Bunion Of The Big Toe - Causes, Treatment And How To Prevent

A bunion can be described as a structural deformity of the bones and the joint between the foot and the big toe. If untreated a bunion can become extremely painful and limiting. The following is some essential information for those suffering with a bunion of the big toe.

* Causes

There is no single cause of a bunion. It may develop from arthritic joint destruction, overpronation of the foot, heredity, or from wearing ill-fitting tight shoes.

* Symptoms

A bunion (or hallux valgus) is an inflammation and thickening of the bursa of the joint of the big, frequently associated with enlargement of the joint and deformity of the toe. It results in ugly, misshapen feet with the big toe angling in and either tucking under or over your second toe. It is usually painless but can be quite painful if allowed to progress.

A bunion has a tendency to become bigger due to factors such as excessive weight load and shoe pressure. It causes a widening of the forefoot and in turn may cause your gait to become off balanced. Although, found less frequently,a bunion on your small toe is called a tailors bunion.

* Treatment

Sometimes by merely changing the type of shoes you wear you can prevent the worsening of a bunion. Whether you are a man or a woman, merely changing from a tight, pointed toe shoe to a sandal can help tremendously. So can the wearing of a bunion shoe, available from most orthopedic shoe stores. Both these styles of shoe remove the source of pressure and encompass a wider forefront to accommodate a bunion foot. If you decide against best advice to refuse to change shoe styles eg for reason of fashion, then it may be that your bunion will become bigger, more unsightly and in turn increasingly painful.

If athletic, you can make a slit in the bunion area to allow for extra room and less pressure. If you overpronate, try a commercial arch support to help take some of the weight off the bunion.

Try placing a pad over the bunion to reduce friction. You do not want to add thickness though, as this would instead just add more pressure. So cut a hole in the middle of the pad where the bunion protrudes. The surrounding area is now built up a bit and hopefully some of the pressure will now be taken off the bunion.

* Prevention

If bunions run in your family, you can markedly slow the progression by wearing well-fitting, non-binding, low-heeled shoes with a wide toebox. This is in fact good advice for all todays modern fashion shoes are frequently long and pointy better suited to an elf, than to a human foot!

See a foot specialist if youve tried self-treatment without success and still in pain. He or she may want to rule out osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or infection first, as these can also cause pain and inflammation in the big toe. It may be that foot surgery will be required if your bunion is disabling and your foot severely disfiguring. However, be reassured - preventative measures such as those detailed above, can minimize the need for this if promptly instigated.


Copyright (c) 2010 Eamon Greville