A finger slammed in a door, a pollex hit with a hammer, a brick dropped on a toe — these blast injuries are common and extremely painful. They can cause claret to pool visibly under a smash, which is called a subungual hematoma.

A subungual hematoma occurs when an injury breaks open claret vessels nether the blast, causing blood to collect and become trapped in one spot.

Poorly fitting shoes can also cause subungal hematomas, especially if the person is very active. Shoes that are too tight or narrow tin put pressure level on the toenail, breaking blood vessels and leading to a pool of claret under the boom.

Running or hiking down steep hills or stopping and starting of a sudden, such as while playing soccer or basketball, can besides cause a type of subungual hematoma. This is often called runner's toe.

If a subungual hematoma is pocket-size and the pain is mild, it volition usually resolve without treatment or complications.

However, if in that location is astringent damage to the nail bed, or if the pain is unmanageable, a person should seek medical treatment.

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An injury may crusade blood to collect under the damaged nail of a finger or toe.

A person may accept a subungual hematoma if they have injured their finger or toe and:

  • at that place appears to be blood nether the nail
  • the nail feels sore or tender
  • it feels like there is pressure level under the nail
  • the smash is discolored

People with artificial nails may not be able to see a subungual hematoma. If a person feels intense pain and pressure, they should remove the artificial nail and examine the nail bed.

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A doctor may perform nail trephination to drain the blood and help convalesce pain and force per unit area.

A small-scale subungual hematoma does non cause serious wellness problems. Home remedies tin help to manage pain while the injury heals.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can reduce discomfort and swelling. In improver, the RICE method can be useful for minor subungual hematomas. RICE stands for:

  • Residuum: Limit use of the afflicted finger or toe.
  • Ice: Use an ice pack, to reduce swelling and pain.
  • Compression: Apply pressure level such as a wrap to the surface area immediately, to reduce the corporeality of blood that tin can puddle.
  • Summit: Continue the affected manus or foot elevated, to reduce swelling.

For more than serious injuries, this may not exist enough. Any pregnant injury to the smash can damage or pause the bone underneath. A person should seek medical attention if:

  • the pain is unbearable
  • the injury happened to a babe or child
  • the haemorrhage is uncontrollable
  • there is a cut or laceration
  • the base of the nail is damaged
  • without injury, whatever blast turns night or discolored

A doctor may need to remove a severely injured blast or use stitches for deep cuts.

Sometimes the damaged nail is non removed but used as a cover to protect the nail bed while information technology heals. The damaged nail may need to be removed at a later date.

When the damaged boom bed heals, the bleeding will terminate and a new nail will abound.

If a medico suspects that the bone is cleaved, they may society an Ten-ray. Cleaved fingertips may exist covered with a hard splint for several weeks to promote healing and to protect the surface area from further injury.

A doctor may perform a procedure chosen nail trephination to drain the blood from under the nail. This can help to relieve pain and pressure.

The doc will brand a modest pigsty in the boom with a laser or needle. Afterward, the surface area may be wrapped with a cast and may keep to drain for upwardly to 3 days.

This procedure should not be attempted at home, equally information technology can cause infections or further injury to the nail bed.

Possible signs of an infection include:

  • fluid or pus draining from under the nail
  • increased swelling or pain
  • red streaks in the pare
  • a fever
  • a feeling of heat or throbbing in the finger or toe
  • excessive redness around the area of injury

If any of these symptoms appear, see a doctor right abroad.

Although it is rare, melanoma tin can occur nether a fingernail or toenail. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

A tumor may look similar a subungual hematoma. Melanoma can crusade a night mark to form nether the nail. Even so, information technology does not usually cause pain and is not linked to an injury.

Speak to a doc about any unusual marks or colors on the nail that appear without an injury.

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Information technology can accept upward to 9 months for a modest subungual hematoma to heal under a toenail.

A minor subungual hematoma unremarkably heals over fourth dimension without treatment. The trapped claret will eventually be reabsorbed, and the dark mark will disappear.

This can take ii–3 months for a fingernail, and up to 9 months for a toenail.

If there is severe damage to the smash bed, the nail may be malformed or croaky when it grows back. Or, it may fail to regrow. This is uncommon, however, and may be prevented by seeing a doctor for handling when an injury occurs.