how to fix a broken toe

This article will tell you the various methods to heal a broken toe. A broken toe is also called hairline or a stress fracture. A fractured or broken toe is a common problem. This can be due to an injury to the toe or foot or through a dropping of a heavy object on your toe. A broken toe is very painful. If it is not treated immediately it can result in swelling. Though, the broken toe can be treated at home. However, consulting a doctor is a better option. It will save your toe from the severe damage. In his article, we have listed some of the remedies that will help you to heal a broken toe.

Causes of Broken Toe:

A broken toe is often caused by injury or by dropping a heavy object on the toe.
Repetitive movements in sports activities which lead to a stress fracture or hairline fracture.

How Long Does it Take to Heal a Broken Toe?

Contents

How Long Does it Take to Heal a Broken Toe?

Best Remedies to Heal a Broken Toe:
- 1.) Medicines to Heal a Broken Toe
- 2.) Rest to Heal a Broken Toe
- 3.) Ice to Heal a Broken Toe Fast
- 4.) Buddy Taping to Cure a Broken Toe
- 5.) Yogurt to Heal a Broken Toe Faster
- 6.) Oranges to Treat a Broken Toe Fast
- 7.) Milk to Heal a Broken Toe Naturally
- 8.) Broccoli to Cure a Broken Toe
- 9.) Intake of Calcium to Heal a Broken Toe
- 10.) Get Reduction Surgery to Heal a Broken Toe
- 11.) Valerian Tincture to Heal a Broken Toe
- 12.) Elevation to Treat Broken Toe Fast
- 13.) Turmeric to Heal a Broken Toe
- 14.) Pineapple to Heal a Broken Toe
- 15.) Castor Oil to Treat a Broken Toe
- 16.) Black Caraway Seeds to Heal a Broken Toe
- 17.) Avoid Soda and Processed Foods to Heal a Broken Toe
- 18.) Sesame Seeds to Treat a Broken Toe
- 19.) Horsetail, Comfrey and Oatstaw Herbal Tea to Heal a Broken Toe
- 20.) Boron to Heal a Broken Toe
- Possible Complications of a Broken Toe
- Other Useful Tips:

A broken and fractured toe is a common injury and it is caused by hitting the toe on something or by dropping a heavy object on the foot. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal though severe injuries may take longer.

Best Remedies to Heal a Broken Toe:

A broken toe is very painful and you need to treat it fast. Here are some remedies that will help you to heal the broken toe.

1.) Medicines to Heal a Broken Toe

Medicines such as naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) will give you relief from the pain. However, if the pain is severe then ask your doctor for strong painkillers that won't harm you in other ways,

2.) Rest to Heal a Broken Toe

Rest is very important to treat a broken toe.
Take a complete bed rest to heal your broken toe.
Avoid prolonged running, walking, standing and strenuous exercise.
Wear a special boot or shoe while walking to avoid pressure on the broken toe.

how to heal a broken toe

3.) Ice to Heal a Broken Toe Fast

Ice is also an effective remedy for a fractured toe. It is beneficial to reduce the swelling and numb the pain.

Steps to Use Ice to Treat a Broken Toe:

Take a plastic bag and put some ice cubes in it.
Then place it on the fractured toe for 15 to 20 minutes.
However, do not place it directly on the toe.
To protect the skin put a towel between the skin and the ice.
You can also use frozen peas and corn instead of ice.
Repeat this for 1 to 2 hours in a day for first few days.

4.) Buddy Taping to Cure a Broken Toe

One of the best ways to stabilize your toe is buddy tape.

Wrap the tape around the fractured toe and the toe next to it. This will keep your toe stable.
With the help of alcohol, use wipes to clean the toe thoroughly.
Then cover your toe with a strong medical-grade tape.
It will avoid contact with water.
Change the tape regularly.
Moreover, to avoid the further irritation, you can place felt or gauze in between the toe before covering it with the tape.

5.) Yogurt to Heal a Broken Toe Faster

Yogurt contains amino acids which are building blocks of protein. It also contains calcium which helps to heal fractured bones. This amino acid will promote bone mass by increasing the absorption of calcium. As you know bones are made up of calcium and phosphorous, so yogurt will also help you to heal the broken toe. Eat yogurt daily to cure a broken toe.

6.) Oranges to Treat a Broken Toe Fast

Orange is one of the best home remedies for treating broken or fractured toe. It will also help you to cure the broken toe. Orange is a good source of vitamin C that works as an anti-inflammatory agent and helpful in reducing pain. Vitamin C is helpful to boost the immune system that helps to heal fractured toe faster. Eat oranges daily until your toe gets relief.

7.) Milk to Heal a Broken Toe Naturally

Milk is a good source of calcium and proteins. Both the nutrients repair the fractured bones. Milk also helps to boost the immune system. Moreover, it also contains other vitamins which keep your bones healthy and strong. So drink a glass of milk daily to heal a broken toe. Alternatively, you can also mix a dash of turmeric in the lukewarm milk and drink it before going to the bed.

8.) Broccoli to Cure a Broken Toe

Broccoli is considered as one of the best foods for healing broken bones. It is rich in vitamin K and minerals that help to form a bone mass. Vitamin K can heal the broken bone faster because it is associated with the process of mineralization. So include a broccoli in your diet to treat your broken toe and keep your bones healthy.

9.) Intake of Calcium to Heal a Broken Toe

Calcium plays a vital role in keeping bones healthy and strong. Include calcium-rich foods in your diet to speed up the recovery. Green leafy vegetables, kale, dairy products, fruits, broccoli etc. are a good source of calcium.

10.) Get Reduction Surgery to Heal a Broken Toe

If your broken toe does not align together then consult the orthopedic surgeon. With the help of reduction therapy, he will treat your broken toe. The doctor will inject the anesthetic to numb your pain. If the problem is minor then he will close the wound with stitches. However, if the fracture is severe then screws or pins will be required to hold the bones and treat the broken toe.

11.) Valerian Tincture to Heal a Broken Toe

Valerian is an essential herbal remedy that is mainly used to treat insomnia. It also acts as a tonic and a mild sedative to reduce the pain. Moreover, its medicinal properties help to heal a broken toe. You can add the herb to your tea or any other beverage.

12.) Elevation to Treat Broken Toe Fast

To reduce the pain and swelling, raise your foot as much as you can.
By putting several pillows pop your foot up as much as possible especially at bedtime.
Reclining in a lounge chair is also very beneficial.
This is one of the best methods to treat your broken toe faster.

13.) Turmeric to Heal a Broken Toe

This is one of the best home remedies to heal a broken toe. This popular kitchen ingredient is known for its numerous health benefits. The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties present in turmeric helps to treat broken toe. It is not only applied on the toe topically but it you can also take it internally. All you need to do is drink a glass of turmeric milk on a regular basis to get relief from the pain and to speed up the healing process. To apply it topically, apply the paste of onion and turmeric on the broken toe. Wrap it with a cloth and leave it for atleast one day. Do this daily to get relief.

14.) Pineapple to Heal a Broken Toe

This is one of the most effective home remedies to heal a broken toe. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that is very effective for treating bone fracture. All you need to do is eat a pineapple daily. If you do not want to eat raw pineapple, then drink a glass of pineapple juice every day. Always eat fresh pineapples and avoid eating processed ones. If pineapples are not available, then go for bromelain supplements.

15.) Castor Oil to Treat a Broken Toe

This is one of the best remedies to treat a broken toe. This a popular oil that helps to treat various health issues such as infections, constipation etc. It is also an excellent choice for broken toe. The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of castor oil help to treat broken toe and other bone related problems such as arthritis. All you need to do is soak a cotton cloth in castor oil and wrap the cloth around the broken toe for atleast 2 days. This will give you relied and heal the pain.

16.) Black Caraway Seeds to Heal a Broken Toe

This is one of the best home remedies to heal a broken toe. The presence of medicinal properties makes it a wonderful remedy for treating broken toe. It also contains essential nutrients such as zinc, phosphorous, and iron which are very good for bones. All you need to do is take black caraway seed oil and massage it gently on the broken toe. Repeat this 3 times a day for atleast 2 continuous weeks to heal the toe completely. It is also an excellent choice to treat a bone fracture.

17.) Avoid Soda and Processed Foods to Heal a Broken Toe

There is a high amount of salt present in processed foods and on the other side soda contains high amount of phosphorous. Excess of phosphorous and salt is bad for the bones. It removes the calcium from the body due to which the bones become weak. Due to the deficiency of calcium, the speed of healing decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid processed foods and soda to speed up the recovery.

18.) Sesame Seeds to Treat a Broken Toe

This is one of the best home remedies to treat a broken toe. The nutrients like magnesium and calcium present in sesame seeds helps in treating the bone fracture. All you need to do is daily consume sesame seeds to strengthen your bones. It will also speed up the healing process.

19.) Horsetail, Comfrey and Oatstaw Herbal Tea to Heal a Broken Toe

This is one of the excellent home remedies for internal healing. The combination of these three herbs is wonderful. The vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin B12, A, C, calcium, phosphorous, iron present in the miracle herb, comfrey helps to heal the broken toe fast. It is also high in proteins due to which it heals the bone by increasing cell regrowth. The silica present in horsetail help the body to absorb more calcium. Oatstaw also contains high amount of silica is also a mild relaxant. Use all these herbs together to prepare a cup of tea. All you need to do is drink 3 to 4 cups of this tea within the period of 24 hours for quick recovery.

Note: The combination of these herbal teas should not be given to pregnant women, nursing women and young children.

20.) Boron to Heal a Broken Toe

This is one of the most effective home remedies to speed up the healing of a broken toe. Boron contains a lot of essential nutrients that are very good for the bone health. It strengthens the bones and fastens the healing process. All you need to do is consume food items that contain boron. Nuts contain a good amount of boron. So you can chew it anytime you want.

Possible Complications of a Broken Toe

Complications can occur either immediately after the injury or a few weeks later. Improper treatment of the toe leads to complications including the chronic pain and foot deformities. Here is a list of complications that may occur because of the improper treatment of the broken toe.

Compound Fracture: It is rare but sometimes the broken bone of the toe sticks out through the skin. This is known as compound fracture. If it is a compound fracture then surgery becomes necessary.

Malunion or Nonunion: If the fractured bone heals improperly it is known as malunion and if the fractured bone does not heal completely it is called nonunion. To fix this problem, it is necessary to go for a surgery.

Nail Injuiry: Due to the broken toenail blood may collect underneath the toenail. This is called subungual hematoma. If it becomes too large, then it is necessary to drain the blood. In case it is very painful, the doctor needs to remove the full toenail.

Arthritis: Even after the broken toe heals, the person may still suffer from arthritis, pain, stiffness and deformity.

Other Useful Tips:

Wear comfortable shoes for 4 to 6 weeks.
After 10 days, switch from an ice therapy to moist heat as it will help you to soothe a broken toe and promote blood flow.
Acupuncture is also helpful to give pain relief and helps to reduce inflammation.
Don't put pressure on your foot.