The edges remain clear and there is no pain. Within a week, the hematoma can resolve on its own.

Causes

Subungual hematoma on the big toe occurs for various reasons. Common factors causing the disease are:

• mechanical shock - an object fell on the leg, the finger was pinched by the door;
• fracture;
• constantly wearing uncomfortable shoes - if the pressure of the sock is on the big toe;
• professional deformation - wearing specific winter shoes by skiers and skaters, which exert strong pressure;
• taking medications that affect blood clotting can damage blood vessels;
• cardiovascular failure - all organs, including the skin, receive less oxygen, the body weakens, and pathology begins;
• melanoma, skin cancer, diabetes;
• fungus – combined with nail peeling, itching, discoloration.

What is the danger of a hematoma?

If a bruise occurs under the thumbnail, treatment should be started immediately, otherwise the lack of therapy will lead to serious consequences and problems:

• when a void forms between the cornea and the nail bed, bacteria and infection can enter there;
• the dead part is attached to the finger until it is completely renewed, but it becomes fragile; during the process of fusion, shoes press on the hole, and it happens that because of this the new plate is deformed.

How to treat a bruise under a toenail

First aid for a hematoma is to cool the bruised area to reduce pain. Wrap your finger in gauze, place it under running cold water, or apply a plastic bag with pieces of ice to the bump. Leave for 3-6 minutes, remove for 15 minutes and repeat the procedure. Apply until the pain goes away. You can speed up the healing process by opening the nail (if the hematoma is small). You can do this with a doctor or on your own:

• prepare the nail: disinfect the plate with iodine, potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide;
• use antibacterial agents to treat the needle, heat its tip until it turns red;
• pierce the central part of the hematoma through the nail so that blood flows out of the hole;
• fix a sterile plaster on the wound;
• For three days, do not leave the house or wear open shoes so that your feet do not suffer.

Drug therapy

To treat a bruise under the big toe nail, experts recommend using the following medications and useful remedies:

• analgesic antispasmodics - eliminate pain (Analgin, Spazmalgon, Sedalgin);
• compresses with Dimexide;
• anti-inflammatory ointments - eliminate swelling of the limb, increase the activity of blood flow (Bodyaga, Arnica, Larkspur);
• For a local effect on inflammation, Heparin ointment is used; it quickly eliminates bruising and stimulates the process of capillary restoration.

Traditional methods

In the treatment of a hematoma that occurs on the big toe, you can use traditional medicine methods:

1. Baths with sea salt, essential oils, aloe juice to accelerate the growth of a healthy plate. For three liters of water at a temperature of 40 degrees, take a tablespoon of salt or 7-10 drops of ethers. Keep your feet in the bath for 15 minutes, then lubricate them with a non-greasy cream.
2. Bodyagi mask - mix 10-20 g of dry powder with water to obtain a thick paste consistency. Apply to the bruise, hold for 15-20 minutes, wipe with chamomile decoction. Repeat 2-3 times a day.
3. Ointment – ​​grind 35 g of laundry soap, mix with 30 ml of ammonia, camphor laurel oil, 50 ml of lamp oil, 250 ml of turpentine. Treat the clot site every 4 hours for a week.
4. Lotions made from a solution containing 250 ml of apple cider vinegar, dry wine and 10 g of sea salt. Dissolve the ingredients, moisten the cloth, apply to the bruise every two hours.
5. To relieve pain, take a decoction of St. John's wort.
6. Vitamin C and rutin will help the patient speed up the healing of blood vessels.

A hematoma under the nail forms at least once in every person’s life due to a large number of reasons. There are several effective ways to help cope with its symptoms.

Why do bruises appear?

Before starting a course of therapy, it is necessary to make sure that there is a hematoma under the nail, since blackening under the nail can have the following reasons:

1. . More often, a bruise is formed due to something falling on the finger or the phalanx being pinched by a door. Rupture of blood vessels contributes to hemorrhage under the nail and the formation of a hematoma on the finger.
2. . Ill-fitting shoes put pressure on the toes, resulting in a bruise under the big toe nail. Therefore, before buying boots or shoes, you need to try them on and make sure they are comfortable.
3. Taking medications that affect blood clotting.
4. Presence of heart failure. Since this disease is characterized by a lack of oxygen in the body, the skin under the nails of all fingers reacts to this by changing its color.
5. . Signs of a fungal infection include nail peeling, hardening, pain and itching.

In view of why bruises appear on the nails, appropriate treatment is prescribed by a doctor. But you can find out the cause of the hematoma and decide on the course of therapy at home. Due to the fact that the blood outflow under the skin stops, the blood stagnates under the nail. Since the plate is durable, hemorrhage occurs under it, and the blood cannot flow outside the nail. This is why a blood stain forms, which then takes on a darker shade. This process may be accompanied by swelling. A bruise forms under the nail after a bruise within a few hours. If the blackening of the nail is caused by wearing tight shoes or a blow, and is not a consequence of a serious illness, then after a week the skin under the plate will turn dark purple.

The hematoma will disappear without external help. But the speed of this process depends on how to remove the hematoma under the nail. The bruise slightly lifts the plate from the bed, separating it, as the connection with the capillaries is broken.

Ignoring the therapy process can lead to further growth of the deformed plate, as well as the penetration of infections under it.

Methods of therapy

If a bruise appears under your toenail immediately after an injury, you should immediately apply something cold to it for a few minutes. If the pain is severe, you should take a painkiller tablet.

If, when struck by a finger, part of the plate peels off, then it is necessary to treat it with a disinfectant, for example, use chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide.

Then it is necessary to determine exactly where the bruise formed. If it is localized under the entire plate, then you need to go to the clinic, since there is a high probability that the person has a fracture or crack in the finger.

If it is diagnosed that there is a regular hematoma on the finger, then intensive treatment is not required, the bruise will disappear on its own in a couple of weeks. However, to speed up this process, you must follow the following rules:

1. Release congealed blood under the nail. The center of the impact area is pierced with a pre-treated needle, which helps release blood through the resulting hole. Then a special wet bandage is applied to the plate, which will prevent infection from entering the wound. But you should not use this method yourself; you can harm your health due to carelessness. The surgical method will also help get rid of the bruise faster. Removing the plate allows it to grow straight later.
2. When the painless sensations decrease and the hematoma turns black, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate. You need to put your finger in it for 15 minutes. This bath helps soften the plate and dissolve dried blood.
3. Take Rutin. It prevents vascular fragility. For better absorption, it is necessary to combine its intake with vitamin C. You can purchase both products at the pharmacy. They will help the blood vessels recover quickly.
4. Relieve pain with Ketorolac, Analgin or Ibuprofen. They will relieve the painful sensations characteristic of the human body in the first days after the blow. Taking them will allow you to put on shoes without causing discomfort.
5. Use Heparin ointment. It has a strong antithrombotic effect; it should be applied to the injured nail three times a day until the plate turns pale pink.
6. If there is noticeable swelling and constant pain, you can apply a compress of a solution of Dimexide (0.25%) and novocaine in a ratio of 1:3 to the area of ​​the bruise. You need to thoroughly moisten the gauze cloth in the solution and apply it for half an hour. To prevent the compress from falling, it would be better to secure it with a bandage.

If treatment is ineffective

If the bruise under the nail does not go away, does not change its color even when the plate is pierced and ointments are applied, then you should consult a doctor who will determine what to do if there is a bruise under the nail. His knowledge is more competent in this matter. It will help determine the true cause of the bruise and the lack of signs of improvement. Treatment in this case may be aimed not directly at the hematoma, but at diseases of the body that entailed such consequences.

Thus, a hematoma under the nail can occur due to many reasons, each of which requires individual treatment. But in most cases, a hematoma occurs due to a blow, bruise or pulling of a finger. It disappears on its own after two to three weeks, but this process can be accelerated by drainage and the use of special baths and ointments.