A bunion is an abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe that forms when the bone or tissue of this joint is misaligned. As a result, the toe is forced to crowd the other toes, causing pain and discomfort. Left untreated, walking and other daily activities can trigger extreme pain. A bunion can also change the shape of your foot, making it difficult to find shoes that fit properly. With the help of Dr. Marc Goldberg, Dr. Christopher Farnworth and Dr. Michael Frank, our Olney podiatrists at Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland, and simple conservative measures, bunion pain may be managed without surgery.What Causes the Development of Bunions?
Bunions can be most often caused by a faulty mechanical structure of your foot that is inherited. The bunion itself is not inherited, but the type of foot you have is, which then makes a person more prone to developing a bunion. Wearing shoes that crowd your toes may not actually cause bunions, but it is sometimes the reason that your deformity develops into worse symptoms. Some symptoms that occur at the site of your bunion may include:
- Pain or soreness
- Inflammation and redness
- A burning sensation
- Possible numbness
Symptoms can occur most often when wearing shoes that crowd your toes, such as in women who wear high heels, which can explain why women are more prone to developing bunions than men. Spending long amounts of time on your feet can also aggravate the symptoms of a bunion.
Treatment to Bring Relief to your Aching Feet
It is very important for us to observe your feet in order to better understand the extent of your bunion. To reduce the chance of damage to the joint, periodic evaluation and x-rays are advised. Early treatment is aimed at easing the pain of your bunion, but they will not reverse the deformity itself. Conservative treatments include:
- Changes in shoe wear
- Padding
- Activity modification
- Medications
- Icing
- Orthotic devices
- Other therapies offered at your Houston podiatrist’s office
If non-surgical treatments fail to relieve bunion pain for patients in Olney, MD, in addition to the bunion interfering with daily activities, you may require surgery. A variety of surgical procedures are available to treat bunions. They are designed to remove the bunion bump of bone, correct the changes in the bony structure of the foot, and correct soft tissue changes that may also have occurred. The main goal of surgery is to reduce the pain that you may be experiencing with your bunion.
Talk to one of our podiatrists in Olney at Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland at the first sign of a bunion in order to discuss treatment options and prevent progression of the deformity.
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