Health

What Are Your Treatment Options for Bunions?

Do you have a bony bump on the side of your toe that makes it impossible to wear certain shoes? Does the bump cause pain that sometimes prevents you from walking comfortably? If yes, you may have developed pico robertson, beverly hills bunions, and a toe deformity that appears as a bony intrusion on the side of your foot. Bunions mostly affect the big toe and can happen on both feet. You will find it difficult to wear regular shoes, and as it worsens, you will be unable to bend your big toe. Read on to learn available treatments for bunions.

Changing Your Footwear

After developing pain from bunions, you can successfully manage it by changing your footwear into nice-fitting shoes. You will need to wear shoes that have an open or wide toe box and do not compress your toes to reduce aggravating bunion pain. You can modify your shoes by using a stretcher to give out more space in the parts of the shoe that put pressure on your toes. You will avoid shoes that fit too tightly, heels higher than several inches, and sharply pointed shoes. Your doctor may give you tips, including regularly measuring your feet, and selecting a shoe that closely matches your foot shape.

Padding

Your doctor may recommend wearing a protective silicone pad inside your shoe to help cushion your painful bunion area, thus reducing pressure on them. You may purchase your paddings from a pharmacy and then test them to see if they fit your feet well. A small pad can put more pressure on your existing bunion, thus worsening your pain.

Orthotics

You may need orthotics to relieve pressure from your bunions. You can get over-the-counter orthotics from your pharmacy. Your doctor can also make you a custom shoe insert, so you get a good fit that helps reduce your pain. Your doctor may also recommend toe spacers that you place between your ties. 

Medications

Your doctor may prescribe certain medications to help alleviate pain and reduce pressure from a bunion. You may receive a prescription for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Your doctor can also prescribe other medications to help with swelling and pain if your bump results from arthritis.

Bunion Surgery

Your doctor will likely recommend surgery if bunion pain makes it difficult for you to walk, even after changing your footwear and trying other treatments. Surgery to correct a bunion is known as a bunionectomy, a minimally invasive procedure that can correct a bunion. During surgery, your doctor will make small incisions around the bunion area and eliminate the bony bump that causes pain. After surgery, you may wear a splint to protect your healing toe for a few weeks.

Bunions are a common condition that affects females more than males. They develop to resemble a red and swollen turnip and present symptoms, including the inability to bend the big toe, difficulty wearing regular shoes, and thickened skin. You can increase the risk of developing bunions when you wear tight shoes, and also, for an existing bunion, tight shoes put a lot of pressure on them and cause more pain. Therefore, seeking treatment can help reduce pain. You can get recommendations on proper footwear, medications, and shoe inserts. Surgery may be your last choice if other treatments do not offer relief.

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