Painful Bumps and Embarrassing Symptoms
A bunion (also known as hallux valgus) is a bony bump at the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP) of the big toe. It forms when the metatarsal bone just behind the big toe joint shifts position over time and causes the bone to come out of alignment.
Foot Pain and Other Complications
Bunions can cause redness, pain, and inflammation. Other foot problems can arise as a result of walking differently to avoid bunion pain or rubbing, including hammertoes, calluses under the ball of the foot, heel pain, and corns or irritation caused from the overlapping of your first and second toes.
Why Women are More Prone to Bunions
Women are up to 2.5 times more likely to develop bunions, likely due to footwear like high heels and narrower shoes. A review in Cureus found that about a third of US adults have bunions, and age is also a risk factor, with bunions starting to develop in people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.
Family History and Other Risk Factors
A family history of bunions (70% of people who develop bunions have a family history) and being overweight are also risk factors. Wearing shoes that crowd the toes and having rheumatoid arthritis can contribute to the development of bunions.
Simple and Inexpensive Bunion Self-Care Remedies
Over-the-counter bunion correctors and splints may reduce shoe irritation, but these products are unlikely to reduce the actual deformity. However, there are several other bunion self-care strategies to try from the comfort of home.
Stretching for Bunion Relief
Stretching is an important step in bunion self-care and can be done in the morning and at midday. Try ankle circles, pointing and flexing your feet, spreading and curling your toes, and stretching your hamstrings.
Example Stretches
• In the morning, while still in bed, try ankle circles, pointing and flexing your feet, spreading and curling your toes, and stretching your hamstrings. • While standing, lift and spread your toes wide while keeping your heel and the ball of the foot on the floor. Then press your little toe down and outward and your big toe down and inward toward the inner side of your foot; hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Painkilling Creams and Topical Treatments
You can get some bunion pain relief with over-the-counter pain reducing creams or perhaps even one with cannabis compounds. Topical cannabis oil or creams may have anti-inflammatory and analgesic abilities.
Example Creams
• Hemp Activ Relief Cream
• Capsaicin cream
Orthotics for Bunion Relief
Orthotics are shoe inserts that help support and align your feet properly. In doing so, it can ease pain and may help prevent a bunion from getting worse. Custom-made orthotics, following a comprehensive biomechanical evaluation by a podiatrist, is generally the best route.
Example Orthotics
• Custom-made orthotics
• OTC orthotics
Pad Your Feet and Swap Your Shoes
Small, round bunion pad cushions help provide a buffer between your foot and your shoe, preventing any rubbing or pressure. Toe separators can also reduce friction and help the bones move more naturally with each step.
Example Products
• Bunion pad cushions
• Toe separators (e.g. PediFix Visco-GEL Stay-Put Toe Spacers)
When to See a Doctor
If self-care doesn’t provide enough pain relief, or you want to get rid of a bunion for cosmetic reasons, surgery is a possibility. While surgery is the only way to completely get rid of a bunion, it’s not foolproof. A bunion can come back, even after it’s removed.
Example
If you have pain, are unable to wear shoes, and are limited to what kinds of activity you can do because of your bunions, you may want to consider surgery. However, if you don’t have pain or your bunion isn’t really a problem, you may not need surgery.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis.
