Painful Bump on Big Toe--Bunion

What is that bump on the side of your big toe? That bump is called a bunion and results from the shifting of your bone and the pressure put against your foot by your shoe. So, what is the bump painful? That bump is painful because as the bones spread farther apart, it causes your shoe to push against your foot even more. With more and more pressure, your foot will hurt more because it’s a lot like if you pushed against your foot harder and harder with your fingers until it hurts so much you pull away.

So, what causes these painful bumps? Nobody is really 100% sure what will cause a bunion. Some theories though are tight shoes, high heels, and hereditary. You really can’t prevent your hereditary genes, but you can prevent the tight shoes and high heels. By making sure that your shoes are properly fitting and that the part of your shoes that covers your toes is the proper shape, you can keep your toes from being squeezed together.

So what can you do for the painful bump on the inside of your big foot? Well, some of the conservative treatments include buying wider shoes to remove the pressure from your foot, put a pad on your big toe so that it keeps the pressure off from your toe and you can use pain killers to help reduce the pain. If your bunion is still painful though, surgical options are available. So what kinds of surgery for bunions are available? There are surgeries that can be used for each level of bunions. There are bunions that are mild, moderate and severe.

What are the bunion surgery risks? Well, there is always the risk that the bunion could come back, the risk that the site could become infected and the risk that healing could take longer. Overall though, bunion surgery is a straightforward and routine surgical procedure.

If you or someone you know has developed a painful bunion, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. We can be contacted at 978) 794-8406. Our offices serve the Stoneham, Newburyport and North Billerica, Massachusetts area. We are happy to announce our new office in North Andover, Massachusetts at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.