Bunion Pain Relief
Finding Pain Relief for Bunions
Finding pain relief for bunions can be tricky. This deformity can cause a great deal of pain and stress on the foot. Walking, standing, running and many other daily activities can make the pain almost unbearable. Treatment options for bunions usually involve surgery to remove the entire bunion. There are several good ways to help you find pain relief from bunions if surgery is not yet an option.
Bunions can be very painful. They are a deformity of both the bones and joints that make up the large toe. The tissues and bone of the big toe can become enlarged and cause angulation, or a turning of the toe inward. The joint itself may also become swollen and tender. Usually a bump called an osseous deformity occurs on the side of the foot at the base of the large toe. This condition causes pain when pressure is applied to the altered areas. Also, it creates a condition where the supportive structures and tendons of the toes no longer function normally. Added to the pain associated with motion and pressure of the bunion area, this condition can also cause restricted range of motion of the toe and arthritis to develop. Blisters and irritated skin can also occur on the area around the bunion. Overall this condition can be very painful and annoying to patients and may interfere with their daily lives to a large extent.
Many doctors feel that bunions are a genetic disorder, caused by neurological conditions, other foot problems and altered bone structures. Improperly fitting footwear may also cause or exacerbate the problem. Treatment for severe cases of bunions includes surgery to repair the deformity. Other forms of treatment are more conservative. Orthotics is a good way to treat bunion pain at home. These devices regulate or splint the foot and help hold the deformity in a more comfortable position. They may also involve tools such as gel inserts, spacers, toe separators and small cushions designed to remove pressure applied directly to the bunion. These devices may use different forms of padding or splits to diminish pressures placed on the toes, and may help prevent the deformity from causing harm to the other toes.
Proper shoes are an important part of finding pain relief for bunions. Tight or ill fitting footwear can help cause bunions to develop and certainly make the pain from having bunions worse. Finding comfortable shoes that do not place too much pressure on the deformed area is vital to walking without pain. In some cases comfortable and soft shoes should be used in conjunction with orthotics. Shoes that can help with the pain associated with bunions should be soft, fit properly and provide less pressure when the toe is bending during walking.
Another way to manage the pain that comes with having bunions involves a program of resting the affected area and using ice to reduce the pain. This can help with the irritation and swelling of the joints around the toe. Resting periodically during work hours, or anytime that the patient must stand or walk for long periods of time is also important. Pain medications may also be used to help manage the pain from bunions. Their strength will be based on the severity of the pain. Many pain medications also include an anti-inflammatory medicine in them as well. These can be very beneficial, but their long time use may cause other problems to develop.
Getting relief from the pain associated with bunions can be achieved either with orthotics, a resting and icing program and medications, but these techniques do not remove or repair the deformity. In most cases, only surgery can remove the pain from bunions permanently.