A bunion is a bony bump caused by the outward extension of the base of your big toe. Bunions usually form on the joint of the big toe, but in many cases, it has also developed on the joint of one’s small toe. When bones at the front of your foot move out of place, they force the tip of your big toe to be pulled towards the smaller toes. The base of the big toe, however, gets pushed outwards and sticks out as a bump.  

Because bunions form at a joint, they cause a lot of pain while walking. When walking, we use the joint located at the base of our big toe to rest our weight. With bunions at a joint, it hurts with each step. Since normal shoes are not tailored to fit the irregular structure caused by bunions, they rub against the bumps. This causes the formation of calluses. 

Bunions are usually diagnosed in early adulthood. As time progresses, the problem worsens because our feet start to spread. Adolescent bunions affect girls between the age of 10 to 15 mostly; however, boys can get it. If you think that you may be suffering from bunions - regardless of age or gender - find a local podiatry clinic by searching for a podiatrist in Penrith (if you live in New South Wales for example).

  

Symptoms 

Although bunions can easily be identified by the worsening pain and the big bump, if untreated, you can also look for other signs and symptoms such as: 

1. The skin on the side of your big toe is red and inflamed

2. Your big toe is inclining inside towards your smaller toes

3. You have calluses on your second toe

4. You have thick skin under your big toe

5. You have pain in your foot, which may be persistent or not

6. You have limited movement in your big toe

7. There is tenderness when you touch the base of your big toe

 

Causes & Risks

 

There are many theories about how bunions are caused, but the exact cause remains unpinned. The possible causes and risks include, but are not limited to:  

1. Hereditary: Bunions can be congenital and genetic. They can be passed on from one generation to the other. However, they are not threatening. 

2. Foot structure: Weak foot structure can also lead to bunions. 

3. Arthritis: The swelling and tenderness of joints are called arthritis. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis; some of them, especially the inflammatory ones, make bunions more likely. Bunions are found to be in patients ailing from rheumatoid arthritis, too, particularly. 

4. Uncomfortable shoes: Although contentious, some doctors and scientists consider uncomfortable shoes such as high heels or tight shoes to cause bunions; others say that it worsens bunions but does not cause them. Whatever be the case, uncomfortable shoes should be avoided. This is also a speculative reason why bunions are more common in women than men. 

5. Length of your leg: If for some reason, one of your legs is shorter than the other, then it is much more likely that you might develop a bunion in the joint of the big toe of the longer leg. This is because you put more pressure on the longer leg; thus, more weight is put on one of your joints while walking than on the other.

 

Diagnosis 

Bunions can be diagnosed by a podiatrist by a simple visual exam, and they might ask you to move your toe to check if the movement is limited. However, they might also order a blood test to rule out the possibility of an underlying condition such as arthritis causing bunions. Additionally, they might also order an X-ray to look at the damage done to the joint and the severity of the condition. Based on this, they will decide the best treatment for your bunions.  

You should consider going to the doctor if you experience foot pain even while wearing loose, flat shoes or if you have decreased flexibility or a problem in moving your big toe.

 

Treatments 

If non-surgical options fail to provide any relief, foot surgery will be recommended. 

To deal with the pressure and pain, the non-surgical options include: 

1. Anti-inflammatory medicines and over-the-counter pain medication.

2. Icing the bunion when it is more inflamed by walking or standing for too long or is simply more painful for some reason.

3. Loose shoes with a lot of space for your feet.

4. Using pads made for bunions to cushion the bump and save it from rubbing the bump persistently.

5. Adding foot support, made for bunion patients, to your shoes.

 If these measures fail to relieve pain or discomfort, your doctor might recommend surgery. However, it should be noted that you should not resort to surgery only if you don’t like the look of your feet because every surgery, whether major or minor, carries some risks associated with it. Unless your benefits outweigh the risks, the surgery should be avoided.  

The surgery for a bunion is called bunionectomy. It differs on a case to case basis, but it might include: 

1. Joining bones in parts of your foot.

2. To correct the abnormal angle, the surgeons might realign one or more bones.

3. Removing some bone to straighten your toe.

4. Removing inflamed or swollen tissue from the vicinity. 

However, there are some possible problems related to the surgery. There is a possibility of the bunion remerging. In some cases, despite the surgery, the pain persists, while some lose the ability to move their toe as well as they did before.

 

Complications 

There are possible complications that affect some of the patients ailing from this condition.  

Bursitis may occur. Bursitis is a painful condition in which the small fluid-filled pads near your joints, which provide cushioning to the bones, become inflamed.  

You may get an abnormal bend in the middle joint of your toe called Hammertoe, which causes more pain, pressure and discomfort. 

Some patients also develop Metatarsalgia, which causes pain and swelling near the ball of your foot.

 

Conclusion 

There are many ways in which one can prevent bunions. Most of them are different forms of feet-care that might be required during the adolescent years. You can pay more attention to the care of your child in their adolescence if there is a history of bunions in your family.  

Another way of preventing bunions is by avoiding sharp-toed shoes and high heels. Wearing shoes that are loose or fit properly can make a lot of difference.