A bunion is one of the most common toe deformities that we see here at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists. You can suspect that you’ve got a bunion when:

• the base of your big to juts outward
• your big toe is bent at an angle, possibly pushing into your smaller toes
• you can’t wear shoes that were formerly comfortable
• the base of your big toe causes you a lot of pain.

A bunion is a structural issue – it’s essentially an enlarged joint. So if the basic structure of the base of your toe has changed, can it be changed back? Sure it can, with surgery to restore the joint to its former, natural position.

Last resort

But surgery is always going to be the last treatment that our expert podiatrists recommend. Dr. Heidi M. Christie and Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts can help you minimize your pain with treatments such as

• A recommendation for different shoes – shoes with lots of room in the toe area can go a long way toward minimizing pain. Lower heels can also help.
• Custom orthotics – shoe inserts especially fitted to your feet will take the pressure off your bum toe.
• Exercises and toe massage – stretching the toe joint keeps it flexible and helps relieve pain.
• Medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen reduce inflammation. If these over-the-counter meds don’t help, we can treat bunions with steroid injections.
• Resting and icing the joint also help.

Any of these conservative approaches can slow down or even stop the progression of your bunion.

When a surgery is the only way out

Surgical correction may be the only way to get relief for your bunion. The only way to know for sure is to have your big toe evaluated. X-rays will show us just how advanced your bunion is. They’ll show Dr. Christie and Dr. Day-Houts if other toes are being affected. A full examination will yield the best treatment options for your particular case. Call us in Montgomery, AL at (334) 396-3668 or click here to make an appointment online.