Bruise under the nail or subungual hematoma. Bruise under the nail How to pierce a hematoma under the nail

A bruise under the nail is a blood clot that forms after a bruise. Blood from damaged vessels begins to accumulate under the nail plate. After the blow, the person feels pain in the injured finger. The bruise under the nail quickly increases in size.

If you accidentally hit your foot on furniture, the capillaries on your toes burst. Blood from damaged vessels instantly collects in the tissues under the nail plate.
A bruise under the nail may appear after accidentally pinching a limb.
Football and basketball players are at risk of getting this injury.
The reason for the formation of a bruise under the big toe nail can be the use of shoes that are too narrow.
A heavy object falling on your leg.
Hemorrhage may be a consequence of increased vascular fragility.
Dislocations and fractures of the limbs are often accompanied by the formation of hematomas under the nails.
Blackening of the plate may be due to a fungal infection.

Symptoms

The formation of a hematoma is accompanied by the following symptoms:

damaged tissues swell;
in the area of the injured nail, the skin quickly turns red;
any attempt to change the position of the bruised finger leads to severe pain;
the patient feels pulsation in the sore finger.

Symptoms persist for 2-3 days. After this, the nail plate begins to darken. With strong impacts, not only blood vessels are damaged. The nail itself cannot withstand mechanical stress. As a result of injury, it peels off.

How does a hematoma form?

There are several stages in the formation of bruises:

Immediately after a bruise, blood from damaged capillaries flows under the nail plate. The victim sees a small red spot. Gradually, the damaged area begins to darken. The patient complains of severe pain and numbness of the finger. The area of the blood stain under the nail increases. It takes on a purple hue.
Subsequently, the hematoma becomes dark blue.
During the restoration process, the stain decreases. The victim feels virtually no pain.
After about 3-4 weeks, the bruise under the nail will completely resolve.
The length of the recovery period depends on the degree of damage and the characteristics of the person.

What should you do first?

Apply a cold object to the bruised nail. This will reduce pain and help stop the development of the hematoma. After a strong blow, the nail can easily peel off. The injured area under the nail plate should be immediately lubricated with an antibacterial agent. Be sure to apply a bandage to prevent infection. In case of severe damage, you cannot do without the help of a qualified specialist.

Treatment methods

After the blow, the patient feels severe pain, since there are quite a lot of nerve endings in this place. To reduce pain, the victim is prescribed painkillers (Analgin, Ketorolac). If the nail plate peels off, it is necessary to wash the wound. After disinfection, you can apply an ointment with a wound-healing effect (Troxevasin, Venoruton) to the damaged area. Important! The damaged nail must be secured to avoid accidental snagging. To do this, you can use a sterile bandage or patch.

In what cases is medical help needed?

The formation of a large hematoma that occupies the entire area of the nail is a reason to contact a specialist. To treat such patients, doctors resort to emergency treatment. To remove accumulated blood, the specialist performs drainage. With a special instrument, he pierces the nail plate in the center of the hemorrhage. After this, a sterile bandage is applied to the sore finger. In particularly difficult cases, it is necessary to remove the nail plate. The procedure ends with suturing. Intense pain may indicate a broken finger.

What is the danger of a hematoma under the nail?

The risk of nail detachment after receiving a strong blow is quite high. The damaged area is not protected from various microbes. Fungal infections are especially difficult to treat. Sometimes the new nail that grows after peeling becomes deformed. Even the most professional pedicure specialist cannot hide such a defect. When a hematoma appears, it is necessary to immediately begin to prevent mycosis.

How to avoid hematoma formation

When choosing winter shoes, keep in mind that you will be wearing them with insulated socks. Don't buy boots (or any other shoes) that make you feel uncomfortable.
People often get a bruised toe by hitting their foot on the corner of a piece of furniture. You need to be careful when moving around the house.
Don't skimp on sports shoes. This is especially true for people who play professional football or basketball.
Don't forget to trim your nails regularly. When wearing tight shoes, you can damage the nail plate.
Poor nutrition can cause poor nail condition. They begin to crumble and can be damaged even from a slight mechanical impact.

Traditional methods

There are several effective methods that can help with damage to the nail plate:

Fresh wormwood leaves need to be crushed until the juice appears. Apply the mixture to the bruise and secure it with an elastic bandage. After drying, change the compress.
St. John's wort decoction can be used not only as compresses. To speed up the healing process, you need to take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.
Thanks to plantain, you can stop the inflammatory process in the wound under the nail. The leaves of the plant must first be crushed and applied to the sore finger. Plantain helps relieve swelling and reduce pain.
To prepare the infusion 4 tbsp. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over spoons of chopped lemon balm herb. The decoction will be ready within 30 minutes. Soak a piece of cloth in the infusion and apply it to the sore finger. The compress should be applied 3-4 times a day.

Bruise under the big toe nail. VIDEO

Bruises are the result of internal hemorrhageand saturation of surrounding tissues. When struck, small subcutaneous vessels rupture, which leads to local bleeding. Damage to blood vessels deep in the tissue is called a hematoma; it is accompanied by greater aching pain compared to a mild bruise and has a larger volume.

Causes of bruises under the nail plates

There are many known reasons why bruises appear under the nails. The main ones are listed below.

A hematoma can form on any part of the body that is exposed to an external blow. No one is immune from such a phenomenon as a bruise on the nail. It is possible to injure your nails by closing a door, hammering nails, dropping a tool on the floor, or moving furniture. You can get injured both at home and at the workplace when dealing with heavy objects, tools, and machines. A subungual hematoma causes severe physical pain, but at the same time spoils the appearance of the nails. When struck, not only can a hematoma form under the nail, but the nail plate itself can burst, causing the nail to become deformed.
Bruises under the nails sometimes also appear with a severe bruise, dislocation, fracture of the hand, or injury to the foot. In these cases, bruising may extend over a large radius, including the nails of the extremities.
The appearance of subungual hematomas is sometimes provoked by wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes.
The appearance of a bruise sometimes also indicates weak walls of blood vessels, which can rupture in any part of the body, forming painful hematomas, including under the nail.
The cause of hematomas under the nails is angiopathy, which appears in diabetes mellitus and leads to weakness of the vessel wall.
Bruises under the fingernails or toenails may also appear after taking medications that directly affect blood clotting.
Bruising under the nails is the result of professional artistic activity; ballerinas and dancers often encounter this phenomenon.

Most often the bruise occurs on the big toe. It also suffers when wearing tight shoes. A hematoma on the nail of the big toe causes discomfort when moving and does not allow you to put on shoes without pain.

What does a bruise under a nail look like?

At the moment of impact, blood leaking from damaged vessels collects under the nail. Since it cannot flow out due to the high density of the nail plate, it remains under it. The blood coagulates, changing its color over time until it completely resolves.

In the first minutes after a nail injury, it turns red, after a few hours it turns blue, and after the blood clots, it turns completely black.

The returning blood clot takes a very long time to dissolve, the old nail plate slides off and is replaced by a new one. Often, in order to remove it from under the nail plate, you need to wait until the damaged nail has grown completely, gradually trimming and cleaning it.

An accumulated blood clot under the nail plate is not a favorable environment, especially if the nail burst during the bruise. If no measures are taken, infections may develop under the plate, leading to tissue destruction and rotting.

The hands and feet, as well as nails, may become covered with black spots due to fungus or cutaneous melanoma. They are very similar to nail hematomas, but in comparison with them they do not disappear as the nails grow, but continue to destroy and deform it.

Methods for treating bruises under the nails

How to treat a hematoma on the big toe? If a limb is damaged and the radius of the bruise includes the nail plate, then the entire hematoma should be treated, not the nail individually.

Immediately after injury, cold is applied to the injury site through a towel or cloth. The duration of the procedure is about twenty minutes, after which a break is required. This procedure will reduce pain and the size of the hemorrhage. The doctor prescribes painkillers. Pain-relieving gels can be used locally; during the resorption stage, after a few days, heparin ointment can be used. In some cases, traditional methods can be used as a supplement to the main treatment after consulting a doctor.

Traditional methods of treatment

Treatment with traditional recipes allows you to speed up the process of bruise resorption at home. You can use the following methods:

the greatest effect in the treatment of subungual hematomas on the legs was noticed by traditional healers when using compresses with onion pulp;
plantain has a cooling effect; compresses with cut leaves of this plant can relieve swelling around the nail and reduce inflammation;
Fresh wormwood has an analgesic effect on subungual bruises; its juice, absorbed into the nail, penetrates deep into the tissue and inhibits the inflammatory process;
St. John's wort tincture (1 tbsp flowers + 1 tbsp boiled water) helps fight subungual bruises from the inside. It is taken three times a day until the pain subsides;
baths with sea salt and essential oils help relieve inflammation and growth of the nail plate, which allows you to speed up the process of cutting off a deformed nail with blood clotted underneath it;
lotions with a strong solution of potassium permanganate make it possible to relieve pain.

Drug therapy

If bruises form under your toenails, you can seek help from a medical facility. Doctor's help will be appropriate only until the blood under the nail has clotted.

A bruise that forms under the big toe nail is removed by opening the nail plate to extract uncongealed blood. To do this, perforate the nail using a medical drill or surgically remove the entire nail plate. A medical needle or wire heated over a burner flame is also suitable. The hot metal easily melts the tissue without causing pain, and the blood comes out from under the plate. A sterile bandage is applied to the site of the perforation; over time, the nail slips off. These procedures allow you to accelerate the growth of healthy, smooth nails. Additionally, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed as long as there is a need.

Preventing bruises under the nails

Preventive measures will help prevent the appearance of bruises on the nails, in particular the big toes. These include:

a balanced diet containing foods rich in vitamin C (it helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels);
wearing comfortable shoes of your size;
extreme caution when lifting heavy objects;
compliance with safety regulations in the workplace;
refusal to wear high-heeled shoes;
It is mandatory to visit a doctor if bruises appear in any part of the body, because this may be a symptom of a disease of the circulatory system.

Attentiveness in everyday life and a responsible attitude towards your well-being will protect you from such troubles as bruises under your nails.

1 Why does a bruise appear under the nails?

The formation of hematomas is a normal physiological process. When struck, the blood vessels are damaged and blood is released from them. It remains under the nail plate, as it cannot flow beyond it due to the high strength of the nail. Over time, the blood clot may turn black and the finger may become slightly swollen. Then the hematoma changes color, the plate separates from the bed, and the nail becomes slightly convex.

A bruise that appears on the big toe nail can cause negative complications. Firstly, infections can penetrate into the space that forms between the plate and the nail bed. Secondly, the nail remains very fragile until it is completely renewed. If pressure occurs as it grows, it may become deformed.

A characteristic symptom of the formation of a hematoma is severe throbbing pain, which subsides over time. If the injury is severe enough, it may be permanent. When the plate fuses, the patient may feel discomfort, and pain appears only as a result of pressure.

2 Causes of hematoma formation

The main factors that provoke the appearance of bruises on the fingers:

Mechanical shock - occurs as a result of a heavy object falling on the leg or a finger being pinched. This type of damage occurs most often. In addition, bruising may occur with fractures.
Uncomfortable shoes. If constant pressure occurs, a hematoma appears. Discomfort occurs when a person puts on boots. People who engage in winter sports often suffer from bruises - due to the special structure of the shoes, the fingers experience constant pressure.
Use of medications that affect blood clotting. Bruises rarely form for this reason. To solve the problem, you should consult your doctor.
Cardiovascular failure. With this disease, all organs, including the skin, suffer from a lack of oxygen. As a result, the body weakens and is unable to resist disease. Typically, with this pathology, all fingernails and toenails turn black.
Serious diseases - diabetes, melanoma, oncology. Only a qualified specialist can determine the exact cause.
Fungal infection - if the nail is infected with a fungus, its peeling is accompanied by itching and other symptoms.

The doctors are shocked! The BUNE will evaporate in a couple of nights! The surgeons were numb with surprise...

If the hematoma is not a consequence of external influences or wearing uncomfortable shoes, you should definitely go to the doctor.

Only a specialist can conduct the necessary research and detect the disease at the first stage of its development.

3 How to treat a hematoma

You can treat a bruise under the big toe nail yourself or under the guidance of a doctor. First of all, the damaged area must be placed under cold water to stop the bleeding, reduce the amount of blood under the plate and the risk of subsequent detachment. Alternatively, you can use ice cubes. Regular iodine is suitable for disinfection. This first aid is suitable for all hematomas under the nails. Further therapy is selected depending on the characteristics of the injury.

Treatment with traditional methods

Drug therapy will help remove the bruise that has formed under the nails. There are several options:

Drainage - the site of the bruise is punctured so that the blood comes out. Then apply a bandage - it will prevent the spread of infection. Thanks to the elimination of blood, a bruise does not appear.
Surgical intervention - the nail is completely removed, as a result of which the plate begins to grow again and takes on the correct shape.

Blood can only be removed if little time has passed since it was released. Later, you can get rid of the clot only by removing the nail plate. In some cases, you can do without a doctor and complex treatment. The nail will begin to grow and it will be enough to cut it off. But this is a long process that can take a long time - from three to six months.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Butchers: The FUNGUS will simply evaporate, a cheap method.

Unconventional methods of treatment

The following methods are suitable for self-treatment of hematomas:

compress - after a blow, you need to apply ice to the injury site or immerse your finger in cold water;
means for active nail growth - all kinds of baths with essential oils, sea salt and other useful elements.
potassium permanganate solution - lower your finger and steam it for twenty minutes;
compresses from wormwood - grind the herb to a paste and apply to the injured area;
plantain leaves – relieve inflammation;
onion – chop and apply to the problem area, wear for several hours.

It is impossible to completely remove a bruise using these methods, but folk recipes will help reduce inflammation and accelerate the growth of the nail plate. Hematoma is a serious problem, so it is better to see a doctor so that your nails do not remain deformed. It is recommended to use any medications and folk remedies only after a visit to the doctor.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW! TOP 5 remedies for VARICOSE. Which one is recognized as the best? Write it down!

4 Prevention

Basic preventive measures are aimed at preventing possible injuries. To do this, you need to follow safety rules at work.

At home, you should be careful when performing any activities.

Injury to the nails due to tight shoes can be avoided if you choose such products wisely. It is better to buy comfortable shoes or boots than to chase fashion.

It is very important to maintain good hygiene and ensure you have a balanced diet.

A bruise under the big toe nail is a consequence of internal hemorrhage with blood soaking into nearby tissue structures. Subungual hematoma occurs due to impact, which ruptures small subcutaneous vessels. In the area of damaged vessels on the nail of the big toe, a hematoma formation causes pain to a person, bruises under the nails can reach large volumes.

Why do they arise?

A hematoma under the nail plate can form due to numerous reasons.

Some of the few causes of bruising on the nails are:

On the human body, subcutaneous hemorrhage can occur in any area that has been subjected to external shock. It is impossible to insure against a bruise under a fingernail or toenail. You can get injured in any way: when closing doors, hammering nails, falling tools, dragging heavy objects. A bruise under a toenail due to an injury is very painful, and such a nail is unpleasant to look at. Due to injury and the resulting hematoma under the nail of the big toe, the nail may become deformed.
A bruise on the nail appears when a person is seriously hurt or has a dislocated limb. With this option, hematomas spread to large areas of the body and can even form under the toenails.
Hemorrhage on the big toe can occur due to wearing shoes that are not the right size.
Hemorrhages of the big toes appear due to weakened vascular walls. Such hemorrhages also occur in any area of the body and cause pain.
Angiopathy due to diabetes mellitus causes bruising of the subungual area.
If a person practices ballet or dancing for a long time, this will also cause hematomas of the subungual area.
Sometimes bruises under the nail area are formed due to taking medications that increase blood clotting.
Heart and vascular failure, oncological processes, mycoses and other pathologies also provoke the appearance of bruises in the subungual area.

How does a hematoma appear under the nail?

Why did the bruise appear under the nail plate? When an impact occurs, blood accumulates under the nail plate from damaged vascular tissues. This blood does not flow beyond the nail area because it is too dense, so the blood is trapped under the nail. Blood clotting occurs, after a certain period its color changes until it is completely absorbed.

A few minutes after a person is injured, the nail area becomes red, after a certain period it turns blue. When the blood has clotted, the nail plate will turn black.

The process of resorption of the blood clot is long, the nail slips and is replaced by a new nail plate. Accumulated hemorrhage under a burst nail, if the injury is not treated, is the cause of the addition of an infectious process, which will lead to the destruction of tissue structures.

The soles of the feet and hands with nail plates become covered with black spotted formations due to mycoses and skin melanoma. They are similar to hemorrhages, but as the nails grow, they do not disappear, but destroy the nail plate.

About treatment

How to treat hemorrhages on the nail plate of the thumb? If the leg is damaged and the hematoma covers the entire nail area, the entire hematoma is treated, and not just the damaged nail. At the moment when the finger was injured, cold is applied to it through the tissue surface.

The duration of such exposure should not exceed 20 minutes, then a pause is necessary. This manipulation will reduce pain and the area of the hematoma.

The doctor prescribes medications to relieve pain.

You can apply gels locally to relieve pain. After a few days, an ointment containing a heparin component is used. Non-traditional methods of treatment can also complement basic treatment measures, which should be used after consulting with a doctor.

About traditional methods of treating bruises

How to remove a bruise? The following methods will help you do this:

Using a compress with finely grated onion in the form of a paste will help cure a bruise.
A plantain compress will cool the injured area. Finely chopped leaves will relieve swelling and inflammatory processes.
St. John's wort tincture is used. The proportion of its preparation is as follows: one tablespoon of flowers to the same volume of boiled water. Take 3 times a day until pain disappears.
If you use baths that contain essential oils and sea salt, the blood clots under the nail will resolve faster.

When the nail is opened

If an extensive bruise of the subungual area has formed, you can get help at a medical facility. Such help is appropriate only until blood clotting occurs under the nail. The nail plate is perforated with a special drill or surgically removed.

For this purpose, a medical needle or wire heated by a burner is also used. A hot needle melts tissue structures without pain or blood loss from under the nail. The operated finger is bandaged with a sterile bandage; after a certain period, the nail plate will slide off.

Thanks to this manipulation, a healthy nail will grow faster. If necessary, use agents that destroy bacteria and relieve inflammation.

About prevention

It is better to prevent hemorrhages from appearing under the nail plates, and the following measures can help prevent these hemorrhages:

You need to eat a balanced diet rich in ascorbic acid. Vitamin C will strengthen vascular tissues.
Shoes should be worn in the correct size so that your toes are not pinched.
Strong overloads on the legs are unacceptable.
Be sure to follow safety precautions at work.
Be careful when lifting heavy objects.
High heels are not allowed.
If hemorrhages appear in any area of the body, you should consult a doctor.

Preventive measures will always help prevent bruises. But if an injury occurs and a bruise forms on the nail area of the thumb, or simply a person’s body is covered with bruises for no apparent reason, then it is better to consult a specialist and receive appropriate treatment.

A hematoma under a fingernail or toenail is a common and unpleasant problem that many may encounter. It occurs as a result of mechanical damage and is a blood clot formed under the nail plate.

Causes and symptoms

The main causes of bruises on the nails are considered to be blows to the fingers or their pinching, for example, by a door. In addition, the cause may be uncomfortable tight shoes used for a long time. Much less often, hematoma formation is possible as a result of taking medications that affect the ability of blood to clot.

After a finger injury, you may experience severe throbbing pain in the nail area. Sometimes it may feel like the finger is growing in size. This happens because there is an accumulation of blood under the nail.

The main symptoms of a bruise are sharp pain and a change in the color of the nail plate. At first it becomes red, then a bluish tint appears and gradually it becomes dark purple, almost black.

If a bruise under the nail occurs after wearing uncomfortable shoes for a long time, the patient does not feel as much pain as when struck. However, she will accompany him until the shoes are removed. The nail of the thumb is most often affected.

It should be noted that a change in the color of the nail plate is not always associated with mechanical damage and bruising. For example, the appearance of blue-black spots may indicate the development of melanoma or a malignant change in moles.

Help for the victim

Immediately after the injury, the bruise site must be cooled.

You need to apply ice, a cold compress to your finger, or simply place it under running cold water. In particularly urgent cases, you can even use frozen food packages. The cold should remain at the site of the injury for no more than 3-5 minutes. Then a break is taken for 15 minutes, the procedure is repeated if necessary. Cold is applied until the pain subsides.

Then the damaged area must be disinfected with an antiseptic: iodine, hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate solution. Use a cotton swab dipped in the product to wipe the nail and soft tissue around it. Simultaneous use of an anti-inflammatory drug will help slow down the development of the inflammatory process.

If the injury is too serious, resulting in a tear or complete removal of the nail, you must quickly wash the wound with an antibacterial agent. Then you need to apply a sterile bandage, after lubricating the wound with antibacterial ointment, and take the victim to the doctor.

Treatment on your own can be limited to the case if the injury was minor and a very small bruise formed. However, if more than a quarter of the area of the nail plate is affected and severe pain is felt, you should visit a doctor. Severe pain may indicate a broken finger. It is also necessary to go to the clinic if there was no injury, but the nail plate has changed color.

Before making a diagnosis, the doctor conducts an external examination of the damaged area and finds out the cause of the hematoma. If a bone fracture is suspected, an x-ray may be ordered.

Treatment options

Only a doctor can prescribe therapeutic measures. A drainage method may be used to remove bruising from under the nail. Its essence is that in the center of the blood clot the nail plate is pierced with a special sharp instrument.

When the blood has been removed, a sterile bandage must be applied to the injury site. It must be wet. This will cool the injured area and prevent the puncture site from overgrowing too quickly. Most often, this procedure completes the treatment of the hematoma. Recovery comes quickly. The nail plate is completely restored in about a month.

If the injury was too severe, resulting in the removal of the nail plate, then in this case sutures are applied. During treatment you will have to visit the doctor several more times. As for suture removal, the procedure is carried out 5-7 days after surgery. It may not be required at all if self-disintegrating material was used for the seams. In especially severe cases, treatment may result in complications: deformation of the nail plate or its abnormal growth.

If the subungual hematoma is small, then traditional methods can be used to treat it. Immediately after the injury, ice should be placed on the site of the injury. The sooner this is done, the smaller the bruise will be and the faster the pain will subside. If the victim feels a “tugging” pain, then a leaf of white cabbage can be tied to the site of injury.

When the pain has passed, you can make a hot bath of potassium permanganate. To do this, a strong solution is prepared, heated, and the injured finger is lowered into it. You need to keep it in the solution for at least 20 minutes. A hot bath helps to soften the nail plate as much as possible and remove dried blood.

In order to avoid the occurrence of hematomas in the future, it is necessary to adhere to safety rules during various work and be as careful as possible in everyday life. When choosing shoes, you need to pay attention to comfortable models that will not squeeze your toes.

A hematoma under the nail of the big toe is a bruise that appears for various reasons: due to mechanical trauma, from wearing uncomfortable narrow shoes made of hard material for a long time. There are other pathologies that provoke the appearance of damage. Why hematomas are dangerous, how to get rid of them faster, and how to prevent their occurrence, we will tell you in this article.

Causes

A bruise is a blood clot that flows from broken blood vessels. Appears both on the fingers and on other parts of the body.

The reasons for their formation are different:

Mechanical impact. If you hit your finger sharply on a hard object or drop something heavy on it, a bruise will appear. Such damage occurs frequently. Hematoma also appears during finger fractures if a strong blow falls on the nail.
Wearing narrow and hard shoes. If a person plays sports in uncomfortable sneakers that squeeze the big toe, hematomas occur. Such disciplines include football, skiing and skating.
Taking medications that regulate blood clotting. It happens rarely, but if the problem occurs, consult a doctor.
Cardiovascular failure. Due to the lack of oxygen caused by the pathology, all the nails on the toes and fingers often darken.
Other serious illnesses. Diabetes mellitus, oncology, thrombocytopenic purpura or melanoma. The doctor will make an accurate diagnosis.
Fungal infection. In addition to dark spots, there will also be symptoms such as itching, peeling of the nail and changes in its color.

In each of these cases of bruising on the nails of the big toes (regardless of the cause), consultation with a specialist is required.

What does a bruise under a nail look like?

Immediately after a finger injury, a purple spot appears, which gradually becomes purple-black in color. It is clearly visible through the nail plate. Often the hematoma is round, less often it is elongated. In addition to the unaesthetic appearance, a person experiences sharp pain and a sensation of pulsation in the affected area.

If the bruise appeared as a result of wearing tight shoes, then the pain is not so severe, but for a long period it does not go away, even if you take off your shoes or boots. Swelling often appears on the finger. As the nail heals, it turns greenish and yellow.

How does a hematoma form?

Bruises under the toenails appear as a result of hemorrhage from burst blood vessels. If the injury was severe, it leads to partial or complete peeling of the nail. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible. If you couldn't avoid losing your nail, don't worry. This phenomenon is temporary: it gradually grows back, although it becomes uneven or thickened.

Methods for treating bruises under the nails

Before starting therapy for a hematoma, you need to understand the reason why it formed. If this is an injury, then the treatment will be mainly local. If it appears as a result of diabetes, cardiovascular failure or other diseases, then it is necessary to eliminate the cause, and not just its consequences. When medications are to blame, they should be discontinued and another treatment method prescribed.

Do you need a doctor?

Medical help is not needed if the bruise is small and the pain is not intense. This happens with minor injuries or wearing tight shoes. You should change it, and as the nail grows, the hematoma will go away. In case of mechanical damage, contacting a doctor will help relieve pain faster. The doctor will also identify a more serious cause of bruises, which are present not only on the legs, but also in other places.

First aid

To quickly improve your condition after limb injury, you need to be able to provide emergency assistance to yourself or another person.

Immediately apply ice or a heating pad with cold water to your finger: this will significantly reduce the risk of subungual hematoma formation. To make the blood vessels shrink and the sharp pain subsides, apply ice to your finger every half hour for five minutes.
If a nail is damaged, it must be urgently treated with an antiseptic. This will prevent the wound from becoming infected and developing an infection.
Then apply a tight bandage to the area where the bruise occurred. This technique will reduce swelling and significantly reduce the risk of nail plate rejection.
Make sure the knuckles are not broken. To do this, move them, and if these movements cause severe pain, then immediately visit the nearest trauma center for assistance.

If there is no fracture in the leg, then a consultation with a doctor will still not be superfluous. Severe pain from a hematoma will not go away quickly, but the doctor will quickly remove it with the help of surgical manipulation. Using a sharp, thin, sterile instrument, he will make a small hole in the nail through which the accumulated blood will come out. This procedure helps protect the nail from rejection and speeds up the treatment process.

If for any reason the doctor is unavailable, then this manipulation is carried out independently. But if complete sterility is not maintained, the consequences can be severe (blood poisoning, loss of limb).

Drug therapy

If your nail is damaged due to injury, quickly wash the area with antibacterial soap and apply antibiotic ointment. Drug options:

tetracycline;
synthomycin;
erythromycin.

Apply a sterile dressing. To prevent inflammation from occurring and spreading, take Ibuprofen. To quickly get rid of a hematoma, use Venitan, Troxevasin, Venoruton gels or ointments of similar action.

The pharmaceutical industry is growing rapidly, offering patients new drugs to treat bumps and bruises. But before starting therapy, it is necessary to find out the reason for their appearance.

Traditional methods of treatment

If the injury is small and not advanced, then you can use traditional methods of alleviating the condition and further therapy. In mild cases, a few days are enough for the bruise to go away. There are many recipes for how to cure hematoma. Let's describe some of them:

Sagebrush. It will reduce pain and help the blood clot dissolve faster. Fresh grass is kneaded until the juice appears and applied to the bruised area. After drying, it is replaced.
Plantain. An analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. The leaves, crushed into pulp, are applied to the bruise.
St. John's wort. It is taken orally 3-4 times a day or a compress is made from the decoction (pour boiling water over 1 tablespoon of the herb and let stand).
Hop. The cones of this plant relieve pain well. They are boiled for a long time, and then 4 parts of Vaseline are added to 1 part of the broth. This ointment is applied to the hematoma until relief occurs.
Onion. The vegetable pulp is applied to the bruised area.
Melissa. An infusion is made from the herb (4 tablespoons pour 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes). A compress is applied with this liquid.

If medicinal herbs are not available, then take any dark green plant, rub it with your hands until juice forms and apply it to the hematoma. The chlorophyll pigment contained in the leaves heals wounds and bruises.

What is the danger?

Most often, hematomas on the extremities do not pose a threat to life. They are quite easy to treat or go away on their own. But in some cases you need to consult a doctor urgently:

the hematoma is large and occupies almost the entire nail;
the patient experiences unbearable pain, which may be a consequence of a fracture;
when the color of the nail has changed without injury.

To find out whether the joint is damaged, the traumatologist will order an X-ray examination. If the bruise is not due to injury, additional diagnostic methods will be carried out.

Preventing bruises under the nails

You can protect yourself from minor injuries and bruised fingers if you are careful when handling heavy objects at home and in the workplace. There are other measures that will help avoid bruises under the nails caused by other reasons. Wear comfortable shoes and do not put excessive stress on your feet. If the problem is a result of wearing high-heeled shoes, stop wearing them.

It's important to eat right. Include the required amount of vitamin C in your diet, which helps strengthen blood vessels. If bruises appear on your body that are not related to injury, immediately visit a doctor. These may be symptoms of diseases of the circulatory system or other pathologies that need to be treated immediately. Be careful and take care of your health!

Many people have heard about hematomas. But not everyone knows that they can form under the nails. And this is so. So what to do if a hematoma has formed under the nail? Treatment, symptoms and causes of this condition are described below.

Causes and symptoms of appearance

Under the nail is a blood clot that has formed under the nail plate and has no way out. Any hematoma is formed due to tissue rupture and damage to blood vessels. We list some reasons for this phenomenon:

injury to a toe or hand (something heavy could have fallen on it);
if the toenail is affected, then this is probably due to uncomfortable shoes that put a lot of pressure;
the nail was pinched or crushed.

Now let's list the symptoms:

bruise under the nail (it can be dark red, burgundy or black if the hematoma is old);
sharp and severe pain after a finger injury;
after some time, twitching and pulsating may be felt in the nail;
a feeling may arise;
Often there is a feeling of fullness due to blood pressure on the nail plate;
After an injury, the nail plate may split or detach from the skin in some places.

First aid

What to do if a subungual hematoma occurs? It is possible and even necessary to provide first aid to yourself or the victim. To minimize losses and slow down the growth of a bruise, you need to apply ice or something very cold to the damaged area as soon as possible.

If the pain is very strong and prevents a person from going about his business, then you can take some kind of painkiller, for example, “”.

If a bruise causes partial or complete detachment of the nail, then it is necessary to rinse the finger well and treat it with an antiseptic composition. If you decide to carry out home treatment, then such treatment should be carried out several times a day.

Assess the condition of the nail. Determine which part of it has undergone hemorrhage. If more than a quarter of the subungual space is occupied by a hematoma, then it is better to consult a doctor, since with severe damage, not only the nail, but also the bone could be injured. Possible fracture or crack.

How to treat?

What should be the treatment for subungual hematoma? If it is small and does not bother a person in any way, then you can not touch it at all. The nail will grow, and the bruise will gradually resolve, but this will take some time.

If there is pain or other unpleasant sensations that have not gone away a day after the injury, then it is necessary to take active measures to eliminate this problem.

What can a doctor do? He will carry out the drainage procedure. To do this you will need to pierce your nail. It is not too painful, because there are no nerve endings in the nail plate. But if you are afraid that it will still hurt, you will be given an injection of lidocaine or sprayed with an anesthetic. The puncture can be carried out in two ways:

Cauterization using a thermal cautery (in this case, the area of the nail plate in which the hematoma is localized is cauterized with a special device). A hole is formed through which the blood exits. After this, a wet bandage with an antiseptic will be applied.
Puncture with a medical needle. The essence is the same. A bandage will also be applied.

You can take a risk and do drainage at home. To do this, take an ordinary thin paper clip, heat it red-hot over the stove burner, treat the nail with iodine and apply the hot end of the paper clip to it. Apply a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide. But it's better not to do this.

Consequences

If the damage affects soft tissue or the puncture was made incorrectly, infection may begin. A subungual panaritium is formed - a clot of pus. The finger will itch and hurt. In this case, surgery is necessary to remove the pus. The nail is preserved in most cases. Then regular treatment is necessary.

And if the fracture was not noticed, then the finger may lose mobility.

Prevention

How to avoid problems? Follow these simple guidelines:

Wear comfortable shoes. Her socks should not be too hard and put pressure on the nails, this can lead to damage.
When performing repairs or other work with potentially dangerous tools or devices, watch your hands and feet and be more careful. This will avoid injury.
Do not lift excessively heavy objects, this can also lead to hemorrhage in the subungual space.

And remember that self-medication can be dangerous. Monitor your condition and contact a specialist if it worsens.

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A bruise under the big toe nail occurs due to hemorrhage with subsequent soaking of the soft tissues in blood. The appearance of a hematoma is accompanied by rupture of subcutaneous vessels and pain. Subungual bruises reach large sizes, causing a person discomfort when walking and wearing shoes.

What does it look like

Subungual hematoma most often has a dark blue color. The nail turns black and separates from the soft tissue over time. The patient feels throbbing pain in the area of the affected toe. Blood is not removed from the tissues for a long time; stagnation leads to swelling of the finger and redness of its skin. Over time, external signs of injury become less intense, bruises on toenails resolve only after replacing the damaged nail plate with a healthy one. Rarely, the hematoma spreads to the entire phalanx.

Why do they appear?

A bruise under the nail is formed under the influence of the following factors:

mechanical impact (heavy objects falling on the leg, pinching of the nail phalanges);
fractures of the nail plate and foot bones;
wearing tight shoes for a long time (constant pressure is placed on the big toe, which leads to blood stagnation and damage to the subcutaneous vessels);
occupational deformation (bruises on the nails of the big toes appear when wearing winter ski shoes and skates that put excessive pressure on the forefoot);
administration of medications that reduce blood clotting (liquid blood seeps through the walls of blood vessels, forming hematomas);
dysfunction of the cardiovascular system (blood supply to tissues is disrupted, the condition of the vascular walls worsens);
malignant tumors of the skin and bones;
diabetes mellitus;
fungal infections accompanied by detachment of the nail plate.

How does a hematoma form?

2-3 hours after the mechanical impact, a bruise begins to form under the nail. Subungual hematoma goes through the following stages in its development:

How often do you get your blood tested?

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Only as prescribed by the attending physician 30%, 662 vote

Once a year and I think that’s enough 17%, 371 voice

At least twice a year 15%, 322 vote

More than twice a year but less than six times 11%, 248 votes

I take care of my health and rent once a month 7%, 151 voice

I'm afraid of this procedure and try not to pass 4%, 96 votes

21.10.2019

Swelling of soft tissues and skin. At this stage, there is still no bruise on the nail; it appears after a rupture of the vascular wall with hemorrhage under the nail plate.
The appearance of a pink spot. The periungual areas become crimson in color, and the nail turns blue. At this stage, the sensitivity of the finger decreases and pain is felt.
Formation of a large purple spot. At this stage, the severity of pain decreases.
Blue discoloration of the hematoma. The bruise acquires clear boundaries and its diameter decreases. Pain appears only when pressed; there is no discomfort at rest.
Disappearance. After a week, the spot under the nail turns black and sharply decreases in size. The boundaries of the hematoma remain pronounced, there is no pain. It may resolve spontaneously within a week.

What is the danger

A bruise under the nail requires immediate treatment. Lack of therapy contributes to the development of complications:

Infection. A space is formed between the soft tissues and the plate on the big toe into which bacteria can penetrate. This is accompanied by swelling and suppuration, increased local temperature and severe pain.
Deformations of the growing nail plate. The dead nail remains in place until a healthy one grows back. While walking, shoes press on your toe, causing the surface of the new plate to become uneven.

How to treat

For a hematoma under the nail, treatment begins with applying a cold compress. This helps relieve pain and prevent the bruise from spreading. The affected toe or hand is wrapped in gauze soaked in cold water. Keep the compress for 5 minutes. The procedure is repeated every half hour until the pain completely disappears. Opening the nail helps speed up the healing process. The procedure is carried out as follows:

Painkillers and antispasmodics (Baralgin, Spazmalgon). The drugs help relieve pain.
Lotions with Dimexide. The drug increases blood circulation, promoting faster resorption of the bruise under the fingernail.
Anti-inflammatory ointments (Zhivokost, Diclofenac). Relieves swelling of the injured limb, increases blood supply to tissues, and relieves pain.
Local anticoagulants (Heparin ointment). The agents promote rapid resorption of the hematoma and accelerate the restoration of the walls of veins and arteries.

Traditional methods

You can remove bruises on your legs at home using the following folk remedies:

Bath with sea salt. 3 liters of warm water are poured into the basin, after which 1 tbsp is added. l. salt. The feet are immersed in water for 15 minutes, after which a moisturizer is applied to the skin.
Bodyagi masks. 20 g of powder is mixed with water to form a thick paste. The mass is applied to the bruised area for 15-20 minutes. The procedure is repeated every 4 hours.
Laundry soap ointments. 40 g of the product are rubbed, mixed with 30 ml of ammonia, 50 g of oil for lamps, 30 ml of camphor alcohol and 200 ml of turpentine. The product is used to treat the affected areas 6 times a day. After a week, the hematoma under the nail resolves.
Apple cider vinegar lotion. Vinegar is mixed with dry wine in equal proportions. Add 1 tbsp to 0.5 liters of liquid. l. sea salt. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed, gauze is soaked in the composition, which is applied to the site of the hematoma under the toenail every 2 hours.