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Heavy Cart Ran Over Big Toe, Using Neosporin Bandaids, Ibuprofen, Nail Turning Yellow, Bottom Has Brown Substance With White Specs, Does Not Hurt To Touch. What Should Be Done?
I work at a home improvement warehouse and one of our heavy blue carts ran over my big toe about 3 weeks ago. I was taking some ibuprofen to keep the swelling down and clear liquid used to come out of the top or side of my nail. I was putting neosporn bandaides on it every day so I could work, but now the nail is turning yellowish towards the top, and the bottom is raising like a bubble with a dark brown substance with some white specks. What is my next step? It does not hurt to touch.
Mon, 14 Oct 2013
Hi,
The nail bed has been damaged by the trauma. The brownish substance is likely to be old blood and the clear fluid would be inflammatory fluid. You are likely to lose this nail over the next few weeks. You do not need to do anything specific. If there is fluid leaking from the nail bed, you can cover with a dry dressing. Otherwise you do not need to dress it. The new nail will eventually grow but this process can take a few months if the whole nail is lost.
Regards,
Dr K A Pottinger,
MBChB. FRCA
The nail bed has been damaged by the trauma. The brownish substance is likely to be old blood and the clear fluid would be inflammatory fluid. You are likely to lose this nail over the next few weeks. You do not need to do anything specific. If there is fluid leaking from the nail bed, you can cover with a dry dressing. Otherwise you do not need to dress it. The new nail will eventually grow but this process can take a few months if the whole nail is lost.
Regards,
Dr K A Pottinger,
MBChB. FRCA
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