If you’re sure that your toe is broken and not sprained, there is no way you must ignore a visit to a podiatrist. That’s because your bone may be dislocated or fractured, which needs medical attention. Just taking care at home is not going to cure it. And, you need to get it treated as soon as possible because if left untreated, it will only aggravate at a later point and become a painful problem. You may even need a surgery and be off your feet for months if it aggravates. To know if you have a broken toe, try to stand on the affected foot for at least two minutes. If your toe cannot take the weight for more than two minutes, it may mean that your toe has broken. Also, look for the shape and size of your toe. If it looks different from the toe of the other foot and if the pain is unbearable, it means you have dislocated a bone. If you run a temperature after a couple of hours of the injury, you must visit a doctor. Even if your toe is not broken and yet the swelling and pain do not subside after a couple of days, you must get it checked as it can be a torn ligament.
There are a few things you must do as first aid. Firstly, immobilize the toe immediately by tightly tying a small piece of wood or a splint (or anything that will straighten your toe) with a bandage. You must also secure the place with a band aid to avoid any more injury. You need to keep your hurt foot elevated so that the blood does not rush to it causing swelling. Keeping a soft pillow under your foot will be a good idea. Ice is a great remedy for alleviating pain and swelling. Firstly, place a cotton swab between your hurt toe and the next toe and wrap these together with a bandage. Then, apply an ice pack on the affected toe for 10 minutes. Repeating the ice pack remedy every 20 minutes will bring the swelling down. Applying a poultice of onion at bed time and wrapping the toe, along with two more toes, in a bandage and wearing socks on the foot can also treat a broken toe. Also, you must stop walking and moving around completely till your toe is better. Using crutches would be a good way of being on the move and yet not pressurizing your toe.