How Can I Get Bunion Relief?
Posted March 20, 2009 by Mister Knowitall
I’ve got a bunion on my right foot and it’s been bothering me a lot lately. What can I do to get some relief from bunions?
Except in some rare genetic cases, bunions are caused by putting too much pressure on one side of your foot where the toe meets the foot. It causes bending and deforming of the joint which produces a knobby bump that can be painful by itself and also cause the soft tisues around it to swell and become painful. A big toe bunion is known simply as a bunion, but a little toe bunion (or pinky toe bunion) is known as a bunionette.
To relieve bunion pain, in the short term, a doctor may recommend pain relievers and possibly anti-inflammatory drugs. A common drug, available over the counter and used for both purposes, is naproxen, better known by the brand name Alleve. Do not exceed the recommended dose without your doctor’s approval, but this can give you some bunion relief while you’re waiting to see your doctor.
Generally, it’s a good idea to get the bunion x-rayed to determine how bad and how advanced the bunion really is. Following that, if the bunion is relatively new and not advanced, the doctor may recommend different shoes, special pads, or custom inserts (also known as orthotics) to provide not only bunion relief, but to partially reverse bunions or even cure bunions.
When a simpler bunion cure is not available, the alternative to curing bunions with prophylactic measures is surgery. Bunion surgery is not advised except in the case of severe bunions that are limiting your ability to do everyday activities. Surgery for bunions is not guaranteed to work and any surgery carries some risk. If your painful bunion is literally crippling you, your doctor may consider bunion surgery, but otherwise he/she will look into non-surgical ways to treat bunions and have you try those bunion treatments first.
There is no medicine that will prevent bunions or cure bunions and surgery for bunions is not recommended except in extreme cases. If you want to avoid bunions, wear shoes that are comfortable and with a flat or low heel. Tight shoes and high heels are common causes of bunions. WebMd offers a great guide to finding good shoes for different foot problems.
The best thing is to go to your doctor as soon as you’re reasonably confident you have a bunion. The earlier it is caught and treated, the more likely you can do something to stop your bunion or cure your bunion.
