5 Symptoms of Bunions and How They’re Treated

Did you know approximately one-third of Americans live with bunions?

This widespread foot problem can affect anyone. While they aren’t life-threatening, they can cause significant discomfort and affect your daily activity. 

In many cases, the most obvious sign of a bunion is a pronounced bump at the base of the big toe right on the joint. This occurs when the foot structures get pushed out of position. 

Since a bunion causes physical changes to the foot, you might consider it a purely cosmetic issue. But these physical changes lead to additional symptoms that can interfere with daily life. 

At Alpine Foot and Ankle, Dr. Andrew McCall has extensive experience diagnosing and treating bunions. This expertise enables him to help our patients reclaim their mobility and resume life pain-free. 

In this post, Dr. McCall highlights the key signs of bunions and some of the most effective treatment options. 

Bunion basics

As we mentioned above, bunions occur when joints and tendons in the foot get pushed out of position. 

This imbalance prompts changes to your foot structure, leading to the bony protrusion at the base of the big toe. 

In most cases, bunions develop slowly. While they can affect anyone, certain factors can increase your chances of this condition.

Footwear

First, a surefire way to end up with foot problems involves your shoes — and that goes for bunions, too. 

Choosing narrow, tight shoes, styles with pointy toes, or high heels forces your foot into an unnatural position, especially the toes. This is a reason bunions appear more frequently in women.

Foot injuries or medical conditions

Your shoes aren’t the only thing that can put extreme stress or pressure on your feet. You can develop bunions from a foot injury or a medical condition, like arthritis. 

If you have a medical condition or history of injury, watch for bunions. 

Genetics

Finally, heredity plays a significant role in your risk of bunions. In fact, more than 70% of people with this problem have a biological parent with the condition. 

If your parents or grandparents had bunions, keep an eye on your tootsies. The foot shape and structure you inherit can increase your chances of developing this problem.

Five common signs of bunions

Fortunately, you can take action at the first sign of a bunion. Here are a few such signs.

A bump at the base of the big toe

It’s hard to ignore the prominent, bony bump that starts to appear on the side of your foot. 

Not only is there a visual change you can see, but this lump can make it difficult to find shoes that fit comfortably. 

It can also cause general discomfort, especially when standing or walking.

Tenderness and pain

Not sure if that bump is a bunion? Press the area and see if it’s tender to the touch. 

If you have pain, it may not be constant, but it often intensifies with prolonged standing, when walking, or while wearing tight shoes.

Redness and inflammation

Bunions often worsen with time. As this occurs, they can cause ongoing redness and inflammation around the joint.

This response is completely natural as your body tries to protect the area, but it also causes increased discomfort. 

Thickened areas of skin

On top of redness and inflammation, your body tries to protect your feet another way when you have bunions — corns and calluses.

These hardened areas of skin often develop between or on the top of the toes to protect against friction. 

And like redness and inflammation, corns and calluses can add to the general pain and discomfort that the bunion causes. 

Limited movement of the digit

Finally, bunions can significantly affect movement in your big toe. When this occurs, you may find it difficult to move or flex the toe. It can also start bending toward your other toes.

Finding relief for bunions

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, Dr. McCall at Alpine Foot and Ankle can help. Treatment varies depending on the severity of your bunions.

Common strategies include:

• Modifying footwear
• Using custom shoe inserts
• Padding or taping the bunion
• Using anti-inflammatory medications or targeted corticosteroid injections 

For severe cases, Dr. McCall could also recommend bunion surgery to realign the joints, bone, and ligaments in the foot to restore function. 

Do you think you have a bunion? Seek professional advice before the condition worsens. Contact us at Alpine Foot and Ankle in Idaho Falls, Idaho, or Alpine, Wyoming, for expert care and treatment today.