How To Treat A Tailor'S Bunion

Overview
A Bunion is one of the most common foot ailments which usually occur near the joint at the base of the big toe. It is actually a bony protrusion which consists of excess or misaligned bone in the joint. Although they may develop on the fifth or little toe, bunions usually occur at the base of the big toe. In addition to causing pain, a bunion changes the shape of your foot, making it harder to find shoes that fit. The good news however, is that you don?t have to hobble for the rest of your life, bunions can be treated.

Causes
What causes bunions? This question is often answered by blaming shoes. But in fact, shoes only play a small role in developing bunions. Yes, shoes, especially high heels cause abnormal squeezing of your forefoot. This in turn to help promote a bunion. But if everyone who wore high heels shoes had a bunion, there would be a lot more then the 15% prevalence we see in the general population. As you can see from the flow chart, genetics plays the major role in development of bunion deformities. Genetics determines the way your foot functions. Are you flatfooted? Are your joints flexible or stiff? Do you have a high arch? Do you have tight muscles? These traits are determined by your genetic code. These characteristics then govern how your bones and joints move when you walk. As an example, if your joints are very flexible, this can cause an abnormal amount of instability in your forefoot when you walk. Over time, this abnormal motion will cause the a bunion to develop by allowing your first metatarsal to "drift" towards the mid-line of your body.

Symptoms
The symptoms of hallux valgus usually center on the bunion. The bunion is painful. The severe hallux valgus deformity is also distressing to many and becomes a cosmetic problem. Finding appropriate shoe wear can become difficult, especially for women who want to be fashionable but have difficulty tolerating fashionable shoe wear. Finally, increasing deformity begins to displace the second toe upward and may create a situation where the second toe is constantly rubbing on the shoe.

Diagnosis
Your doctor can identify a bunion by examining your foot. Watching your big toe as you move it up and down will help your doctor determine if your range of motion is limited. Your doctor will also look for redness or swelling. After the physical exam, an X-ray of your foot can help your doctor identify the cause of the bunion and rate its severity.

Non Surgical Treatment
The treatment method your doctor chooses for you will be based on the severity of the bunion. Treatment can be simple and non-surgical or it can be complex, surgical, and costly. A bunion is permanent unless surgery is performed to remove it, but self-care can help to improve your symptoms. If you suspect that a bunion is developing, you should seek medical attention immediately. Here are the most common conservative treatment options. Changing your shoes. Adding custom orthotics to your shoes. Medication such as Tylenol for pain relief. Padding and taping to put your foot in its normal position. Applying ice or cold compresses to reduce swelling and pain. Keeping pressure off your affected toe, especially if there is swelling, redness, and pain. Before bed, separate the affected toe from the others with a foam-rubber pad and leave it there while you sleep.

Surgical Treatment
For patients who have arthritis of the big toe joint associated with a bunion deformity an osteotomy is not performed. The deformity is corrected through the joint either with a fusion of the joint or by removing a portion of the joint (an arthroplasty). Fusion of the big toe joint is an excellent operation since it corrects the deformity, prevents the bunion from returning and eliminates the arthritis simultaneously.