Bunion
Bunions are a progressive disorder of the foot. They begin with a leaning of the big toe, gradually changing the angle of the bones over the years and slowly producing the characteristic bump, which continues to become increasingly prominent. Usually the symptoms of bunions appear at later stages, although some people never have symptoms.
What Causes A Bunion?
Bunions are most often caused by an inherited foot type leading to a defect in the mechanical structure of the foot. Symptoms occur most often when wearing shoes with a tight toe box such as high heels.
Symptoms
- Pain or soreness
- Inflammation & redness
- A burning sensation
- Perhaps some numbness
Other conditions which may appear with bunions include calluses on the big toe, sores between the toes, ingrown toenail, and restricted motion of the toe.
Diagnosis
Because bunions will never go away on their own, and will usually get worse over time East Penn Foot and Ankle Associates may take x-rays to determine the degree of the deformity and develop a treatment plan that is suited to your needs and your condition.
Treatment
Sometimes observation of the bunion is all that's needed. A periodic office evaluation and x-ray examination can determine if your bunion deformity is advancing, thereby reducing your chance of irreversible damage to the joint. If treatment is needed, the goal is easing the pain, but again they won't reverse the deformity itself.
- Changes in shoewear
- Padding - You can get bunion pads from our online store
- Oral medication [Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)]
- Activity modifications
- Icing
- Steroid Injection Therapy
- Custom Foot Orthotic Devices
When Is Surgery Needed?
When the pain of a bunion interferes with daily activities, it's time to discuss surgical options.
Recent advances in surgical techniques have led to a very high success rate in treating bunions.
The surgical procedure is designed to remove the "bump" of bone, correct the changes in the bony structure of the foot, as well as correct soft tissue changes that may also have occurred using state of the art techniques.
The goal of these corrections is the elimination of pain. |
