Is a Bunion on Your Toe Causing You Pain?

When your big toe is causing you pain, it can interrupt so much of your daily activities. Are you currently suffering from joint pain in your big toe? Is it becoming increasingly difficult to wear shoes that you think should fit because they cause pain? Are you generally an active person who has suddenly hit a wall because of pain in your feet? If a bunion is holding you back, there is a way to get back on your feet again.

A bunion is when the big toe starts to tilt over and touch or even overlap the lesser toes next to it.  You usually also develop a large bump on the inside of the foot near the big toe.

Symptoms of a bunion range from joint pain in your big toe, but can sometimes have pain in your other toes as well; tilting of your big toe towards your little toes, pain in the ball of your foot. Other symptoms include calluses under the ball of your foot, swelling or redness in your foot or toes and even simply pain in your foot and toes when walking, or any limitation to your normal activity or shoe gear. Bunions can cause pain in your feet and severely limit your day-to-day activity.

There are many different ideas about how you might develop a bunion, but the typical cause is usually due to multiple factors; there is typically some sort of hereditary cause; maybe someone else in your family has bunions? Additionally, shoe gear, such as high heels or other shoes that squeeze your toes or do not have proper support can lead to the development of bunions. Whatever the reason, when bunions are limiting your activity or even your shoe choice – there are options!

IMMEDIATE BUNION PAIN RELIEF

We understand the importance of seeking relief of your discomfort at home before turning to a doctor’s office. So here are some at-home remedies that may provide more immediate relief for your bunions:

1. As with many ailments, inflammation can occur; applying an ice pack may help reduce the swelling around your joints and relieve some of the pain from your bunion.
2. Soaking your foot in Epsom salt for 15-20 minutes a day may help to reduce some of the swelling and provide relief of discomfort.
3. There are various bunion splints and toe spacers available as well that may provide relief.

PERMANENT BUNION PAIN RELIEF

Bunions usually do not go away on their own without surgery. With bunion surgery, your pain should decrease significantly as your feet can function better, shoes will fit correctly and your daily activities will become easier again.

People often worry about surgical failures or about post-operative pain, but in the experienced hands of Minor & James foot and ankle surgeons, Eric Powell, DPM, Tony Lo, DPM and Rodney Yen, DPM – those fears can be put to rest. Without correcting your bunion, the pain in your feet could increase as the inflammation leads to worsening of the bunion and decreased daily function.