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

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

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

Running or hiking down steep hills or stopping and starting of a sudden, such as while playing soccer or basketball game, can also crusade a blazon of subungual hematoma. This is often called runner'due south toe.

If a subungual hematoma is minor and the pain is balmy, it volition normally resolve without treatment or complications.

Notwithstanding, if at that place is severe damage to the nail bed, or if the pain is unmanageable, a person should seek medical treatment.

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

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

  • in that location appears to be claret under the smash
  • the nail feels sore or tender
  • it feels like in that location is pressure under the smash
  • the nail is discolored

People with artificial nails may non exist able to see a subungual hematoma. If a person feels intense hurting and pressure level, they should remove the artificial nail and examine the boom bed.

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A doctor may perform blast trephination to drain the claret and help alleviate pain and pressure.

A minor subungual hematoma does not cause serious health problems. Home remedies tin help to manage pain while the injury heals.

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

  • Residual: Limit use of the afflicted finger or toe.
  • Water ice: Utilize an water ice pack, to reduce swelling and pain.
  • Compression: Apply pressure such as a wrap to the surface area immediately, to reduce the corporeality of blood that can pool.
  • Elevation: Keep the affected paw or foot elevated, to reduce swelling.

For more serious injuries, this may not exist enough. Whatever meaning injury to the nail can harm or break the bone underneath. A person should seek medical attention if:

  • the pain is unbearable
  • the injury happened to a baby or kid
  • the bleeding is uncontrollable
  • there is a cut or laceration
  • the base of the nail is damaged
  • without injury, any nail turns dark or discolored

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

Sometimes the damaged nail is non removed merely used as a cover to protect the nail bed while information technology heals. The damaged nail may demand to be removed at a after engagement.

When the damaged blast bed heals, the bleeding will stop and a new smash will grow.

If a doctor suspects that the os is broken, they may social club an X-ray. Cleaved fingertips may exist covered with a hard splint for several weeks to promote healing and to protect the area from further injury.

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

The doctor will make a small-scale pigsty in the blast with a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation or needle. Subsequently, the area may be wrapped with a cast and may continue to bleed for up to 3 days.

This procedure should not exist attempted at home, as it can cause infections or further injury to the nail bed.

Possible signs of an infection include:

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

If any of these symptoms appear, meet a doctor right away.

Although information technology is rare, melanoma tin can occur under a fingernail or toenail. Melanoma is the deadliest grade of skin cancer.

A tumor may wait similar a subungual hematoma. Melanoma can cause a night marking to form nether the nail. However, it does not usually cause pain and is not linked to an injury.

Speak to a doctor about whatever unusual marks or colors on the nail that announced without an injury.

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It can take upwardly to ix months for a minor subungual hematoma to heal under a toenail.

A small-scale subungual hematoma ordinarily heals over time without treatment. The trapped blood volition eventually be reabsorbed, and the dark mark will disappear.

This tin can take 2–three months for a fingernail, and upwards to 9 months for a toenail.

If in that location is severe damage to the blast bed, the nail may be malformed or cracked when it grows back. Or, it may fail to regrow. This is uncommon, yet, and may exist prevented by seeing a md for treatment when an injury occurs.