If you have a painful and swollen bony protrusion at the base of your big toe joint, it could be a bunion. At Precision Foot & Ankle Center in West Bloomfield, Michigan, board-certified podiatrist Dr. Angela Jacob, DPM, D.ABFAS, FACFAS, offers various bunion treatments to relieve your discomfort and reduce the risk of further joint problems. Call the office to learn more or schedule an appointment online today.
A bunion is a bony bump that develops at the base of a big toe joint. It appears when bones in your foot move from their ideal alignment, causing the tip of your big toe to pull inward and the base of the toe to stick outward. Bunions might be nothing more than a minor nuisance, but sometimes they can cause debilitating pain that restricts your ability to stay active.
The main symptoms associated with bunions are:
Bunion pain may be worse when you exercise or wear certain shoes. When left untreated, bunions can cause bursitis (inflammation), hammertoe, or swelling and pain in the ball of your foot.
If the pain negatively affects your ability to remain active or diminishes your quality of life, see Dr. Jacob for an evaluation.
Anyone can develop bunions, but the common causes and risk factors include:
While you can’t always prevent bunions, wearing comfortable shoes that fit properly helps reduce the risk.
Dr. Jacob diagnoses bunions after reviewing your medical history, lifestyle, and symptoms, and examining your feet and toes. She may perform onsite X-rays to determine the most appropriate way to treat a bunion, and lets you know what to expect during treatment.
Depending on the extent of the tissue damage and severity of your symptoms, Dr. Jacob may recommend one or more of the following treatments:
In severe cases, surgery may be the best way to restore the toe joint structure and ease ongoing pain. Dr. Jacob offers different, up-to-date procedures to remove damaged tissues, repair affected tissues, and realign painful joints, including minimally invasive surgery. Full recovery after surgery could take a few weeks or months.
To get treated for bunions, alleviate pain, and restore musculoskeletal function, call the Precision Foot & Ankle Center office or schedule an appointment online today.