If you suspect that you have a broken big toe, it is important to seek medical attention to determine the severity of the injury. In the meantime, here are some self-care measures that you can take to help manage the pain and promote healing:

• Rest: Stop doing any physical activity that causes pain, and keep your foot immobile whenever possible.

• Ice: For the first 24-48 hours, apply an ice pack to your toe for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Never apply ice directly to your skin; place a towel between the ice and skin to prevent frostbite.

• Elevation: Prop your foot up when possible so that your injury is higher than your heart. This can help reduce swelling and pain.

• Pain relief: Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can help relieve pain and swelling. Severe pain might require prescription painkillers.

• Buddy taping: For a simple fracture in any of the smaller toes, taping the injured toe to one next to it might be all thats needed. The uninjured toe acts like a splint. Putting gauze or felt between the toes before taping can prevent skin soreness.

• Wearing a stiff-bottomed shoe: A care provider might prescribe a post-surgical shoe that has a stiff bottom and a soft top that closes with strips of fabric. This can prevent the toe from moving and provide more room for swelling.

• Casting: If the pieces of the broken toe wont stay snugly together, a walking cast might help.

It is important to note that if you have a severe injury, such as a break that causes the toe to be crooked, an open wound, or an injury that involves the big toe, you should seek medical help. Injuries that involve the big toe may need a cast or splint to heal, and in rare cases, surgery may be required.