A big toe bunion occurs due to the displacement of some bones in the front part of the foot. It results in the pulling of the big toe towards the smaller toes. Besides, it also involves the sticking out of the joint at the base of the big toe.
If not addressed on time, it could lead to unbearable pain and even permanent foot deformity. Until now, you have a basic idea of what is a bunion on the big toe.
Now, I will tell you about bunion symptoms, bunion causes, and home remedies for bunion pain relief. By the end of this post, you will come to know about bunion treatment in great detail.
I will try to demystify your false beliefs regarding the big toe bunion by sharing important information about it. Without any delay, let’s discuss more on this subject.
Causes of a Bunion
Experts have different opinions on the subject of bunion causes. There are many theories regarding the development of bunions on feet. The major reason behind this medical condition is genetic foot deformity.
Due to the faulty food structure, a person experiences extreme pain in his big toe. Aside from it, there are some other reasons that intensify the big toe bunion on foot. Here are the other causes for bunions on foot:
- Wearing Tight or Small Shoes – Small or tight shoes lead to the crowding of toes in the front area of the foot. Hence, it exerts high pressure or stress on the big toe and it leads to foot deformity.
- High-Heal Shoes – Wearing shoes with high heels or pointed toes often develops a bunion on the toe. Many medical experts don’t consider high-heeled or tight shoes as the reason for this medical condition.
- Inherited Foot Deformity – One of the major reasons for bunions on feet is inherited foot deformity. An inherited problem with the foot anatomy can result in bunions on the foot.
- Arthritis – Inflammatory conditions like arthritis could lead to the development of a foot bunion.
Symptoms of Big Toe Bunion
After reading the above stuff, you might be willing to know the ways to recognize the problem of big toe bunion. For this, you need to pay attention to some symptoms of a bunion on the toe. In order to know the symptoms associated with foot bunions, read below.
- Redness and inflammation of skin on the side of the big toe.
- Displacement of big toe towards other toes.
- Thickening of skin on the below part of the big toe.
- Persistent foot pain.
- Difficult movement of big toe.
Continuous bnion pain can cause severe damage to the foot. Hence, it is critical for a patient to address this condition at the earliest. He must visit an expert podiatrist or orthopaedic surgeon to seek solutions for it.
In case, your bunion problem is not severe, you can try some bunion pain relief home remedies to get relaxation. Making some changes will definitely help you deal with pain due to a bunion on your toe.
Home Remedies to Eradicate Toe Bunion Pain
Before seeing a doctor for proper medical treatment, it is worth trying some home remedies to get rid of bunion pain. Following are some of the home remedies to eliminate bunion hurt:
- Choose Shoes Carefully – A person with a big toe bunion must choose his shoes carefully after consulting a doctor. He must not buy high-heeled shoes and the shoes must have sufficient space for toes. Shoes with less than 2 inches of heel and sufficient space will help prevent bunions and other foot problems.
- Use Shoe Inserts – You can use shoe inserts to correct the position of the foot. Besides using orthopedic devices, you can even consider a moleskin pad to protect the bunions. Always consult a doctor before choosing a pad for cushioning the area near the bunion that causes pain.
- Take Medicine for Pain Relief – Intake of suitable painkillers can prevent bunion hurt. In case, you feel pain due to arthritis or other inflammatory condition, then you must consult a doctor to take medicine for it.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight – A healthy body weight can help prevent pain due to bunions on feet. Besides, it would help to remove swelling from the big toe area.
- Use Ice – One of the easiest home remedies to eliminate bunion pain is by wrapping some pieces of crushed ice in a cloth around the big toe for 20 minutes. It would remove swelling and pain to give relief to a patient.
- Wear a Splint at Night – Wearing a splint at night can help you to hold the toe straight. And it could easily prevent discomfort due to bunion swelling or pain.
When to Seek a Medical Help for Bunion Pain
There are high chances that you will get relief from pain after following the above-listed home remedies for a big toe bunion. However, in case, you fail to see any improvement in your medical condition then you should consult a doctor for seeking a solution.
You must consult an expert podiatrist or orthopaedic doctor in case you experience the following issues in your foot.
- Continuous Pain in Foot.
- Difficulty in finding the perfect size for foot shoes.
- Decrease in flexibility in the big toe.
- The appearance of a large bump near the joint of the big toe.
Failure to see the doctor on time could result in many other foot complications. Hence, it is of the utmost importance to book an appointment with an expert medical expert to seek a solution on this subject.
In case you don’t vist the doctor even after experiencing severe foot pain, you may experience some foot complications listed below.
Bursitis
Bursitis is a painful medical condition that results due to the inflammation of the small fluid-filled pads cushioning the bones near the joints. When the joints get bigger due to swelling near the joint, it leads to bursitis.
Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia is a condition that occurs following bunions due to the swelling of the foot. Wearing too-tight shoes and jumping a lot can increase its severity. An easy way to eradicate it is by wearing shoes with insoles or arch support.
Hammertoe
Hammertoe occurs when the muscles and tendons get displaced from their position. Due to the big toe bunion, a bend occurs in the middle joint of the second, third, or fourth toe. This is known as Hammertoe. One could prevent this condition if he wears shoes of the right size.
Surgical Treatments for Foot Bunions
If you fail to get rid of pain due to bunions on foot then you must seek surgical treatments for dealing with this medical problem. For this, you need to carefully choose a renowned podiatrist or orthopaedic surgeon.
Going for surgery can give permanent bunion relief. Expert surgeons can easily diagnose a bunion by seeing the shape of the big toe. In case of any doubt, they would recommend an X-ray to know about the actual cause for bunion.
Besides, they could also ask you for a blood test to gain more clarity about it. Once the real cause of big toe bunion is known to them, they would definitely recommend a suitable surgical treatment for it.
Usually, doctors recommend surgery for it in adolescence. It is so because the foot remains in the growing stage in this age. This path is only chosen by doctors if non-surgical treatments fail to see favorable results.
Bunionectomy is a Common Surgical Treatment for Toe Bunions
Many surgical treatments are available for treating bunions. However, most surgeries involve a bunionectomy to correct bunions on a foot toe. A bunionectomy involves correcting the position of the big toe.
It is done by removing some part of the bone. Besides, it also involves the removal of swollen tissue from the toe joint. This is a satisfactory treatment that definitely shows favorable results in treating bunions.
After going through a bunionectomy, a person requires around eight weeks to recover completely. And it helps him feel pain-free after the surgery. Moreover, he can easily walk on his foot following the surgical procedure.
Conclusion
So, this is all about the big toe bunion causes, symptoms, home remedies, and surgical treatments. Most people ignore the bunions on foot and it results into many severe foot issues. Eventually, it causes difficulty in walking and moving for even a small distance.
Hence, it is crucial to address toe bunion on time to prevent serious consequences. Doing some foot exercises at home can help eradicate this issue.
You may try the different home remedies mentioned above in this post. In case, you fail to see any positive effect from using home remedies, you must opt for surgical treatments at the earliest.
It would help you permanently get rid of foot bunions. As a result, you will find it easy to live a desired lifestyle without feeling any difficulty. If not treated on time, bunions can lead to many complications stated above.
Hence, it is a wise step to address the big toe bunion problem with immedite effect to correct the foot structure. Moreover, it will also effectively help to remove pain from foot to facilitate unrestricted movement of feet.
