Bunions are bony protrusions that form on the side of the foot and can cause significant pain and discomfort. Your level of pain or discomfort can increase throughout the day as the bunions rub against the inside of the shoes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent bunions from developing. Contact Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix for help preventing bunions. For patients with bunions, our skilled podiatrist, Dr. Michael Dershowitz, can also discuss treatment options.

What are Bunions?

Bunions are bony formations that develop on the side of the foot near the big toe when the metatarsophalangeal joint comes out of place. The metatarsophalangeal joint is the joint that connects the big toe to the foot. When the joint becomes dislocated, the big toe tends to slant toward the smaller ones which causes the toe joint to protrude at the side of the foot. This protrusion is referred to as a bunion. Bunions can be painful when they become inflamed due to the friction caused by rubbing against the interior of footwear.

Prevention

There are many steps you can take to prevent bunion development. One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent bunions is to wear shoes that are not too tight. Tight-fitting shoes can cause the toes to become cramped or pinched, which can result in the metatarsophalangeal joint becoming dislocated. In addition to avoiding shoes that are too tight, it is also best to avoid wearing shoes with pointed toes or high heels.

Another helpful method for preventing bunions is to strengthen the feet by performing foot exercises regularly. Foot exercises also improve joint functioning, which can reduce the chances of the metatarsophalangeal joint becoming dislocated. For individuals with an irregular step pattern that puts strain on the metatarsophalangeal joint, custom orthotics that correct foot positioning can also be helpful.

Treatment

Bunions will not go away on their own so it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible. Left untreated, bunions can become increasingly more painful and even lead to other foot problems, such as the development of hammertoe. We have several options for treating bunions at our office in Phoenix, including:

• Removal of corns and calluses on the feet
• Foot exercises to improve joint functioning
• Custom orthotics to stabilize the toe joint
• The use of a splint to realign the toe joint
• Protective padding in footwear to reduce friction
• Surgery to realign the metatarsophalangeal toe joint
• Surgical removal of the bunion(s)

It is possible to prevent bunion development and we can help. Our knowledgeable podiatrist can provide guidance on bunion prevention, as well as recommend specific treatment methods, if needed. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dershowitz for the prevention or treatment of bunions, call Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix, AZ, at (602) 340-8686. We also have a convenient office location in Glendale.

Have you noticed that your feet have been changing over the years? Are they wider than they once were, primarily around the big toe area? If so, you may be dealing with the presence of a bunion, an often painful foot deformity that arises from overuse and pressure from too tight of shoes. Fortunately, your Phoenix podiatrist, Dr. Michael Dershowitz, can be your local resource for bunion treatment!

How bunions can impact you

If you have noticed that your big toe is just now pointing closer to your other toes, and that bony bump now exists on the inside of your foot by the base of your big toe, you probably have a bunion. This means that your first metatarsal foot bone has shifted sideways, causing your toes to move and the bones at the big toe joint to bulge. Bunions are one of the most common foot deformities that people experience, particularly as they age.

Sometimes, bunions just change the look of your foot and how your shoes fit, but refrain from causing any painful symptoms. Other times, bunions will change the look of your foot, and also cause a great deal of pain in the bones of your big toe and foot. In these cases, the pain is often the sharpest in the bulging toe joint.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the most common bunion symptoms are:

• Pain in the bulging toe joint, especially when wearing tight shoes.
• Thick, hardened skin on the ball of the foot.
• Redness, swelling, and inflammation of the big toe joint.
• Difficulty moving the big toe.
• Corns developing on the bunion or on other toes.

Seeking bunion treatment

Bunion pain can be unbearable, and even become chronic, if left untreated. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it may be time to seek bunion treatment. The type of treatment offered depends on several factors, including the severity of the deformity and any other medical conditions a patient may have.

Some possible treatments include:

• Wearing properly fitted shoes. You always want to wear shoes that are wide enough and support your foot properly.
• Using toe splints. These serve as spacers between your toes and are designed to help maintain proper joint alignment while slowing the progression of the bunion.
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), both pills and creams, can help ease bunion pain and inflammation.

For very severe, unrelenting bunion symptoms, surgery from our Phoenix podiatrist may be the best bunion treatment. Bunion surgery corrects the bone/joint alignment in the foot and can relieve symptoms.

Need relief? Give us a call

The only way to determine which bunion treatment will suit your needs is to consult a professional. Call our Phoenix office today at (602) 340-8686 to schedule a consultation with your podiatrist, Dr. Dershowitz!

Caring for your bunion is actually much easier than you might think.

While its women that predominantly suffer from bunion problems, the fact remains that this joint deformity at the base of the big toe can happen to anyone. If left untreated, this deformity will progress and cause serious pain and other issues. This is why our Phoenix podiatrist Dr. Michael Dershowitz recommends that you follow these simple rules for keeping your bunion symptoms under control:

Wear the Proper Footwear

You can imagine just how much your bunion will cry out in pain if you slip into high heels, shoes with pointed toes or shoes that are too tight. Why would you put your feet through this kind of abuse? There is no need to do this when there are a variety of shoes out there that can provide the proper fit while also offering stability and support. Remember, your toes should be able to wiggle around in your shoes. If they can’t then the shoes are too tight.

Protective Padding

If your shoes are rubbing against your bunion or if you just want to provide additional protection for your bunion while wearing shoes, you can place a non-medicated moleskin pad over the bunion. This will also prevent friction, calluses or an infection from developing.

If you are having trouble controlling your bunion pain then talk to our Phoenix foot doctor for other suggestions. In some cases, particularly for more serious symptoms, you may require more aggressive options like corticosteroid injections.

In rare situations in which bunions symptoms are severe, don’t respond to treatment and affect your quality of life, we will recommend that you get surgery. While surgery is the only way to correct this deformity, more often than not, people can control their symptoms through non-surgical methods.

Do you have questions about your bunion symptoms? Want to learn about other ways in which we can reduce your pain and swelling? If so, then call Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix or Glendale, AZ, today to find out how we can improve your foot health for the long term.