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Subungual Hematoma
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
A subungual (sub-UN-gul) hematoma (HE-muh-TOE-muh) is a
pocket of blood under a fingernail or
toenail.
Causes
Subungual hematomas are usually
the result of an injury, such as smashing a finger in a door,
or an infection from an object stuck under the
nail.
Signs/Symptoms
Symptoms typically include pain,
bruising, or bleeding. The blood trapped under the nail usually
causes pain. Eventually the nail may fall off.
Care
Your finger may have to be
x-rayed to see whether a bone was broken when you injured the
nail. If there is an object under the nail, it will have to be
taken out. Your doctor may need to put a small hole in the nail
to let out the trapped blood and help ease the pain. You may
also have to get a tetanus shot.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
-
Apply ice to the injury for 15 to 20 minutes each
hour for the first 1 to 2 days. Put the ice in a plastic
bag and place a towel between the bag of ice and your
skin.
-
After 1 or 2 days, you may use heat to ease the pain.
Soak the finger or toe in warm water for about 15 to 20
minutes 3 to 4 times a day.
-
For 48 hours, keep your hand or foot above the level
of your heart whenever possible to reduce pain and
swelling.
-
Keep the area clean. You may also need to cover the
nail with a bandage. Keep the bandage on until your doctor
says you may take it off.
-
The nail may fall off. You may want to trim it gently
as this occurs to keep it from catching on something and
causing the nailbed to bleed or rip.
-
You may use over-the-counter medications to relieve
the pain.
-
If you are given a tetanus shot, your arm may get
swollen, red, and warm to the touch at the site of the
shot. This is a normal reaction to the
medicine.
Call Your Doctor If...
-
Pain or swelling gets worse.
-
You have any signs of infection (redness, swelling,
pus, a bad smell, or red streaks leading from the
wound).
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