If you have a bunion, you’re not alone. Experts estimate that up to 25% of people have this bony protrusion at the side of their big toe. A bunion can make certain shoes wildly uncomfortable and cause swelling or redness. Ultimately, if you have a bunion, you probably live in ongoing discomfort.
It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Here at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle in Roanoke and Decatur, Texas, Samantha Childers, DPM, and Ricky Childers, DPM, provide dedicated bunion care. They can help you explore your options for preventing bunion pain, minimizing it, or getting rid of it altogether.
Let’s look at your choices here. We’ve outlined these from most conservative to most effective.
Swap out your shoes
While bunions are hereditary, the shoes you wear can also contribute to their development — and the discomfort you experience.
To give your big toe joint the space it needs, choose shoes with a wide toe box. This likely means ditching your pointy-toed shoes in favor of something roomier.
Talk with our team, and we can help you choose comfortable, bunion-friendly shoes that align with your style preferences.
Add what you need to your footwear
Speaking of shoes, making some adjustments to those you already have can go a long way.
Drs. Childers often recommend orthotics (customized insole inserts), padding, or splints that help to correct the alignment of your big toe. By slipping certain things inside your shoe, you may get a significant measure of relief.
Try medication
If shoe changes don’t ease your bunion pain, our team may recommend medication.
Specifically, with anti-inflammatory medication, we can soothe your discomfort and ease some of the symptoms of your bunion, like swelling around your big toe.
Get a bunionectomy
When other treatments don’t put a stop to your bunion pain, it’s time to talk with our team about bunion removal surgery, also called bunionectomy. If you have persistent discomfort, especially if it seems to be getting worse, you might be an ideal candidate for bunion removal.
With this straightforward procedure, performed through a small incision, we can realign your toe joint to get rid of the protrusion causing your bunion. That means after your bunionectomy, you can wear any shoes you want without bunion pain.
Bunionectomy is an outpatient procedure, which means you get to go home the same day as your procedure. Most people fully recover within 6 to 12 weeks.
You don’t have to live with bunion pain. To talk with our team of experts about the right way to alleviate your specific bunion-related discomfort, call or message one of our offices to schedule an appointment.
Jun 2nd, 2022