Bunions

What are bunions?

A bunion is a hard, bony bump on the side of the joint at the bottom of the big toe. Bunions can be quite uncomfortable. They’re a progressive deformity, meaning they worsen without treatment.

What symptoms do bunions cause? 

When bunions form, they’re usually small and may not cause serious issues. As they grow, common problems include:

• Pain 
• Stiffness
• Redness
• Burning feeling
• Numbness
• Blister, callus, or, eventually, ulcer on the joint

In time, your bunion might affect your balance and make walking difficult. But treatment can prevent these issues — and the sooner, the better. 

What causes bunions?

A bunion develops when the bones in the middle of your foot shift, causing a chain reaction. Next, the forefoot bones move out of place, continuing to the big toe joint. 

The bottom and top bones in that joint push out, making the bony bump. The big toe may tilt toward or overlap the other toes on that foot.

An inherited faulty foot structure is usually the root cause of a bunion, so it’s not because of anything you did. But wearing shoes that crowd your toes (like high heels) can make bunions appear sooner. And wearing high heels or other tight shoes can worsen existing bunions. 

How do doctors treat bunions?

The experienced team at Advanced Regional Center for Orthopedics & Podiatry designs a treatment plan just for you. 

Your doctor may take a watch-and-wait approach for small bunions. That includes checking your bunion periodically for changes. 

If you already have bunion symptoms, treatment to ease your discomfort may include:

• Shoes with a wide toe box
• Bunion pads
• Custom orthotics 
• Avoiding activities that aggravate your bunion
• Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 
• Ice packs 

Some people with bunions need corticosteroid injections in the big toe joint. These injections treat inflammation inside the bursa (tiny cushioning sacs around the joint).

If nonsurgical treatments fail to relieve your pain or your bunion disrupts your regular activities, you could need surgery. The team offers a variety of bunion correction surgeries. The goal of bunion surgery is to reduce your pain so you can resume your daily routine.