Do All Bunions Require Surgery?

Bunions can form for many reasons. Factors include inherited genetics and foot shape, arthritis degeneration, and ill-fitting or unsupportive footwear. 

We’re bunion treatment specialists at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center. Our team personalizes your bunion care to match the specific problems at work in your condition. 

Let’s look at home care for bunions since it’s often possible to treat them independently and when it's time to consider medical intervention with our experts.

Bunion basics

Bunions form as a bony bump at the base of your big toe. Caused by misalignment of bones in your feet, your big toe tips inward toward your smaller toes, deforming the normal alignment of the joint at the base of the toe and making it stick out more prominently.

Bunions cause symptoms, including redness, soreness, and swelling at the site of this protrusion, and they also limit the movement of the big toe. 

Bunions also lead to other foot problems, including:

• Bursitis
• Corns and calluses
• Hammertoe
• Metatarsalgia is the painful inflammation of the ball of your foot

All these conditions cause pain and limit your ability to walk easily.

Treating your bunions at home

Bunions often respond well to conservative home care, particularly early. Use these strategies to relieve pain and restore joint mobility:

• Stay off your feet when you can during recovery
• Use cold and hot therapy to ease pain and inflammation
• Manage pain and inflammation with over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and naproxen
• Choose comfortable shoes that feature a wide toe box
• Use custom-made orthotics in conjunction with supportive shoes
• Protect your bunion with over-the-counter bunion pads to relieve pressure

Combine these treatments as necessary to find relief from your bunion pain.  If home care proves ineffective or you notice severe deformity of the toe joint, it’s time to contact our bunion specialists. 

What to expect from bunion surgery

It’s important to note that surgery isn’t our first line of treatment. We can offer stronger medications and a variety of intermediate care steps that could resolve your bunion symptoms without surgery. 

Surgery can provide much-needed relief as a last resort when all else fails. Bunion surgery addresses these targets:

• Resolving or removing swollen tissue
• Straightening your big toe
• Realigning the bones in your foot
• When necessary, fusing the affected joint 

As surgeries go, bunion surgery is a minor procedure. You can expect a recovery lasting between six to 12 weeks, depending on the severity of your bunion. Pain passes early in your recovery, and you’ll have full, pain-free mobility when fully healed. 

Get started with home care right away before your problem gets worse. Call AllCare Foot & Ankle Center if symptoms persist or get worse. 

Book an appointment with our nearest location online or by phone today.