How Is Bleeding Under the Nail Treated? – A small subungual hematoma may not need medical treatment. Ice and elevate the area to reduce swelling, and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like aspirin, Advil, or Motrin for minor pain. But the pressure generated by pooled blood under the nail can be extremely painful.
- To relieve it, your doctor may perform decompression, also called trephination, which allows the underlying blood to drain, relieving pressure and pain to the area.
- Your doctor may numb the affected finger or toe with a nerve block and use one of the following decompression methods: Cautery.
- The doctor uses a heated wire (electrocautery device) or carbon laser to burn a hole or holes.
The heated tip of the wire is cooled by contact with the hematoma, which prevents injury to the nail bed. This is a quick and painless procedure. Needle. The doctor uses a needle to make a hole in the nail. After the procedure, your doctor will bandage your nail.
You will need to keep the finger or toe bandaged and elevated – and may also need to use cold compresses – during the first 12 hours after decompression. In some cases, your doctor may recommend you use a splint for as long as 3 days until the tenderness subsides. The main complication associated with decompression is a small risk of infection in the residual hematoma,
If you have bleeding under a large area of the nail surface, the nail bed may be injured. In this case, your doctor may need to remove the entire nail and use stitches to repair the nail bed.
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How long does a bruise under the toenail take to heal?
– Share on Pinterest It can take up to 9 months for a minor subungual hematoma to heal under a toenail. A minor subungual hematoma usually heals over time without treatment. The trapped blood will eventually be reabsorbed, and the dark mark will disappear.
How do I heal a bruised toenail?
Can a Bruised Toenail be Treated? – Bruised toenails cause pain due to the swelling that happens when it is injured. According to the (AOCD), you can alleviate the pain of a bruised toenail with “rest, ice, elevation, and compression of the toe”. The ice will contribute to the reduction of the swelling.
Does a bruised toe nail go away?
Do I Have a Bruised Toenail or an Infection? What is it? Fungal toenail infections are caused by dermatophyte fungi, a group of microorganisms that survive by breaking down keratin, a hard protein abundant in nails (as well as hair and skin). If they find a way underneath the nail, they’ll grow quickly and start to alter its appearance.
Increased thickening in the nail Nails that are brittle or crumbly A build-up of dark-colored debris under the nail
You might have fungal toenails if, in addition to any of the above symptoms, you have a history of athlete’s foot or skin rashes. These can be caused by the same group of fungi and spread to one another. Dermatophytes can also spread through indirect contact, and they like warm, wet places such as gyms, locker rooms, and pools.
If you’ve gone barefoot in public places such as these, you may have been exposed. What’s the prognosis and treatment? Although fungal toenails usually aren’t dangerous to your health and typically are not painful, they will not go away on their own. The nail plate provides them with a limitless supply of keratin, as well as a (natural) protective barrier against topical antifungal cremes.
The best solution for most patients is, an advanced treatment that uses light energy to kill the fungus from the outside in without damaging your healthy cells, taking any medications, or requiring removal of the nail.
What is it? If you have this condition, it means you’ve either bruised the skin underneath the nail, or suffered a laceration that’s causing blood to leak and pool there. What does it look like?
Bruised toenails tend to be darker in color than fungal toenails. While fungal infections tend to be yellow to medium brown, bruised toenails tend to be red or purplish before becoming dark brown, or sometimes even black. In addition to discoloration, you could suspect a bruised toenail (subungual hematoma) if you’ve recently suffered an obvious injury to the toe, such as dropping a heavy object on it.
- However, there does not need to be specific trauma associated with the condition.
- Bruised toenails can also be the result of extended overuse or irritation.
- For example, people who play in shoes that are too tight might develop a bruised toenail slowly over time.
- What’s the prognosis and treatment? This depends on the cause and severity of the bruise or laceration.
Minor bruised toenails may often heal on their own, with the discolored part of the nail slowly growing out. In more serious cases the nail may fall off. In general, we recommend giving our office a call so we can evaluate your condition and determine the best approach to heal the injury.
This may involve drilling a small hole in the nail to drain built-up fluid and reduce pressure. More extensive treatments may involve a healing a fractured bone or open wound to prevent infection. Getting the correct diagnosis is crucial if you want to treat the problem properly and get your healthy nail back! Yes, certainly.
Discolored toenails can result from several underlying medical conditions, including psoriasis, cirrhosis, or kidney disease. Discolored toenails can even result from a reaction to taking medications, or deep stains left by nail polish! The most serious possible cause is subungual melanoma,
- This is a form of skin cancer, and while it’s rare, it can develop in the nail bed, where it appears as a black spot or streak.
- Subungual melanoma may not be an especially aggressive form of cancer, but can often be deadly since many people don’t realize they have it until it has progressed too far.
- The survival rates are very good if you do catch it early, however.
If you have black spots under your nail, especially if there’s no obvious cause, and it isn’t “growing out,” don’t take chances—please contact us right away. At Sierra Foot & Ankle, we have extensive experience dealing with all kinds of painful, unsightly, and frustrating toenail problems.
- While many cases are relatively simple to diagnose and straightforward to treat, it’s extremely important to identify and address serious toenail problems as early as possible.
- Whatever might be causing your toenail discoloration, we’ll find out what it is and make sure you get the effective treatment you deserve.
Call our office in Carson City at (775) 783-8037, or to request an appointment. : Do I Have a Bruised Toenail or an Infection?
When should I worry about a bruised toenail?
When to See a Doctor – If a subungual hematoma is large and causing pain, medical treatment may be needed to drain the blood and relieve pressure under the nail. If left untreated, the condition could damage the nail matrix, the area from which the nail grows, causing it to grow incorrectly or not at all.
If the nail is raised or cut, it could also increase the risk of a fungal or bacterial infection, If you have bleeding under the nail or damage to the nail, it’s a good idea to have you toe looked at by a medical professional within 48 hours. That way, the blood can be drained if needed. Delayed treatment could increase your risk of permanent changes in the nail.
It is especially important to see a doctor for the following:
- You had blunt trauma to the toenail, such as a heavy object dropped on the toe, which may also include a broken toe bone that needs treatment or a cut that needs stitches.
- There is severe swelling, pain, or redness of the toe.
- Discharge is draining out from under the toenail.
- The toenail becomes loose.
- You have neuropathy, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or any condition that affects healing or circulation.
- The discoloration appears as a linear streak or a stripe along the length of the nail. Although a streak of pigment is often normal, in some cases it may be a sign of the skin cancer melanoma,
If the nail is raised, the doctor may relieve the pressure by drilling a hole through the nail. If it is loose, the nail may be trimmed or even reattached to protect the nail bed while the nail is regrowing. You should avoid removing or drilling the injured nail yourself at home.
What does a bruise under toenail look like?
Medically Reviewed by Dany Paul Baby, MD on June 26, 2022 Whether you’re washing your hands or admiring a manicure, you spend a lot more time looking at your fingernails than your toenails. Maybe it’s time to focus on your feet more often (and not just during sandal season). Toenail color changes – from a big blue spot to a thin brown line – could signal health problems. Here’s what you need to know. If your toenail turns black, it’s most likely a bruise under the nail, technically called a subungual hematoma, You can get it from stubbing a toe or from footwear that cram your feet into the front of the shoe. The bruise usually starts out red, then becomes purple, dark brown, and finally black when blood beneath the nail pools and clots. Say you’re not a runner, your shoes are roomy, and you’re sure you haven’t hurt your toe – yet you have one or more black toenails. Check to see if it’s just that dye has rubbed off from a pair of shoes. If not, head to the doctor. You might have a rare cause of black toenail, such as:
Malignant melanoma, a serious form of skin cancerFungal infectionChronic ingrown nailOther health problems
When toenails turn yellow, a fungus is usually to blame. This type of fungal infection is so common that you might not even need to see a doctor for treatment. Try an over-the-counter antifungal cream. If your nail is yellow and thick, gently file down the surface so that the drug can reach deeper layers. If at-home treatment doesn’t work, a doctor visit is in order. Unless you’re wearing green nail polish, this is a color you don’t want to see on your toenails. It could be green-nail syndrome (chloronychia), which is caused by an infection, The culprit is usually bacteria that thrive in damp or wet conditions. Think hot tubs, sponges, even tight-fitting shoes that you’ve worn for a long time. If you stub your toe and it turns blue, you might not think twice about the color. But if you get a blue spot or a blue toenail for no clear reason, play it safe and see a doctor. You may have a blue mole beneath the nail. It’s probably harmless. But in very rare cases, a type of blue mole called a cellular blue nevus can become cancer. Stubbing your toe doesn’t always lead to a bruise. That’s because the blood vessels under the nail might not break and leak blood. Instead, you might get a white spot on your toenail. It won’t don’t disappear like a bruise, but it will grow out in time. Do you have a toenail that’s turned white, or has large powder-like patches? You could have a fungal infection, most likely one called white superficial onychomycosis. If possible, see a doctor as soon as you notice it. This infection spreads across the toenail. White superficial onychomycosis can cause the entire nail to become rough and crumbly. Another type of fungal infection is called proximal subungual onychomycosis, It looks like a whitish or yellowish patch that starts at the base of the toenail, near the cuticle. The infection is rare in healthy people. More often, it happens in people with weakened immune systems. It can also be a sign of HIV. When toenails have red and white stripes, there are usually problems elsewhere on your body. These lines and V-shaped nicks are a hallmark of Darier disease, It’s an inherited disease, mostly affecting the skin and causing greasy, warty, foul-smelling blemishes. The term for brown and sometimes black color on your toenail is melanonychia. Brown usually appears as a line or streak going up and down the nail. Possible causes:
InjuryMelanomaInflammatory conditionsFungal infectionsCertain medications
Because there’s a small chance your brown toenail streak could be a sign of something serious, play it safe and get checked out.
Will blood under toenail ever go away?
– Small hematomas may heal on their own without much issue. You may reduce some of these symptoms for more mild cases by elevating your hand or foot, using a cold compress for pain/swelling, and applying compression to slow the bleeding under the nail.
- Larger hematomas may or may not cause issues.
- Without drainage, you may experience intense pain or other symptoms such as feeling pressure on the nail.
- The hematoma may change colors from red to purple to dark brown to black.
- The pressure of the blood underneath the nail’s surface may also cause the nail to fall off partially or completely.
If home measures don’t give you relief, you should contact a doctor for the next steps. Remember that nail drainage can only be performed within the first 2 days after your injury. So, if it’s bothering you, head to your doctor to get help. Also be sure to contact a doctor if:
the bleeding in and around your nail doesn’t stop on its ownthe pain you experience becomes severethe injury involves a fracture or open wound that may need stitches
What happens if you leave blood under your toenail?
A subungual hematoma is a transient condition where blood and fluid collect underneath the fingernail or toenail. This is usually caused by a traumatic injury as in hitting your thumb with a hammer or stubbing a toe. It can also occur from wearing tight-fitting shoes which trap blood in the toes leading to an increased pressure within the blood vessels of the toes.
In either case, the injury leads to the breakage of small blood vessels underneath the nail which leak blood into a potential space below the nail that causes discoloration of the nail and intense pressure. Initially the injury may only hurt. The nail may feel sore or tender to the touch. As the blood pools under the nail the pressure from the blood can cause severe pain.
The pressure caused by blood underneath the nail may result in the affected nail lifting off the finger or toe. The color under the nail will change over time initially red to purple and later to dark brown and black as the blood clots. The pain usually resolves days after the injury and the nail looks worse than it feels. Usually the treatment is minimal and consists of rest, ice, elevation, and compression of the finger or toe. Over the counter pain medication can be given if needed. Elevation and the use of ice help to reduce the swelling and further pain. Placing ice directly on the affected nail could cause further injury, so wrapping ice in a cloth towel and applying it to the affected area works best.
- Compression can further reduce the bleeding underneath the nail.
- Regardless of treatment the hematoma will eventually be resorbed by the body and a new nail will grow out.
- On average the nail takes 6 to 9 months to grow completely out.
- A complication to be aware of is damaging the cells that re-grows the nail (the nail matrix).
If the nail matrix is damaged the nail will grow incorrectly or may not re-grow a nail. There are a few reasons to seek medical attention: if bleeding does not stop, if the pain becomes too intense, or if there is significant injury to the base of the nail.
Depending on the manner of injury issues to be aware of would be; a deep cut or laceration to the skin of the finger or toe underneath the nail that may require stitches as well as taking an x-ray to determine if the bone of the finger or toe involved is broken. If necessary the pressure caused by the hematoma can be resolved by a medical professional using a technique called trephination.
This is done by using a sharp instrument to pierce the nail and drain the blood which relieves the pain. Drainage or removing the nail is discouraged from being attempted by the public because this could lead to further complications of infection, additional trauma, slowing of the healing process, or leaving the finger or toe vulnerable.
Over the course of several months a new nail replaces the damaged, discolored nail. There usually is no need for further treatment or follow up. Back to Index The medical information provided in this site is for educational purposes only and is the property of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice and shall not create a physician – patient relationship. If you have a specific question or concern about a skin lesion or disease, please consult a dermatologist. Any use, re-creation, dissemination, forwarding or copying of this information is strictly prohibited unless expressed written permission is given by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
Why is my toenail purple underneath?
Black or purple toenails – If one or more of your nails appears blackened or purplish in color, this was probably due to trauma or some other type of micro-injury causing bleeding under your nail. Stubbing your toe, running long distances, wearing tight shoes, or even shoes that are too big can cause these nail changes.
These types of injuries may or may not be painful. If they are severely painful, that could be an indication of a broken toe. Often these color changes improve on their own as the new nail grows out. In cases where there is excessive bleeding under the nail, the nail may loosen to the point where it falls off.
If nails become darker without any noticeable injury, it could also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, anemia, bacterial infection, or in rare cases even cancer. It is always advised to have a medical professional examine any nail changes to rule out any underlying health conditions.
What happens when you bruise under your nail?
A subungual hematoma is a bruise that forms under the nail after trauma. Subungual hematomas can be very painful, but draining them can provide pain relief. Most subungual hematomas heal well, although there’s a risk for complications like nail loss and infection.
How do you tell if bruised toenail is infected?
Bruising vs. Fungus – As Jamie learned, bruising of the toenail can resemble toenail fungus. If you have traumatized the toenail in any way, whether it means you dropped something on your toe, someone stepped on your foot, or you have logged 26 miles in one day on your feet, you can expect that your toenail might be bruised.
When should I see a doctor about a toenail injury?
If blood under your toenail covers more than half of the nail area, you should go to your health care provider, urgent care or emergency room to drain the blood and relieve pressure under the nail. You should not try to drill or reduce pressure under your toenail on your own.
When should I go to the doctor for a sore toenail?
When to see a doctor – The dividing line between relying on home care and seeking medical help for an is if you see signs of infection. If the pain worsens considerably, or if you see pus or blood, increased redness, nail discoloration, or notice a bad odor, you need to seek professional care promptly.
