What Can Be Done For My Bunions?

A bunion can develop at any time. A bunion is an enlargement or misalignment of bone and tissues on the joint at the base of the big toe or the smallest toe. Often the enlargement is a combination of bone enlargement and surrounding tissue inflammation.  If you’re living with painful bunions, there’s good news: pain relief is possible and treatment is available!

Cause of Bunions
Bunions are most often caused by misalignment or incorrect foot biomechanics associated with foot injuries, or inherited foot types. They may also occur with various forms of arthritis. If the bearing and shifting of your weight falls unevenly on the joints and tendons of your feet, a bunion can develop. Unbalanced pressure causes your big toe joint to become unstable. The instability eventually causes the joint parts to form a hard knob that sticks out farther than your normal foot shape. Bunions can be aggravated by wearing high heels or improperly fitted shoes.

Symptoms of a Bunion
Bunions may or may not cause you any problems. Frequently pain in the involved area when walking or wearing shoes will occur. The pain may be intermittent or chronic. Swelling of soft tissue, redness, and local tenderness are often associated with continuing pain. The shifting of the big toe can cause development of hammer toes or overlapping of the adjacent toes.

Treatment
Often, bunions require no medical treatment. Wearing properly fitting shoes with a roomy toe box may be all that is necessary to help bunion discomfort. Orthotics or shoe inserts may be used to help distribute pressure evenly, thus reducing your discomfort. Your podiatrist may also show you how to pad and tape the affected area to reduce discomfort. You should see your podiatrist if you have:
• Big toe or foot pain that persist
• Visible bump on your big toe joint
• Decreased movement of your big toe or foot
• Trouble finding shoes that fit properly

Surgery is not usually recommended unless your bunion is causing you significant pain, or inability to perform normal daily activities.

Need to see a podiatrist? Triad Foot Center provides the most current treatment for bunions and all other foot and ankle care. Schedule an appointment today.

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