June 24, 2022

All About Bunions: How Do You Get Them, Treatments, and Will They Go Away?

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Bunions can be painful and common—about one-third of all Americans will have them at some point in their life. And if you have one, it’s something you need to pay attention to because they can get much worse and very painful without treatment.

Centers Health Care has details on how bunions form, treatments, and whether they can go away or not.

What Is a Bunion?

A bunion is a bony bump that develops at the joint of the big toe on the inside of the foot. It forms when the big toe bends inward toward the rest of the toes.

How Does a Bunion Form?

Bunions are more common in women than men and it’s also more common in those with a family history, suggesting that there’s a genetic component as well.

Most form slowly due to pressure on the big toe joint. This can be due to shoes that are too tight, squeeze the toes together, walking in a way that puts pressure on that joint, or having a job that puts a lot of stress on your feet.

Treatment for Bunions

Non-surgical options include changing your footwear with a wider or open toe box. There are also pads and gels that can be inserted to help cushion the area where it’s painful, and there other orthotic options like shoe inserts, toe spacers, or splits that can be worn at night.

Ibuprofen and naproxen (Aleve) can also reduce swelling and help manage the pain.

When Surgery Is Needed

If the above options don’t help manage the pain, or if you’re still having trouble walking, then surgery can be performed to realign the bone, ligaments, and tendons and correct the position of the big toe.