What are Foot Bunions?
Foot Bunions are a deformation located near the big toe that can also be called hallux valgus. The pain caused by this deformation can impact your daily routine and prevent you from accomplishing the most simple tasks. That being said, due to its noticeable symptoms, the hallux valgus is easy to recognize. Gladly, many different types of treatments can relieve you from the pain caused by bunions.
Foot Bunions Symptoms
In general, a bunion appears without causing pain. However, the longer you leave it without taking action, the more likely you are to start feeling bothersome pain in your toe.
Keep an eye out for these symptoms as they can alert you of a bunion:
- The apparition of a lump near the big toe,
- A deviation from your big to towards your second toe,
- Joint stiffness in the big toe,
- Difficulty to find a pair of shoes in which you are comfortable,
- Ingrown nail
Many other symptoms can also be the sign of a bunion in its early stages.
Therefore, you must stay vigilant and take action as soon as one of these signs appears. When this happens, our advice is to book an appointment with your podiatrist. If the foot bunion is discovered in the early stages of its development, the risks of complications are unlikely. But if you wait too long, you can get a skin infection, develop postural problems, or disarticulate the second toe.
Where do bunions come from?
Many factors can cause bunions. They can be hereditary, while others may be the results of shoe inadequacy (shoes that are too narrow or tight). They can be caused by age, flat feet, ligament hyperlaxity, and so much more. But some bunions can also be prevented. This is why it is important to pay attention to the apparition of any symptoms. We also recommend that you choose footwear adapted to your needs. And should you have any doubts, do not hesitate to speak with your podiatrist.
Surgical treatments for foot bunions
Hallux valgus surgery should only be considered if no other treatment has managed to relieve you from the pain. This surgery involves straightening the toe using a bone angulation technique. This procedure is chosen when there is heavy friction between the big toe and the second toe. A base metatarsal surgery is only done when the bunion in the foot is at a more advanced stage.
The surgical intervention should only be recommended when the patient experiences complications or if all the other treatments have failed. However, this last resort doesn’t guarantee that the condition will not return in the future. For this reason, it is essential to choose footwear that is fully adapted to your needs. Gladly, this is something a podiatrist could help you discover. It is also possible to opt for a plantar orthosis to help you gain a better foot alignment.
In conclusion, if you see any of those symptoms or suffer from pain in your big toe, we strongly advise you to take action rapidly and book an appointment with your podiatrist to benefit from personalized treatments and stop the development of the condition on time.
