Ladies Bunion

Ladies, if you are planning a night on the town or have a special event to attend, you probably spend a lot of time finding the perfect dress, perfect jewelry, perfect accessories and perfect shoes to complete your look.  Perhaps the shoes you like are slingbacks or stilettos with a three inch heel or higher and a pointed tip.  The shoes look gorgeous on your feet.  But as the night goes on, your feet begin to hurt.  A little at first, then a lot, especially along the inside edge at the base of your big toe.  You toes may begin to feel uncomfortable as well because they have been squeezed into a small area. 

The problem is if you continue to wear shoes like that on a consistent basis, you will notice that a bony bump is developing on the outside edge of your foot where the big toe joins the flat portion of your foot.  That is the beginning of a bunion.  A bunion is a protrusion of excess bone along the outer edge of your big toe.  When we wear shoes that don't fit properly, that area can get irritated, tender, swollen or inflamed and begin to cause a lot of problems with your feet.  Not only does the excessive bone develop, but also the big toe begins to shift inward which crowds the other toes.  As a result some of the other toes may begin to turn in and form hammer toes.

Some bunions form in the way described above, but some people are predisposed to developed bunions by genetics.  So although more women experience bunions then men, men can also develop bunions.  It is also possible to develop a bunion in the same fashion but along the baby toe or fifth toe.  That is often called either a bunionette or a tailor's bunion.  In any case, without proper care, bunions can cause a lot of foot pain and inconvenience.  The good news is there are a number of bunion cures available.  Bunion cures can be as simple as wearing shoes that fit better to surgery.  More on bunion cures will be described below.

Bunion Causes

As described above, bunions can be caused by wearing shoes that don't fit properly.  Meanwhile, there are other causes related to the way your feet are formed.  individuals with flat feet are more prone to bunions.  These people have arches that are "fallen" or undeveloped.  Flat feet can run in your family or certain medical conditions can cause flat feet such as rheumatoid arthritis, stroke and diabetes.  Other bunion causes include ligament issues in the feet, feet that are not properly developed or aligned, arthritis or the amputation of the second toe.  In the case of amputation, the open space can sometimes cause the big toe to wander in the direction of the open space.  Another issue that can make you more prone to develop bunion is how your distribute your weight when you walk.  Generally, we when we walk we put our heels down and the foot follows through naturally distributing the weight forward through the toes.  However, some people put their heels down and shift their weight toward the inside of the foot which creates uneven pressure on the insides of the feet, following through to the big toe.  In the time, that pattern can cause the development of bunions.

Bunion Cures and Treatments

There are some people who have bunions and don't experience any pain at all.  However, if you do have pain associated with bunions, one of the easiest things you can do is change your shoes.  Shoes that fit properly and have plenty of room for your toes are best.  You should also select shoes with lower heels and support for the arches of your feet.  Other bunion cures include using pads around the bunion to cushion and relieve pressure created by shoes.  Sometimes the pain can be relieved by ice packs or over the counter pain relievers.  Meanwhile, an orthopaedic specialist can recommend a variety of bunion cures including special shoes, therapy, foot exercises, toe spacers and other possible remedies.  Occasionally, if the pain is severe, surgery is a consideration.

Bunion Surgery

If you are considering bunion surgery, you will want to weigh everything that entails.  An orthopaedic surgeon may want to perform an operation to re-align the big toe and remove some of the excess bone on the outer edge of the toe.  There are a number of procedures that can be done.  Most times, surgeons will perform an incision along the big toe so that the bony area and some of the tissues around it can be removed.  Again, the surgeon may also work to properly align some of the ligaments around the big toe.  Generally, the surgery is performed on an outpatient basis in about an hour. 

However, while the surgery itself doesn't take a lot of time, the recovery period will be extensive.  It is possible to take up to six months to recover from bunion surgery.  And, your foot may not be completely back to normal for about a year.  Surgery will involve stitches that will usually stay in for one to three weeks.  Also, usually those stitches will need to stay dry, so bathing or showering can be challenging.  In addition you may not be able to put pressure on your foot initially for up to two months.  You will also likely wear a foot boot to continue to go easy on your feet for a few weeks after that.

If you are considering bunion surgery, be sure to talk to your doctor in detail about what the recovery period will be like so that you have a realistic idea of what to expect.  There are some studies that indicate many people who have surgical bunion procedures are not satisfied.  Also, there is the possibility that the bunion can return.