Breaking a bone is never easy, but when it is a bone in the foot it can seriously hamper a person’s ability to walk. As small as toe bones may be, their role in providing the balance is crucial. Broken toes are not only inconvenient, but they are also extremely painful. Many people believe that there is no remedy for a broken toe, but like all fractures, it is important to have it evaluated by a medical professional. Toe injuries are among the most common non-life threatening injuries to humans as a whole experience. Often, it can be hard to tell if a toe is simply bruised, sprained, or if it is actually broken.
The symptoms of a broken toe vary according to where the bones are broken as well as from person to person. Some people are able to walk with a broken toe while others may have to stay off of their feet completely.
Regardless of where the break is, some home remedies can help relieve the pain.
1. Buddy Taping
The most common way to help heal a broken toe at home is through the buddy taping method. Buddy taping is simply a method of taping a healthy adjacent toe to the broken one which will give it support while it heals. To perform this treatment you will need to place a thick piece of cotton between the toes that will be taped together. This helps reduce the chances of blisters from forming.
Using surgical tape from your local pharmacy, bind the two toes together. Make sure that the binding is loose enough to allow proper circulation but tight enough to endure there is not much movement. Buddy taping is an effective way to help relieve pressure and help the toe heal properly.
You can bathe with a buddy taped injury however the toe will need to be re-taped following submersion. It is best if the taped toe remains dry until the bandage needs to be replaced.