Effective Ways to Treat a Bunion

Your feet play an essential part in daily activities as well as leisure hobbies like running, jogging, and swimming. Keeping it healthy should be a top priority along with the rest of your body. What will happen if suddenly you find yourself suffering from a bunion?

Here are the basics of what a bunion is and how to treat it.

What Is a Bunion?

A bunion is a progressive bone deformity in the form of a bump on the joint located at the base of your big toe. This happens when your big toe leans toward the next toe, pushing it, and as a result, forcing the joint of your big toe to enlarge.

How Can You Tell If You Have a Bunion?

The most common sign of having a bunion is a prominent bulge on the joint part of your big toe. You find out suddenly that your shoes do not fit you anymore because of this abnormal bulge. The joint of your big toe may have signs of inflammation, redness, or pain. Your skin around this area may show an unnatural thickening. Check for persistent calluses or corns, which can develop in places where your toes overlap. Be mindful if you feel a recurring or continuous pain in your toe areas, especially if you feel restricted in your movements.

What Causes Bunions?

There is no exact known cause of bunions according to experts. Some say that bunions develop due to pre-existing medical conditions such as inflammatory-type arthritis. Others believe that having this foot type is hereditary, which means your family had it for a long time. Still, other experts suggest that having a bunion is a result of wearing ill-fitting shoes such as those with tight corners and high heels.

How Is Bunion Treated?

If you are already suffering from pain in your toe area and feel constricted in your movements, it is best to see your doctor right away. Your doctor can examine your foot and perform an X-ray to determine the cause and see how serious the condition is. Treatments for bunion can be surgical or non-surgical depending on its severity.

#1 Non-surgical Treatment

If the pain you are feeling is not a threat to your everyday activities, then you may opt for a bunion treatment without surgery. The following are ways to relieve pressure on your affected area:

- Avoid shoes that have constrictive toe boxes.

- Tape or pad your foot as per doctor’s instructions.

- Use bunion pads to prevent swelling of your bunion and reduce pressure.

- Arch support and orthotic devices can be used as advised by your doctor.

- Take anti-inflammatory prescriptive medication to relieve pain.

#2 Surgical Treatment

If pain persists even after doing the non-surgical treatments, then you might consider a surgical procedure. Bunion surgery in Singapore is treated with utmost care using state-of-the-art technologies. The surgery can include:

- Tendons and ligament repairs around the toe

- Osteotomy (to realign the bone)

- Arthrodesis (to remove arthritic joint surfaces)

- Resection arthroplasty (to reshape the big toe and affected bones)

- Lapidus (to combine the metatarsal bone and mid-foot joint)

- Insert implants

Final Note

A bunion can hinder your daily routine and can lead to other complications like bursitis, hammertoe, or metatarsalgia. If persistent pain occurs, contact your trusted doctor right away.