Bunions are bumps that may develop on the side of the large toe joint. These bumps are usually caused by an imbalance of the muscles and tendons which pull at the joint. This pull is typically determined by your foot type and may be genetic, meaning if your parents have bunions you could develop them, too. This painful condition may require treatment by a podiatrist, but how can you treat foot bunion pain without surgery?Bunion Treatment
Unless surgically corrected, bunions are permanent. However, that doesn’t mean you have to live with the pain. Bunion treatment without surgery doesn’t rid you of the problem, but it can help make walking more comfortable and slow the progression of the ailment. For most people, bunion treatment is mostly a matter of wearing properly fitting shoes. This means low heeled, comfortable shoes with enough space for your toes. Other helpful measures to help treat your foot bunion include:
- Keep a normal weight
- Protect the foot bunion with a gel-filled pad
- Wear foot inserts
- Wear a splint at night to hold the toe straight
- Take anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen
- Use ice packs, massage, warm soaks, and other relaxing foot treatments
- Buy properly fitting footwear
Know When It’s Time for Surgery
While these recommendations can be extremely helpful when treating foot bunions, sometimes surgery is the only option for bunion treatment. If your bunion is causing you pain and nothing seems to help, your podiatrist may recommend having surgery to remove it, as this is the only way to get rid of your bunion and completely stop the pain. This surgery will also prevent your bunion from causing other foot problems such as hammertoes and bursitis.
If you have bunions and need relief, contact the experts at Alliance Foot & Ankle Specialists. Our professional staff is ready to help ease your bunion pain and get you back on your feet again.