Your big toe is the most commonly injured toe on your foot, and it can be injured in a number of different ways. We see a wide variety of big toe conditions in our line of work, and today, we wanted to share five of the most common conditions we see in our office. Below, you can check out five common conditions that affect your great toe.

Five Big Toe Problems

If you’re dealing with pain and discomfort in your big toe, odds are you are bothered by one of these five foot conditions.

1. Fractures – If you’ve ever suffered a severe stubbed toe, or if you’ve dropped something heavy on your toe, you may have experienced a big toe fracture. Big toe fractures can be painful and they may take a while to heal, but the good news is that they often heal with rest, ice, compression and elevation. Severely displaced fractures may need surgery, but most heal just fine with basic conservative care techniques.

2. Bunions – Although bunions can form on your pinky toe (called a bunionette), they most commonly form on the joint of your big toe. They are associated with the formation of a bony prominence on the outside of the big toe joint, and they are usually painful or uncomfortable. Some conservative care modifications like shoe inserts, weight loss and anti-inflammatory medications can help ease symptoms, but they won’t fully correct a significant bunion. For those, a minimally invasive surgical procedure works wonders.

3. Big Toe Arthritis – Another condition that Dr. Silverman specializes in treating is big toe arthritis. Big toe arthritis occurs after years of stress on the joint, and it’s not something that can be reversed with simple solutions.

4. Toenail Problems – From an ingrown toenail to a toenail infection, your nail beds can take a beating. Toenail infections can typically be treated with a topical cream, but an ingrown toenail may need a little more hands-on care. If you can’t free the ingrown toenail on your own, a foot specialist can cut away the problemed nail and free you from your discomfort.

5. Gout – Finally, gout is a problem that is caused by a poor diet and lack of exercise. It is caused by high levels of uric acid in the big toe joint, which crystallizes and leads to inflammation in the joint. It can oftentimes be treated with exercise and dietary changes, or your foot specialist may prescribe certain medications to help combat the buildup of uric acid in your system.

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