A bunion is a bump that forms on the outer side of your big toe, and it grows bigger with the passing days. Bunions are caused by the pressure you feel from how you walk, wearing ill-fitting shoes. Narrow shoes can worsen the pain. You are more prone to get bunions if you have foot injuries, a family history like flatfoot, or inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Babies can be born with bunions from birth. Having bunions can increase the further complications of Bursitis, osteoarthritis, bone spurs, and hammertoes. Your podiatrist can diagnose bridgeland bunions, for which you may also need to get X-rays for bone alignment and joint damage.
How Are Bunions Treated?
- Pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, both topical and oral, with ice packs, can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Footwear changes: You need to switch to wide, deeper shoes that can take the pressure off your toes.
- Physical Therapy: This can break up soft tissues and improve muscle strength around the bunion.
- Injections: This is often a late treatment when trying to avoid surgery,
- Surgery: If non-surgical methods don’t help, your podiatrist may recommend surgery. This procedure is called bunionectomy.
When To Seek Medical Help?
Everyone has a unique foot structure, and how your bunion looks may not affect you when it needs treatment. Some people experience pain, while some may not.
- Severe inflammation
- Lack of movement in the big toe
- Difficulty in walking: When you reduce the time in activities due to severe pain in your foot, you should get in touch with a podiatrist.
- Signs of infection after surgery, such as fever after the surgery. If you catch a fever, you must tell your doctor about this.
Conclusion
Bunions are common cases to be seen. However, if left untreated, it can cause excruciating pain to the patients later on. Surgical and non-surgical methods both are available to treat bunions. Non-surgical methods can be used in its early stages. The custom devices can correctly position the foot. However, surgery can correct the bunion deformity. Over 100 different surgical procedures can be used to fix the bunion, and the best procedure for your case will depend on the podiatric doctor after they examine your foot thoroughly. So, you should seek medical help when you think the pain is unbearable or there are chances of the condition getting severe in the future.
