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Posts for tag: Bunion
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? .jpg)
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.
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