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Broken toe

A broken toe can be painful, but you do not usually need to go to hospital. There are things you can do to treat it at home.

Symptoms of a broken toe

You may have broken your toe if it's:

  • red or bruised
  • painful and swollen
  • difficult to walk on
Information:

Do not worry if you're not sure if it's broken or just bruised, treatment is usually the same for both.

Urgent advice: Get help from NHS 111 if:

  • you have a bad cut or wound after injuring your toe
  • you have severe toe pain
  • your child has hurt or broken their toe

You may need further treatment in hospital, such as a boot, cast or surgery.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

What we mean by severe pain
Severe pain:
  • always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk
  • you cannot sleep
  • it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
Moderate pain:
  • always there
  • makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
  • you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:
  • comes and goes
  • is annoying but does not stop you doing daily activities

Immediate action required: Go to A&E if:

  • you think you have broken your big toe
  • your toe is pointing out at an odd angle
  • the bone is sticking out of your toe
  • there was a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of injury
  • you feel tingling in your toe or foot or it feels numb
Information:

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

What you can do about a broken toe

Doctors will usually suggest you treat a broken toe at home first if:

  • it's not your big toe
  • the bone is not sticking out of your foot
  • your toe is not pointing at an odd angle
  • there's no wound on your toe

Broken toes usually heal within 4 to 6 weeks, but it can sometimes take several months.

A pharmacist can help with a broken toe

You can ask a pharmacist about:

  • the best painkiller to take
  • what you need to strap up your toe
  • if you need to see a GP

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • pain and swelling has not started to ease 2 to 3 days after you injured your toe
  • it still hurts to walk 6 weeks after injuring your toe
  • you have diabetes and have injured your toe – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

They may send you for an X-ray to see if you need any further treatment.

Page last reviewed: 6 May 2022
Next review due: 6 May 2025