Sophia Delgado
Blood behind the big toenail is known as a subungual hematoma, which is the medical term for bleeding and bruising on the toenail or fingernail. This condition is caused by an injury to the blood vessels under the nail bed, which can be the result of a heavy object crushing the toe, or repeatedly jamming the toe into the toe box of a shoe that is too tight.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Medical term | Subungual hematoma |
| Other names | Runner's toe, tennis toe, blood blister under the nail, bruised nail |
| Cause | Injury to blood vessels under the nail bed |
| Symptoms | Throbbing pain, nail discolouration |
| Treatment | Usually resolves without treatment, but medical treatment may be required for severe damage to the nail bed or unmanageable pain |
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What You'll Learn
Subungual hematoma
To prevent subungual hematomas, it is important to wear properly fitting shoes that do not put undue pressure on the toes.
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Runner's toe
Blood behind the big toenail is usually the result of an injury to the blood vessels under the nail bed. This is known as a subungual hematoma, or runner's toe. It can be caused by a heavy object crushing the toe, or by repeatedly jamming the toe into the toe box of a shoe that is too tight. This puts pressure on the blood vessels in the toes, causing them to break and bleed under the nail. The first symptom of a subungual hematoma is throbbing pain in the nail area, followed by nail discolouration. This starts as reddish-purple, turning to dark brown and then black as the blood clots.
Subungual hematomas are usually not serious and will resolve without treatment. However, if there is severe damage to the nail bed or surrounding tissues, or if the pain is unmanageable, medical treatment should be sought.
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Tennis toe
Blood behind the big toenail is a condition known as a subungual hematoma. This is the medical term for bleeding and bruising on the toenail or fingernail. It is also referred to as tennis toe, runner's toe, or a blood blister under the nail.
The first symptom of tennis toe is throbbing pain in the nail area, caused by the pressure of blood pooling under the nail bed. The second symptom is nail discolouration. This starts out as a reddish-purple colour and eventually turns dark brown and black as the blood clots.
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Blood blister under the nail
Blood under the toenail is called a subungual hematoma. It is caused by an injury to the blood vessels under the nail bed, which can be the result of a heavy object crushing the toe or repeatedly jamming the toe into the toe box of a shoe that is too tight. The first symptom of a subungual hematoma is throbbing pain in the nail area, caused by the pressure of blood pooling under the nail bed. The second symptom is the discolouration of the nail, which starts as reddish-purple and eventually turns dark brown and black as the blood clots.
Subungual hematomas are usually not serious, but they can be very painful. If the pain is unmanageable or there is severe damage to the nail bed, a person should seek medical treatment.
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Symptoms of a subungual hematoma
Subungual hematoma is the medical term for bleeding and bruising on the toenail or fingernail. It is caused by an injury that breaks open blood vessels under the nail, causing blood to collect and become trapped. This can be the result of a heavy object crushing a toe, or repeatedly jamming toes into the toe box of a shoe that is too tight. The first symptom of a subungual hematoma is throbbing pain in the nail area, caused by the pressure of blood pooling under the nail bed. The second symptom is the discolouration of the nail, which starts as reddish-purple and eventually turns dark brown and black as the blood clots.
If a subungual hematoma is small and the pain is mild, it will usually resolve without treatment. However, if there is severe damage to the nail bed, or if the pain is unmanageable, a person should seek medical treatment. If there is no injury but there is a darkened area under the nail, it is important to see a doctor to rule out other possible causes.
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Frequently asked questions
Blood behind the big toenail is called a subungual hematoma. It is usually the result of some kind of injury to the blood vessels under the nail bed.
The first symptom is throbbing pain in the nail area, followed by nail discolouration. The discolouration will start as reddish-purple and eventually turn dark brown and black as the blood clots.
If the pain is mild, it will usually resolve without treatment. However, if there is severe damage to the nail bed or the pain is unmanageable, you should seek medical treatment.
