Ludicrously painful toe - kill it with fire?

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Ludicrously painful toe - kill it with fire?

77 posts & 36 voices | Started 5 months ago by alfabus | Latest reply from alfabus

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alfabus - Member

OK, so on Sunday I was trail building; clearing a load of hawthorn.

I felt a sharp pain in my toe, so I took my sock off and had a look to find a bit of blood leaking from the bottom of my little toe, but no obvious splinter.

Walking was bloody painful, and mashing the pedals was worse. I had a bit of a poke about when I got home, but couldn't see any foreign bodies in there.

Fast forward 4 days and it is still really painful. I had a bit of a dig about with a knife, and still couldn't see a splinter. There is a hard lump which when touched (even with the lightest pressure) causes white hot searing agony. The rest of the toe is absolutely fine and can be prodded/manipulated without pain (so I'm pretty sure its not broken), apart from a bit on the outside of my toe which (due to swelling of the toe) is now rubbing on my shoes and is getting progressively more tender.

Have I got something stuck in there that I just can't see?
Can I really go to a doctor with a 'hurty toe'?
When will the pain stop?!
Can I amputate it myself?

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
sugdenr - Member

I would guess a bit of thorn went right in deep? Swelling likely to be from infection in that case, pain is pressure build up from pus. If so I usually use nail clippers to cut the thing right open so I can clear out the debris and pus, disinfect it really well and get it healing.

Posted 5 months ago #
globalti - Member

Get to a Dr fast and ask him for antibiotics, you have injected a bacterium deep into yourself and need treatment fast.

Is your tetanus up to date? Anybody who does outdoor sports ought to keep topped up for tetanus.

Posted 5 months ago #
BigJohn - Member

It's a well known phenomenon which only affects forumites who always sign their posts.

Posted 5 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Minor injuries clinic. the moist likely thing is you still have a bit of debris in there. stop digging about on your own. aletrnatively when the puss builds up enough it wil come out with the pus. I'd rather have it dealt with by a pro

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

minor injuries better than GP ?

Am I likely to be able to get in and out quickly, or is it more like A&E where I'll be there for 8 hours because I'm not dying?

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
carlphillips - Member

If you want it seen to asap then you could go see a podiatrist (it'll cost mind!)
I dig splinters and the like out of peoples feet all the time.

Posted 5 months ago #
clubber - Member

alfabus - Member
minor injuries better than GP ?

Am I likely to be able to get in and out quickly, or is it more like A&E where I'll be there for 8 hours because I'm not dying?

Dave

Depends - last time I went it was about 20 mins wait.

Posted 5 months ago #
clubber - Member

or just cut your foot off.

Posted 5 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Minor injuries best if you have one locally as waits are usually much less and you can just hobble in

Posted 5 months ago #
avdave2 - Member

And Dave left the world with his final words recorded as:

because I'm not dying

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

well... i thought I'd give the onsite nurse a try first.

she has dressed it with Magnesium Sulphate with the hope that it will draw the spiky nasty stuff out.

From the amount of pain, I'm expecting to find this in my sock later:

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
avdave2 - Member

From the amount of pain, I'm expecting to find this in my sock later:

I might ask Santa for one of those in my stocking.

Posted 5 months ago #
aracer - Member

I might ask Santa for one of those in my stocking.

<makes note to be careful handling stockings in case Santa's put one of those in>

Posted 5 months ago #
nickf - Member

I did the same, ended up with cellulitis. And several days in hospital on a drip, being severely warned by a medic as to my complete stupidity for ignoring it.

Get it seen to by a proper medic.

Posted 5 months ago #
project - Member

Go to an NHS drop in center and tell the receptionist youve got a small prick, in your little toe, you should get a responce when she has picked herself up off the floor.

Seriously people have died quite quick from small pricks off rose buses, theyre a serious cause of infection.

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

the nurse didn't seem to think that infection was likely, just told me to leave the mag sulphate on overnight, then have a hot shower in the morning and see if there is any change.

not sure what i'd do after that... repeat maybe?

dropping dead from an 'owie' in my toe is not high on my list of things to do this weekend.

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
Cougar - Member

Well, there is change, isn't there. It's swollen and painful. Stop being macho (MTFD?) and go get it sorted.

Posted 5 months ago #
Harry_the_Spider - Member

1. Photo
2. Squeeze
3. Photo of puss
4. Post photos

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

there isn't any pus... it is just a bit swollen where it is rubbing on my shoe.

absolutely no pain as long as I am not prodding it, or wearing shoes.

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
thegreatape - Member

Buy some bigger shoes?

Posted 5 months ago #
chrischennell - Member

Spider bite? nom

http://0.tqn.com/d/create/1/0/A/d/6/-/to-p1.jpg

Posted 5 months ago #
CharlieMungus - Member

it could be just the end of a thorn, buried in your toe, slowly working it's way into your body until it enters a large artery and get carried along in the flow until you feel a sharp pain in your head or your heart as the tiny piece buries itself into a vital organ. don't worry, the pain won't last for long.

Posted 5 months ago #
avdave2 - Member

it could be just the end of a thorn, buried in your toe, slowly working it's way into your body until it enters a large artery and get carried along in the flow until you feel a sharp pain in your head or your heart as the tiny piece buries itself into a vital organ. don't worry, the pain won't last for long

It could be worse than that, it could be carbon fibre from a previous crash in which case as above but quicker.

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

That's ok then, if it's gone into an artery down by my toe, I should be fine.

Obviously if it had gone into a vein, I'd be more worried

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
CharlieMungus - Member

Well, at this stage I'd say quicker is better.

Obviously if it had gone into a vein, I'd be more worried

Oh it's too big to go into a vein, it will have to work it's way on in. You'll know when it gets near your brain, it starts to affect your pedantry gland

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

you missed a full stop out there.

AARRRRRGHHHHH!!! I'm going to die!!

Posted 5 months ago #
bikebouy - Member

I'll cut your toe off if you like..

Promise it won't hurt (much) I need the practice see..

Posted 5 months ago #
teamhurtmore - Member

I'm sure that the above is correct (ie splinter) but don't ignore a sore toe for long. It can also be a symptom of diabetes and the context you describe could be coincidental. I hope not, but a family member had this.

Posted 5 months ago #
higthepig - Member

I felt a sharp pain in my toe, so I took my sock off and had a look to find a bit of blood leaking from the bottom of my little toe, but no obvious splinter.

Did you have shoes on? If you did, have you tried looking at the sole to see if something stuck in it?

If you are a hobbit, disregard the above.

Posted 5 months ago #
alfabus - Member

!Hobbit. Had shoes on, and had also changed my shoes outside (spds and work shoes for digging)

didn't find anything in either of my shoes, or in my sock. Was starting to question whether it was a splinter at all, but thinking more about it, it does sound like something big has gone in and come out, leaving the tip behind.

I'm filtering out the doom mongers though... getting a splinter is not likely to have given me the bad AIDS. It just bloody hurts

Dave

Posted 5 months ago #
CharlieMungus - Member

I'm filtering out the doom mongers though... getting a splinter is not likely to have given me the bad AIDS. It just bloody hurts

Unless someone put the bad AIDS on the end of the splinter

Posted 5 months ago #
sharkbait - Member

I got a splinter while chopping wood a few months ago. I could see a tiny little bit sticking out of my little finger but couldnt get hold of it with fingers teeth or pliers.

Left it for a couple of days and my finger kept getting bigger so went to the doc who sent me to A&E. They looked at it and eventually x-rayed it but it didn't show anything so they sent me home.

Two days later my finger was still throbbing and nicely red at this point and I gave it another squeeze. Nice little spurt of puss followed immediately by a splinter about the thickness of a needle but about 15mm long - damn thing had nearly gone right through my finger.

It felt a lot better after that.

Hope that helps

Posted 5 months ago #
higthepig - Member

Unless someone put the bad AIDS on the end of the splinter

Can you get good AIDS? Just interested as everyday is a school day for me. Don't want it by the way, quite happy with my arthritic bones and tinnitus.

Posted 5 months ago #
retro83 - Member

I think it's going to be a combination of AvDave and CharlieMongus' answers: carbon fibre + bad aids you're screwed!

Posted 5 months ago #