How long does subungual hematoma last?

You were out jogging on a warm afternoon, minding your own business and zoning out to some upbeat tracks when you got carried away and tripped over an uneven curb. As if that wasn’t enough embarrassment for one day, now you also have this throbbing blue-black bruise beneath your toenail that isn’t budging. You know it’s called subungual hematoma (which sounds like Latin for “Oops I stubbed my toe”), but how long is it going to stick around? Read on to find out!

What Is Subungual Hematoma Exactly?

Before we get into how long the hematoma lasts, let’s make sure we’re all speaking the same language here. Subungual might sound like a fancy sushi roll, but in fact means “under the nail”, while hematoma refers to blood pooling outside of veins or arteries as a result of tissue damage. So when someone has subungual hematoma, it means they’ve sustained an injury at their fingertip/toenail bed area causing bleeding under the nail plate.

What Causes Subungual Hematomas?

A whole bunch of stuff can lead to subungal hematomas: dropping something heavy- like book-worm Dobby from Harry Potter falling off your shelf onto your toes; slamming fingers/toes against hard surfaces – yep walls count too! And more recently amongst netizens taking up various forms of TikTok challenges often involving ‘floating rice cups’, coconuts wielding machetes etc., hammers unexpectedly flying off rackets during table tennis tournaments-et cetera!. Runners are also particularly susceptible because as they pound repetitively on hard pavement or go faster than runner Forrest Gump did in his southern states’ journey.

Under Toenail Bleeding

How Does Subungual Hematoma Feel?

If you’ve ever experienced any kind of pressure to your nail after hitting it or getting squished under something, you’ll know exactly what a subungual hematoma feels like: tender, throbby, and often accompanied by pulsing pain or discomfort. Sometimes the pressure can be so severe that individuals may feel they have just got their toe slammed in a car door!

When Should I Seek Medical Help for Subungual Hematoma?

Most cases of subungal hematomas are treatable with self-care measures at home but others demand necessary care and supervision from Doctors as well.

Here’s some instances when it’s essential to get medical help immediately!
If the bleeding is profuse,
The shape of toenail has altered itself
There’s unbearable pain
Fever occurs along with discoloration around/toenail

Not abiding by this protocol may lead to permanent injury even after treatment.

Toe Examination

How Long Does Subungual Hematoma Last Normally?

Typically, minor subungal hematomas will resolve themselves and disappear in about two to four weeks with proper injury management practices such as:
RICE therapy (Rest, Ice Compression and Elevation),
Soaking in warm water,
Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – Advil® or Tylenol®,
So people who are impatient can try watching an entire season of their favourite TV show… TWICE! Or just binge listening to enough recorded debates for the US presidency over last three decades.

For more severe cases of subungual hematoma where there is a requirement of incision drainage by professionals at clinical settings, it may take up to one-two monthsl or even longer for full recovery.So patience becomes the order of the day here folks!

Elevate Your Feet

Can I Prevent Subungual Hematomas from Happening Again?

Unfortunately nail trauma can be inevitable but some preventive measures that have shown good results include wearing appropriate fitting footwear when indulging in sports / high impact activities or placing cushions under furniture legs so they do not injure you if dropped on toes.

Subungual hematoma varies greatly depending on its severity:minor bruises with little or no pain can resolve within weeks of self-care routines but serious cases often need surgical incisions and long term regular medical attention. Either way, it is important to educate ourselves on taking good care of our nails so they don’t turn into a lifelong nuisance!

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