Bunions: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Are you experiencing symptoms of bunions such as pain, swelling, and redness? If so, you may be at risk of developing a bunion. Bunions are often caused by biomechanics, poor foot posture, or the way that you walk. There are many treatments available to help make the symptoms go away. These include surgery and non-operative treatment options such as custom prescription corrective functional orthotics before the bunion gets arthritis.
Bunions are a deformity of the foot caused by changes in the position of the big toe. There are many symptoms and causes for bunions which we will discuss in this article. One treatment option is to visit an experienced podiatrist for a consultation.
What is Bunions? (Symptoms, Cause, and Possible Treatment)
A Bunion is often described as a bump on the big toe side, and it is also referred to as hallux valgus. But they are more than that. The visible bump reflects changes in the bony framework of the front part of the foot, which causes abnormal leaning (such as pointing your toes towards your second toe rather than straight ahead). This throws bones out of alignment – leading to a visible bulge being present.
Bunions develop gradually and sometimes grow unnoticed. The big toe joint becomes affected by constant pressure. Over time, when the normal structure of the bone changes in response to this pressure, it results in a bunion bump that can make it challenging to wear shoes, and walking becomes painful!
Symptoms Of Bunions
In addition to noticeable bump on the inside of your foot, symptoms of bunions may include:
- Redness, swelling, and inflammation around your big toe joint.
- Thickened and hardened skin (or sudden formation of calluses) on the bottom of the foot.
- Pain and soreness.
- A callus or corn on the bump; usually happens where the first and second toes rub against each other.
- When the big toe becomes a rigid and painful motion of your big toe, usually causing problems with walking.
Causes Of Bunions
You can develop a bunion due to foot injuries, deformity in your foot, or a medical condition like arthritis, specifically inflammatory types, like rheumatoid arthritis. Bunions are often inherited, although not the bunion itself, but rather a faulty foot structure predisposing one to develop a bunion.
The majority of bunions are caused by flat feet, pronation, and faulty biomechanics. Therefore, the most effective treatment is prescribed, custom-made functional orthotics for inappropriate shoes.
Possible Treatment For Bunions
Having a bunion can be difficult and sometimes interfere with basic daily movements like walking and running. Still, there are possible conservative treatments you can perform to avoid getting them worse:
Change Shoes
The first step in relieving the soreness is easing pressure with appropriate footwear. The right type of shoe should have a wide, flexible, or flat sole to create enough room for swelling and additional space in the toe box to accommodate your bulge.
You may consider a few appropriate shoes, but usually, your podiatrist will recommend wearing stiff-soled shoes. Some other good options include sandals, athletic sneakers, and running shoes. Shoes with backs should have a sturdy heel counter to keep the heel of your foot snugly in place. You may be able to reshape narrow shoes by using stretchers that make room for the bunion within the toe box. Keeping your heels low, which is no higher than an inch, will be best.
Cold Pack
Applying ice packs to the swelling or sore area of your toe can reduce the pain and redness.
Padding
You can also use a soft gel-filled pad to protect the area from pressure or friction, such as overuse in sports. This is typically available at pharmacy.
prescription custom functional orthotics
A podiatrist may recommend prescription functional orthoses, which will help align your foot correctly when it strikes the ground and ease discomfort. This is the gold standard in conjunction with appropriate footwear as it goes to the root of the problem.
Bunion Surgery
If the bunion is advanced due to arthritis, then you can call us to set an appointment and consult with Stephen Zucal South Perth Podiatrist to determine if surgical treatment may be necessary.
Podiatric surgery may be recommended; bunion surgery is a procedure to relieve pain and correct bunion deformity by eliminating the bony bump and realigning the joints (ligament, nerves, and tendons).
The decision to pursue surgery for bunions is based on your health status, the goals of treatment, and any medical conditions that exist.
What are the Risk & limitations due to Bunions in day-to-day life?
Bunions can start to limit your activities. Many individuals who get bunions reduce their activity by avoiding wearing shoes that could cause more pressure on the bunion. In severe cases, basic movements like walking, running, and jumping can be complicated due to bunion pain or lack of motion of your big toe.
Why Choose Stephen Zucal South Perth Podiatrist for Bunions treatment?
Our goal is to provide quality podiatry care. With the Surgical podiatrist’s expertise in performing treatment for foot pain and bunions, we can help you treat your bunions with methods like reshaping or removing the metatarsal head (bump on toe joint) or surgically cutting and realigning them.
FAQs
FAQ's About Bunions
What happens if bunions are left untreated?
If left untreated, a bunion can cause arthritis in the toe joint. It may also cause the cartilage to deteriorate. While bunions can be alleviated through surgery, arthritis and chronic pain are not curable. Alternatives to reduce discomfort exist.
Why does my bunion hurt all of a sudden?
Over the long years of abnormal motions and pressure on the joint causes your big toe to bend toward the others, which leads to a bunion at the base of the toe that can cause severe and constant pain when you walk due to weight being carried at this location.
What common symptoms are associated with bunions?
You may experience toe pain, swelling or redness in your toe area. You may also observe limited movement and observe hardened skin under your big toe. These are the common symptoms associated with the development of bunions.
How are bunions diagnosed?
Bunions symptoms can vary from mild to severe, with numbness being the most common sign. A podiatrist will assess a bunion when noting persisting pain after days or weeks of treatment; the anatomy of your foot, which includes joint and foot function, is also examined.
Radiographs or x-ray of the foot is an advantage to assess the joints and determine conditions. They can also assist in finding out risks and limitations that accompany bunions, such as arthritis or gout. X-rays are an excellent way to examine the proper alignment of the toes.
If conservative, long-term treatments are not helping improve foot function, this is where surgery may be advised.
How are bunions treated?
The treatment of a bunion varies with the type and severity. Early detection is vital to prevent long-lasting complications. Relieving the pressure on the bunion and halting the progression of the joint deformity is the primary goal of treatment.
When should surgery be considered?
You may need to have bunion surgery if nonsurgical treatments become ineffective and persisting severe foot pain even when walking or wearing comfortable shoes. Surgery is also required when chronic inflammation and swelling of the toe isn’t relieved with rest or medication. The procedure can correct the alignment issues, alleviate pain and improve your foot function. Generally, the surgery involves removing the bony growth of the bunion.
What kind of procedure am I likely to undergo?
The type of surgery may depend on the severity of the bunion and your age, general health, and activity level. Other considerations could influence the decision to have a procedure performed:
Mild bunion
– trim the bony bumps excess on the outside of the metatarsal head. The treatment includes alignment muscles, tendons and ligaments in the joint. Recovery takes 3-4 weeks and requires wearing a postoperative shoe for up to 12 weeks. May not correct deformity that caused bunions.
Moderate bunion
– For moderate bunions, the surgeon may cut and reposition the bone. Whether or not it is cut depends on how bad the deformity is and where it is located. Also, tendons, ligaments, and nearby muscles might need to be positioned correctly as well.
Severe bunion
– The surgery for severe bunion cases involves removing the enlarged portion of the bone, realigning the foot bones and correcting the position of the tendons and ligaments placed in your metatarsophalangeal joint or MTP.
Arthritic Bunion / Big toe joint
– If the affected joint is beyond repair, it may need to be fused. The process allows the bones to heal, limits movement and pain in this area. In some cases, joint replacement implants could be used in the reconstruction of the big toe joint.