One of the most common foot conditions seen in the world are bunions. Bunions are best defined as bony prominence’s that occur at the joint at the base of the big toe. As a bunion develops, the toe deviates towards the outside of the foot and pain can develop. There are multiple causes of bunions but the most common cause is a flat foot type which tends to be inherited from your parents. Trauma and other systemic diseases can cause bunions although less commonly.

Many people with bunions have no symptoms at all other than a poor cosmetic appearance but as bunions progress, you can start to develop symptoms. Common symptoms include pain in the area of the bump while wearing shoe-gear as well as inflammation in this area. Other people develop pain with motion of the big toe joint.

There are great treatment options for bunions to resolve discomfort as well as remove the bony prominence. Conservatively, there are a gazillion padding options for symptomatic treatment of bunions. Other options include steroid injections into the area to decrease inflammation. Custom orthotics can be used in an attempt to slow down the progression of the bunion. If conservative treatments fail, surgical options can be discussed. This generally entails taking x-rays of the feet to determine a surgical plan as there are a myriad of different surgical procedures. Depending on the severity of the bunion a procedure is chosen that will achieve the best results on an individual basis.

If you or anyone you know suffer with bunions, contact Quality Foot Care today at 215-230-9707 to schedule an appointment with one of our board certified podiatrists!