Bunions look ugly, and they don’t feel very good, either. In our quest to look fabulous, we wear shoes that hurt and can end up causing bunions.
A bunion is a big, red swollen bump that develops on the side of the foot. Once you get one, it can hurt to wear shoes or spend any time on your feet.
Fortunately, there are lots of treatment options available, from the very conservative to the aggressive. Read on to see what type of treatment might be best for you.
Home Remedies for Bunions
There are some simple remedies that you can try at home as your first line of defense for treating bunions. The first and most obvious thing to do is to rest the affected foot. If there is a particular pair of shoes that you realize may have caused the problem, stop wearing them.
Switch to shoes that feel better and give you more support. Bunions often develop as the result of wearing shoes that are too tight, too narrow, or too crowded. Avoid wearing high heels.
Choose comfortable and supportive walking shoes as much as possible. It is also a good idea to stop in to a specialized footwear store (specialty shoe shop ) and get your feet measured. Our feet don’t stay the same size our whole lives; they often grow over the years as a result of fluctuations in weight as well as the process of aging.
It is quite common for your feet to go up a size or two over the years. If your shoes are too tight, they crowd your toes and can cause bunions. Wearing shoes that fit properly is essential to relieving bunion pain and preventing you from developing new bunions. Plan to get your feet measured at least once a year to make sure that your size hasn’t changed.
Custom orthotic inserts (arch supports) for your shoes can also help ease bunion pain. They make your shoes fit more comfortably and correct improper pronation that can be causing you to develop bunions. Wearing these inserts will help to slow the progression of existing bunions.
At Your Doctor’s Office
Your doctor/pharmacist may recommend trying over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to ease the pain caused by bunions. Applying an ice pack to the affected area is sometimes helpful, as well.
If those steps don’t do the trick, they may recommend that you have a local injection of cortisone. This will reduce inflammation in the area and provide quick relief.
If the skin surrounding the bunion appears to be getting infected, you should see your doctor right away. You may need to be treated with antibiotics.
Surgery
If none of the other treatment options help, you may need to have surgery. The procedure is known as a bunionectomy. During a bunionectomy, the surgeon removes the bony growth and realigns the joint. This corrects the deformity, which improves the function of the foot and relieves pain.
While surgery is often effective, it is not guaranteed to cure the condition. It is still possible that, after surgery, the toe could move back to its previous position. The success of surgery increases when the patient wears a combination of proper footwear and custom orthotic inserts (arch supports).
If you have bunions, visit Foot Solutions UK. We work with people who suffer from bunions every day, and we can help you to find shoes that are both attractive and comfortable. Some of our shoes come with stretchable leathers etc, so that your bunion is comfortable from day one.
We also provide custom arch supports ( custom orthotic inserts ) for your shoes that will help to relieve your pain and correct the foot mechanics that lead to bunions. Stop by Foot Solutions UK to learn more today.
