Thank you, I really hope it doesn't spread! I'm suspicious about the bone fragments too, although the bright red burning is more symptomatic of nerve damage. I'm going back next week to request more x-rays or MRI.

See some more images from today just at the office - see the purple color which I think is more consistent with soft tissue damage rather than neuropathy?

(by the way I am not tall, I'm 5'7 :) - hmmm I should cut my nails)

Does it hurt when you press on it?

I really think you should see another doctor for another opinion.

This has been going on for a while now, as you said.

Toe ouch
 

I agree with Mrs.D. Maybe go to another physician. If it were me I would pick an orthopedic surgeon. They go into the most detail in my opinion. I did for my ankle, toe and PN, and got the right DX. ginnie

I've seen two podiatrists already. First guy looked at x-rays and just said give it more time and it's aligned an looks OK. Second guy looked at x-rays and said it's aligned an it will heal and to focus on the soft tissue and neuropathy.

I might indeed to an orthopedic expert to get another opinion.

It does not hurt if I press on it or bend it, although the joint is obviously inflexible. Sometimes when the swelling comes down enough, I can bend that top bone back and forth without pain too. It only starts to hurt if I walk on it for too long and then I can feel a slight pain with each step.

Does it hurt walking barefoot? Or only in shoes?

Does only the toe hurt, or also part of the instep leading to the toe?

Feels like a light sprain in the toe itself, but it's not a localized sharp pain. Worse on hard ground. I just walked around the carpeted office there with and without shoes and it didn't hurt. It hurts more when it's in a swollen state - right now I have it wrapped in Coban so it's not too swollen.

I'm going to insist on more x-rays when I visit next week - the thought of bone fragments in there freaks me out. :)

I just wanted to give a quick update. I had MRI and more x-rays and the good news is the fracture has healed.

The report does indicate swelling of the bone marrow, and 'osseous contusion' which is a bone bruise. I looked up the symptoms of bone bruising and I think this is pretty consistent - the weight must have cracked the harder bone and crushed the soft bone.

I clearly still have nerve issues though - the swelling has calmed down a bit - I've been applying the Epsom lotion. It's pretty good during the day but then every night at about 8pm it starts swelling and burning again - I can literally feel it swelling up and getting harder! Also, even drinking a glass of wine flares it up.

I'm trying to narrow the cause down, I usually have some spicy food around this time - could this be a factor? I'm hoping the neuropathy clears along with the bone bruising over the months but who knows. I've been referred to a rheumatologist to look at the arthritis.

Thanks for the update...

I'd avoid the alcohol and wine for now. This dilates blood vessels and there are other chemicals called congeners in wine, and also sulfites which are problematic. If you avoid these foods, for 2 weeks, and see improvement, then that is your answer. You could reintroduce them after 2 wks and see if the swelling comes back. That would be a further diagnostic sign.

And yes, spices too.

It might be you are destined to have problems with some foods, and the toe accident is just an early warning sign. Avoidance of problematic foods, may prevent PN spread for you in the future.

Thank you, I think I may have desensitized the nerves in the entire foot. I've been doing ice and contrast baths for quite a while now, and tonight I decided to put my good foot in too. I noticed the good foot felt the cold MUCH stronger than the bad foot. Maybe I should lay off the ice :(

If you are not having burning pain... that distracts you daily, I don't think you need the ice treatments.

What the contrasting baths do is retrain the brain and spinal cord.
The theory is that the pathways of chronic pain are "learned" and are formed over time in chronic conditions, and then are difficult to un-learn. This is all unconscious. The contrasting ice/heat baths, override the other pain signals present and train the brain to temperature.

If you don't have chronic pain anymore, you probably don't need the contrasting temperature baths.

But if certain foods and drinks flare you, I think you should avoid them for now. You might be able to go back to them in a few months, but this might also signal that you are sensitive to them, and if you have another incident or injury, you may become reactive again to them. I think wine is a very difficult thing to consume. It has polyphenols which dilate blood vessels, congeners from the fermentation left in the bottle, sulfites which many people react to, and then the alcohol.