Bunions are some of the most painful conditions of the feet that people can experience. While they are most common in women and are often related to wearing high heels and pointed toes, they can also be hereditary and can occur in men. In fact, heredity may play more of a role that shoes, even for women choosing extremely high heels and narrow-toed shoe styles.
Bunions are easy to diagnose and are caused when the big toe turns inward at the joint with the foot. In addition, the bone in the foot – the metatarsal bone – turns outward creating a pronounced bump that sticks out from the inside of the foot.
Over time, and as the protrusion of the joint becomes more pronounced, the shoes put pressure on the joint area. This causes it to swell more and the fluid sac around the joint becomes inflamed, causing extreme pain with any pressure.
What Are the Treatment Options?
In the early stages of the development of a bunion, a bunion doctor may recommend non-surgical treatment options. Changing the style of shoes to those with a wider toe box and a lower heel along with therapy for the joint can help correct the issue.
Wearing splints can also help to bring the joint, the foot bone and the toe back into alignment. These splints can be worn at night in combination with carefully-selected footwear that eliminates the pressure on the big toe and joint.
Surgery and Recovery
Ask your bunion doctor about the type of surgical procedure that will be used on your foot or feet. There are different procedures that are used based on the type of bunion and the need to fix the joint in place after the procedure. Some of these fixation devices may be removed, typically wires, while screws and plates often remain in the foot after healing.
Always ask the bunion doctor about your recovery time. You may need to off the foot for weeks, so you need to know the recovery options to plan your time after the procedure.
If you are experiencing pain in the joint of your big toe, see our bunion doctor about treatment options. To learn more about Suburban Orthopaedics, visit us online at www.suburbanortho.com. You can follow them on Twitter for latest news and updates!
