Onions you say?
No, I meant bunions.
What are bunions?
Your typical view of how a foot should look like is probably the following:
However, for people with bunions, that is not the case.
We also know this condition as hallux valgus, and it is when the big toe is pushed towards the second toe in the foot. We can notice this condition by observing a foot’s appearance
Causes
There are many possible causes to bunions. For instance, certain bone structures in the feet are more prone to getting bunions than others. These bone structures are usually hereditary. Sometimes bunions are caused by other conditions such as arthritis and Marfan syndrome. Moreover, bunions can also be caused by wearing poorly fitting shoes.
Symptoms
For those with bunions, there is usually a swelling area at the base of the big toe. The pain from the swelling can get worse from intense exercise or wearing tight shoes. Due to the structure of the toes, people tend to get calluses on the inner edge of their feet. Some people may have the deformed bone structure of bunions, but they do not experience as much pain or any pain at all.
Treatment
Currently, there are two options for those who have bunions. One of the options is to get surgery, and the other option is to try to mitigate the pain by other means.
There are various options that could reduce the pain in the big toe. For example, wearing shoes with wide toe boxes and lower heels can help mitigate the irritation in the bunion area. One can also use special orthotics to reduce the pressure near the bunion area. Aside from that, there are different types of splints that people can wear to lessen the pain. Sometimes turning one’s feet inward while walking can lead to the development of bunions. This is caused by stiff calf muscles, and it can be prevented by doing calf stretches. Although all of the methods mentioned above can not get rid of bunions, people can try them to lessen their pain.
Surgery
Surgery is the option for people who already tried all the other options and their pain still is so severe that it is interfering with their daily lives. There are different types of surgeries a person can receive depending on their case and the doctor’s experience. Some surgical procedures can include removing parts of the bunion, cutting the bones to realign them into a normal position, and fusing parts of the joints together. However, surgery is not the first recommended option, and people should see it as a last resort to lessen the pain. This is due to the possible risks of the surgery such as having less mobility in the toes, having bone and tissue infections, and having bunions again after the surgery.
Personal experience
As an active person, my bunions have been bothering me for a long time. I’ve had bunions since I was young because most of my family has them. Over the years, I’ve tried all the methods mentioned above other than surgery to correct my bunions. Although the methods didn’t fix my bone alignment, they still managed to ease the pain in my big toes.
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