Bunions: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Bunions can be painful, and when they are, they disrupt your ability to perform your normal daily tasks. When you are suffering from bunions in Holly Springs, NC, you can count on Dr. LaWanda Bailey-Rayner at Foot Care Specialists to provide the diagnosis and treatment options that are right for you. 

Causes of bunions

 Bunions can be caused by a variety of things, but the most common is the type of shoe that you wear. A shoe that has a small pointed toe box pushes the big toe out of its normal position and toward the other toes. Bunions are more common in women than in men, given high heels and pointed toe shoes, it is no wonder. Bunions may also have a hereditary component, since they seem to run in some families. Bunions may also be caused by inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. 

Symptoms of bunions

 For some people, there are no symptoms other than a deformity that happens to the foot. For other people, there is pain, and it can range from mild to crippling. As the toe is forced out of position, the bone at the base of the big toe responds to the pressure, and as the toe moves farther to the outside it becomes more painful. The normal position of the ligaments, tendons, and bones changes, and this contributes to the pain that results.  

Treatment options for bunions in Bunions Holly Springs, NC

 The most basic treatment for bunions is to get more comfortable shoes that don't press on the bunion. They must have a wide enough toe box to remove the pressure on the joint. Padding is available that can cushion the bunions from the pressure of your shoes. Your podiatrist may want to make custom orthotics to help keep your foot in the position it needs to be to relieve the pressure and keep the bunion from getting worse. 

If all the more conservative treatments have failed to provide the desired result, then surgery is an option. You and your podiatrist will discuss whether you are a good candidate for bunion surgery.

Contact Dr. Bailey-Rayner of Foot Care Specialists to get help with your painful bunions in Holly Springs, NC. Give our office a call today at 919-557-0300.