Bunions involve the formation of a bony prominence at the big toe joint, and oftentimes there exists a noticeable bump on the outside of the foot at the toe joint. The growth may only cause minor discomfort when you wear heels, or it may cause pain with each step you take, but one thing is for certain – you should not ignore a bunion.
Now, ignoring a bunion is not like ignoring a malignant tumor, but they do share one key aspect, and that’s that they will not get better on their own. Passively treating the condition or ignoring it altogether will only allow the problem to get worse, and that only serves to make treatment more difficult. That’s why you should never ignore a bunion.
Caring For A Developing Bunion
Like many health conditions when caught early enough, a bunion responds well to conservative care and some daily habit modifications. But if you keep stuffing your feet into closed-toe shoes, the bunion will get worse. Bunions won’t reverse with daily modifications, but they can prevent continued progression and stop symptoms of pain and discomfort.
Aside from changing your shoes to a wider option that puts less pressure on the side of your big toe, some modifications to consider include:
- Shoe padding to protect the big toe joint
- Orthotic inserts
- Toe spacers
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Ice to help reduce swelling
However, the most common treatment is to make sure that the shoes you wear don’t put abnormal pressure on your toe box. To do this, make sure you try on all your shoes before purchasing them, even if your shoe size hasn’t changed in years. Different brands fit differently, so you may need to size up half a level depending on the type of shoe you’re looking at. Also, be smart about wearing heels or other narrow toe options. They are usually fine when worn in moderation, but wearing these styles on a regular basis is a recipe for bunion formation.
Since a bunion won’t reverse on its own, if a patient doesn’t make the necessary changes in time, surgery is typically required. Surgery works to remove the bony prominence and restore normal function of the big toe joint, which can become damaged by large bunions. Nobody wants to undergo foot surgery, but if you don’t take the right steps when your bunion is small, surgery is almost always required down the road.
We can help with any aspect of your bunion care, and check out this video Dr. Silverman produced on how he can surgically correct your bunion.