4 Things You Should Know About Bunions
If your doctor has recently informed you that you have a bunion, you may be curious about this medical condition. Here are a few things that you should know about bunions, how they work, and what you can do to fix it.
A Bunion is a Lump of Bone
A bunion occurs on your foot. This happens when the bone and tissue around your big toe are forced out of place. This results in your big toe bending in an unnatural manner, which causes the bone to lump up around the outer edge of your foot. The enlargement is called a bunion.
Bunions Are About Foot Shape
Oftentimes, bunions seem to run in families. However, getting an actual bunion is not hereditary. What is hereditary are certain foot shapes, and certain foot shapes are more prone to the development of bunions. If you know that multiple people in your family have had bunions, and you have a similar foot shape, that increases your chance of developing a bunion. But that doesn't mean that you will end up with a bunion.
Bunions Progress Over Time
Next, a bunion is not something that disappears. It is something that gets progressively worse with time. All bunions continue to grow; however, they don't all grow at the same rate. Some bunions grow at a slower rate, and other bunions grow at a faster one. The rate of progression can vary greatly from one individual to another.
Bunion Growth Can Be Slowed
The growth of your bunion can be slowed by making certain adjustments. You can often slow the growth of a bunion by using padding in your shoes. You can change the shoes you wear so that you have more padding. You can use icing to help slow the growth of your bunion. You can use injection therapy and orthotic devices to help keep your bunion from advancing. If you can keep your bunion from advancing, and it doesn't cause you pain, you may not need surgery.
Bunions Can Be Treated with Surgery
If your bunion continues to grow, it can be treated with surgery. Surgery is often the best way to treat a bunion whose growth cannot be slowed down or that are causing your pain. How extensive the surgery is depends upon the advancement of your bunions. Your foot will be numbed with a local anesthesia during the surgery process, but you will not be put under. The length of the surgery depends on how extensive the bunion is as does the pain associated with your surgery. It is usual to experience discomfort for at least a week following bunion surgery and for things to resolve after that. If your bunion is bothering you, then get bunion surgery from a clinic like Richard Moy DPM INC.