A hammered nail is excruciatingly painful and is unlikely to be an experience that you will ever forget. I'm guessing that when you say you don't know how it happened you mean you don't understand how you landed up hammering your thumb. I would also deduce that you meant that you hammered your thumb and not the toe as suggested by your query. I shall detail every remedy or tip that can help, including standard first aid procedures. It may be too late for some of these procedures to be implemented, but it would do well to be familiar with them in case you suffer a similar injury in the future, or are present when anyone around is injured.
- Raise your hand so that it is elevated, preferably over the head, so as to keep blood from gushing to the area soon after the injury. Squeeze or apply light pressure to the tips of your thumb, very gently for a few minutes.
- Soak your thumb in ice cold water or any chilled water that is easily available at the time.
- The pain can be so intense that there is most likely to be a real need for painkillers. While most of us try and avoid painkillers as far as possible in such a situation it may be absolutely necessary. If you do find the pain unbearable but are still reluctant to take painkillers there are some viable natural alternatives. Arnica, an herb from a European flower has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and can offer significant relief.
- If there is any cut or laceration at the location of injury cleanse it with warm soapy water. Get rid of any dirt or debris from the area and apply an antibiotic solution.
- Blood collecting under the nail can be very painful and may be what has happened in your case. The accumulation of blood and clotting would account for the bluish black discoloration. In some cases a doctor can help relieve the resultant pain by puncturing the nail to release pressure. This of course needs to be done promptly.
- If the damage is severe, in some cases the nail may also get ripped off. This should not be a cause for alarm as a new nail will appear over time. Permanent loss of a nil can only occur from damage to the nail bed, which is highly unlikely in such a scenario.
- If the swelling and pain persists and there is no visible improvement within three days visit your doctor as there may be a fracture.
answered by S D