OT: Is there a doctor in the house?

[Speedy Orkit]

Do we have any medical personnel in? I have a semi serious question. With a broken big toe, how important is it to get it splinted and set? I've broken this toe twice this year, and just let it go. It got it pretty good this time with a misplaced kick and it's purple/brown, Pretty much on top and about 1/2" down the sides. Is this serious enough I need to get it splinted? It may disbar me from an upcoming fight, so if I can get by without, I'd like to.

 

[Petra Fyde]

In the absence of a medical practitioner I googled it.

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Health-and-Fitness/Question404405.html

The answer seems to be, no, they'll just strap it up and you can do that yourself.

 

[Jaimes]

Don't wait too long to get the bone set though... it definitely can and will create permanent problems for you if you leave it like that.

Edit: Anyway, why ask us. Just call up your GP and ask her/him. It's not like they're dying to make money off of broken-toe patients.. they'll give you the straight-up.

 

[Kat]

Speedy - I'm not even remotely close to being a doctor, but I have some experience with a broken big toe.

I broke my big toe so bad back in high school, that they said it really needed to have a pin put in for it to heal right. My parents got a couple of second opinions and they all, including the original doctor, agreed it wasn't worth the trouble and additional pain.

There simply isn't much they can do with broken toes except to try and minimize the pain. Ultimately, my doctor taped my big toe to the next toe and sent me home with some mild pain killers. The theory was that it wouldn't hurt so much if I couldn't move it, but that wasn't quite my experience. My parents re-taped it each night after my bath, for about a week and then we never bothered with it again. It did, however, take quite a while for me to wear a shoe on that foot again. It was a pretty bad break. 10+ years later... no pain or problems at all.

Edited to add: After posting, I noticed that you said there is some bruising. I had a pretty nasty break and there was not an ounce of bruising. I think it would behoove you to go have it checked out. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Skylark SP]

Actual examination by medical professional >> game forum speculation even when speculated by bona fide medical professionals.

-Skylark

P.S. I know a vet you can go to whose solution for everything is amputation...would save you some money, he is cheap.

 

[Czarina]

as a medic in the army they tell us to just splint it if the patient is a baby about it lol. but other then that you cant really splint that toe with out it bending anyways.

 

[enigma eb2]

Suck it up be a man.

 

[HaHa]

My parents re-taped it each night after my bath,

 

[Zip]

As an aid to the healing process, if you can get yourself some Arnica Salve or Pomada de Arnica, etc... (Usually the label is in spanish), and put it on twice a day it'll drastically reduce the bruising and help stimulate healing in traumatized tissue. My wife hooked me up with it a few years ago. I sure wish I knew about it during my dangerous years.

 

[Skylark SP]

Suck it up be a man.

It's just a flesh wound!

-Skylark

 

[Kat]

My parents re-taped it each night after my bath,

Gah.. Please don't tell me you have a foot fettish, in addition to the other fettish you seem to have!!

 

[Goron]

My parents re-taped it each night after my bath,

Gah.. Please don't tell me you have a foot fettish, in addition to the other fettish you seem to have!!

I think he was referring to the bath part.

 

[Kat]

Hmmm.. Maybe I should have made mention that I was a FRESHMAN in high school and well under age?! If any such pictures ever existed, which I can assure you they do not, they would likely win you a stay in jail. lol

 

[Kael]

Depends on how bad the break is man

I have a friend of mine whose dad told him to suck it up when he complained about breaking his toe......years later the thing looks deformed and curved.

Lets put it this way he puts a ton of holes in new socks with that monstrosity : )

 

[Speedy Orkit]

Thanks for the responses folks, I'm gonna leave it be. As for the ones asking why I didn't go see a doctor:

1) No health insurance.

2) National Guard does not get free medical service, no not even your VA rep association, don't let them lie to you.

3) Most doctors won't even talk to you without an appointment, which you have to pay for.

 

[TheScoundrelRico]

Pfft, man up...rub some dirt on it, and then cut it off with some pruning shears. No more breaks...ever...la

 

[Czarina]

Thanks for the responses folks, I'm gonna leave it be. As for the ones asking why I didn't go see a doctor:

1) No health insurance.

2) National Guard does not get free medical service, no not even your VA rep association, don't let them lie to you.

3) Most doctors won't even talk to you without an appointment, which you have to pay for.

ill second this..... bastards charged me to pull stitches out of my hand that they left in!

 

[Corrupted Goblin]

Get really really really drunk and if its actually broken have a buddy pull it straight out and back into place if its just fractured all you can do even with a doc is keep it taped. Make sure there is not ligimate/tendon damage through. and you do need a doctor for that unfortunately. go to a base nearby and have them check you out on base most army docs are good people

 

[Mogluk]

just to give you my 2 cents worth. with bruising you have possible reorientation of the bone during teh facture which can cause permanent walking and running issues if not set PROPERLY. true you can probably get by with just taping it and going. but in the long run if you get hobbled because chose you to not go to a doctor you will be kicking yourself in the end. a few hundred dollars now can save thousands later in life. its preventative medicine.

 

[kelmo]

*blinks* A fighter without insurance? What style of fighting?

 

[Strom]

My parents re-taped it each night after my bath,

lol

 

[Speedy Orkit]

MMA. I did have insurance, but the army messed up my tuition for school, dropping me from my classes, thus dropping my insurance.

 

[Troop]

I broke a toe once. The one next to the big toe. I did not think it was a big deal, but it healed up kind of funny. Now my toe is twisted sideways and the joint is stiff. It bothers me at times. I wish I had gone to the Dr. to have it checked out when I broke it.

 

[T'Challa]

I lost a toenail to a door once, I bet it hurt more than your broken toe

 

[Speedy Orkit]

I actually kicked a dummy about 5 months ago(first time I broke the toe) and underneath it was purple, blue, etc. So I go to cut it a few weeks later, it just falls off about half way down. I freaked out.

 

[Draxous]

My parents re-taped it each night after my bath,

Gah.. Please don't tell me you have a foot fettish, in addition to the other fettish you seem to have!!

I think he was referring to the bath part.

...

really?

 

[kelmo]

...

really?

Dudes! Really...

 

[Draxous]

Dudes! Your on the interwebs...

 

[AEowynSP]

 

[Jaimes]

I don't mean to lecture you, but I really recommend you get health insurance just for your own well-being and peace of mind. Statistically speaking, those without health insurance have a MUCH higher chance of dying to cancerous and other chronic illnesses, because they're much more likely to avoid or defer treatment since they pay for it each time (I'm taking this from an article in U.S. News from 2002 that I read a few weeks ago). I know someone who dropped his health insurance for two years, had a heart attack, and now he needs to sell his house.

Yeah, I know financially there are lots of reasons to go without health insurance... but health is so integral to one's happiness (and indeed life), and especially if you're competitive in MMA... obviously in the end it's up to you. I just thought I would bring it up though. Hopefully I didn't annoy you too much.

 

[Speedy Orkit]

Oh I know I need insurance, and have always had it, just some financial aid problems threw a wrench in things.

 

[Max Blackoak]

what Jaimes said. get health insurance asap man!

i'm into martial arts as well and i know i am glad i didn't have to pay for every time i needed to go to the doctors...and no i don't get injured alot because my skills are too crappy but some things simply are more likely to happen when you're into excessive sports (like the bursitis in my right shoulder i am dealing with atm)

i guess a first step would be saving money by quitting UO. can i have your stuff?

 

[Skylark SP]

Do health insurance policies even cover injuries incurred in professional and "extreme" contact sports??

-Skylark