Bouncing Back from Back Surgery

From your visions and heart health to digestion and breathing, your body is a complicated series of systems, organs, and body parts that deserve a good amount of understanding and care. Unfortunately, most people do not place enough energy on caring for the health of their feet even though they are imperative for walking and standing. Bunions may not be a life-threatening disorder, but they can affect the look of your feet and your ability to walk and wear shoes comfortably. This guide will help you understand and treat bunions.

Bunions 101

Basically, a bunion is a bony bump that forms on the side of your foot at the base of your big toe. The bony bump may vary in size and shape.

The causes of bunions vary from person to person. In some instances, bunions may form due to a congenital deformity. Other people develop bunions after injuring their foot. Wearing shoes that fit too tightly may also increase your risk of bunions.

The skin around the bunion will be red and swollen due to the inflammation and pressure of the bone pushing on the bone of the big toe. Bunions are painful and most people are unable to wear any shoes comfortably if they have bunions.

This pain and discomfort reduce your ability to walk and stand, which can affect your daily life.

Treatment

While surprising to learn, treatment is not always necessary. However, if your bunions are causing extreme pain or if they are preventing you from walking, visit your podiatrist.

In many cases, changing the style of shoes can lessen the pain by taking pressure of the bones in the feet. Your podiatrist may also recommend bunion pads, which are worn on the bunion to create a protective layer between your foot and your shoe. Again, this will ease the pressure and stress on the bone, reducing your pain and helping your walk more comfortably.

Managing the pain may not always be effective, so a more involved form of treatment may be recommended.

Surgical solutions are available. These procedures can remove the swollen, inflamed tissue around the bone. Also, surgical removal of the bony protrusion may be necessary in severe cases. This is most important if the bone has caused the foot to appear deformed.

If you are dealing with a bunion on one or both feet, relief is possible. You and your podiatrist can determine the best course of treatment to help ease your pain.