How to tell if toe is broken?

[MSWR0319]

DH was helping me scoot DS's dresser and somehow manage to get his toe under it. Now it almost looks flat on one side. How do we tell if it's broken? They can't really do anything can they? He won't even try to move it, but it just doesn't look right to me.

[abh5e8]

get an Xray. my mom hurt hers a few weeks ago and went to PCP...they took Xrays and then buddy taped it for a few days. (she didn't have a fracture)

[s7714]

If it's dislocated or a complete fracture they may need to realign it. Normally minor breaks are just taped (if that).

I'd ice it, elevate it and take a anti-inflammatory. If he can't move it in a few hours I'd get it checked out.

[NCGrandma]

Definitely have it looked at/Xrayed -- a family member broke her toe several years ago while on a trip (so wasn't familiar with the health care options in the area) and just iced and elevated it. It didn't heal properly and has given her problems ever since. By the time she did have someone look at it, all they could have done would be to operate/re-break it and she said no thanks. Sorry to be alarming but if it had been buddy-wrapped at the time, that probably would have been enough to avoid the problems.

[essnce629]

DS1 broke his toe last summer after slamming it against the edge of the bathtub. I didn't even look at it when it first happened, but 2 days later he was complaining that it was sore and I think it was a tiny bit bruised. We took him in and sure enough, the x-ray confirmed that it was broken. All they ended up doing was giving him one of those super hard soled shoes to wear to keep him from moving it. He had to wear the special shoe for 7-10 days I think.

I would have it looked at.

[MSWR0319]

Thanks!! I can't convince him he needs to get it checked out now. Ugh. Hopefully I can talk him into going to his PCP on Monday morning. Can't hurt to get it checked.