Bunions

Bunions can make it challenging to wear shoes and walk normally. At Global Podiatry, Simon Donets, DPM, Yelena Barsky, DPM, and the team offer conservative and minimally invasive surgical bunion treatments in their Arlington Heights, Chicago and Wheeling, Illinois offices. If bunion pain and symptoms interfere with your daily life, call the office or book an appointment online today.

What is a bunion?

A bunion is a common foot deformity that causes a bony bump to develop at the base of your big toe. Also called hallux valgus, bunions develop slowly due to pressure on the big toe joint. When a bunion forms on the little toe on the outside of your foot, it’s called a bunionette.

Bunions don’t resolve on their own. Without treatment, a bunion can lead to other foot problems, such as hammertoe or metatarsalgia, which causes pain and swelling in the ball of your foot.

What are the symptoms of a bunion?

The most prominent bunion symptom is a bulging bump inside your foot at the big toe joint. Other signs and symptoms of a bunion include:

• Pain and tenderness
• Redness and swelling
• Stiffness in the big toe that limits movement
• Corns or calluses that develop where the toes rub together

Bunion symptoms develop gradually. As the condition progresses, you could find it difficult or painful to wear shoes and walk.

What causes bunions?

Bunions result from a misalignment in your foot that causes the big toe to lean toward the second toe. This misalignment may be due to several factors, including:

• Inherited foot structure
• Foot stress or injuries
• Inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis 

Wearing shoes that are too narrow or tight can aggravate a bunion and cause symptoms to develop faster.

How are bunions diagnosed?

Your provider at Global Podiatry may diagnose your bunion based on a physical exam. They could also take an X-ray to check the alignment of your foot bones and evaluate the severity of your condition so they can recommend the best course of treatment.

How are bunions treated?

The only way to reverse a bunion is with surgery. However, many people experience relief from nonsurgical treatments, such as:

• Changing to shoes with a roomier toe box
• Padding the bunion
• Wearing custom orthotics
• Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication

If you continue to suffer from pain and symptoms despite conservative treatments, the team at Global Podiatry may recommend surgery. They perform minimally invasive bunion surgery to realign your foot's bones and soft tissues so the big toe can return to its normal position.

Call Global Podiatry or book an appointment online for advanced bunion treatment.