Managing Bunions: Top Home Remedies and When to Seek Medical Help

Bunions can be a real pain—literally. If you’re dealing with that familiar bony bump next to your big toe, you’re not alone. Bunions are a common foot issue that can make everyday activities like walking or even wearing shoes a challenge. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to treat bunions and offer five top tips for managing bunion symptoms at home. Plus, we’ll cover when it’s time to see a doctor.

First things first: what exactly is a bunion? A bunion is a bony lump that forms next to the big toe, often causing the toe to lean towards the second toe. While the exact cause of bunions isn’t fully understood, it’s generally believed that prolonged pressure on the feet plays a significant role. This pressure can compress the big toe and push it toward the second toe, leading to the deformity we know as a bunion.

If you have a bunion, the initial step your doctor should take is to provide you with information leaflets and advice. These resources can help you understand what bunions are, how to manage the symptoms at home, and explore other treatment options if home remedies don’t work. However, doctors are often quite busy, so I’ve compiled a list of excellent patient information sources and links to respective websites. You can find these in the description box of the video. Take some time to read this information so you can better understand your condition.

Now, let’s dive into the next four crucial steps you can take at home to relieve bunion symptoms:

1. **Wear Appropriate Footwear**: Opt for low-heeled, wide-fitting shoes with a soft sole and soft toe boxes. Avoid high-heeled or tight-fitting shoes, as they can exacerbate the problem. Consider using insoles, toe spacers, or bunion pads to help alleviate pain and discomfort. However, it’s important to note that these bunion correctors are unlikely to change the angle of your toe in the long term.

2. **Use Ice Packs**: Ice packs can provide relief from pain and inflammation. For instance, you could use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel and place it over the bunion for five minutes at a time. This can be especially helpful at the end of the day when you’ve been on your feet for extended periods.

3. **Over-the-Counter Pain Relief**: If your bunions are causing you pain, consider using over-the-counter pain relief medications such as paracetamol (known as Tylenol in the US). Always read the instructions on the medication to ensure it’s suitable for you to take.

4. **Seek Professional Help**: If home remedies don’t provide sufficient relief, your doctor might suggest a referral to other medical specialists. A podiatrist, for example, specializes in foot problems and might carry out a footwear assessment or recommend a night splint to relieve pressure on the bunion. A physiotherapist could offer advice on improving balance, core stability, and calf muscle stretches. They may also provide a steroid injection for temporary pain relief if surgery isn’t an option.

If conservative measures at home, along with professional input, don’t work, a referral to a surgeon might be necessary. This should be particularly considered if you have a bunion causing progressive symptoms or deformity, symptoms persisting after three months of conservative treatment, involvement of the second toe, or significant impact on daily functioning. Note that a referral for surgery should not be made for cosmetic reasons; the bunion should be impacting your daily life.

If surgery is carried out, there are various methods to do so. The exact choice of surgery will depend on the location and size of the bunion, how it affects your daily functioning, and the surgeon’s recommendations. There’s a great patient information leaflet by the British Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, and I’ve included a link to it in the video description for you to read in your own time.

It’s crucial to remember that any surgical procedure comes with risks, including joint infection, scar sensitivity, joint stiffness, nerve damage, chronic pain, and the possibility of the bunion returning. Therefore, it’s essential to weigh these risks against the benefits before making a decision. Your surgeon will be happy to discuss these with you.

Finally, make sure to see a doctor if the pain hasn’t improved after trying home treatments for a few weeks, if it’s stopping you from doing your normal activities, if your bunions are getting worse, or if you have diabetes, as foot problems can be more severe in diabetic patients.

If you found this post helpful, please consider booking a consultation to scale your medical brand on YouTube or sponsor the videos with your products. Your support helps us continue to provide valuable medical education. Thank you for reading, and take care of those feet!