Bunions Treatment – My Story

Hi this Meryl, if you’re searching for a bunions treatment which is going to give you the most relief from your big toe joint pain, then I am so glad you have found my blog. And I strongly recommend that you keep on reading. Because this is my uncensored story about the discomfort and the foot pains that I go through every day.

I’ll reveal to you what treatments have given my big toe joint ’sweet’ relief, and finally what I currently use that give me the most relief, without having bunion surgery to correct the deformity. I’ll also cover (briefly) what shoes you should absolutely not wear.

Bunions are an inherited problem from which the women of my family have long suffered. My mother has severe bunions, as did her mother. The deformed, swollen and bony calluses protruding from my mums feet, along with the tenderness and pain she suffers every day was enough of a ‘wake up call’ for me that I had to find a bunions treatment to correct my toe alignment and ease the mild pains I get in my feet.

Find out which bunions treatments will give you the most relief, by clicking this link.

Other common symptoms of bunions include:

  • Swelling of your big toe joint
  • Your big toes grow at angles, awkward to your feet
  • Toes overlapping, which causes inflamed hard and callused skin
  • Change in the shape of your foot

What Causes Bunions?

I know that my own foot problems are genetic, however the exact cause of bunions is not known. So I’ve done extensive research both on the internet and in my local library to see what I could uncover about bunion causes.

But, what we DO know is that wearing improperly fitting shoes, high heels in particular, DO make this foot condition worse. Any podiatrist will recommend footwear that is made of soft leather (to relieve pressure on the bunion), and that is either flat or has a low heel.

And other probable causes which I dug up are health conditions like arthritis, neuromuscular problems, flexible joints, bad muscle tone and loose ligaments (a term given for ligamentous laxity).

What Bunions Treatment Worked Best For Me?

I hope you understand (if you have not read my ‘about me’ section), that I not a doctor or a health expert in any way, just that I have bunions (albeit mild, right now), so I know exactly how you feel about this orthopedic condition and can point you in the right direction, when it comes to finding relief and using orthotics.

I’ve tried bunions shoes, toe separators, cushions and pads and a variety of splints. But you must understand, like my doctor has ‘drummed’ into me, that a re-alignment surgical procedure is the only way to get rid of a bunion.

There are several surgical procedures which can be done to treat your bunion, such as tendon release or fusing together two bones in your big toe joint. The latter is for more serious foot conditions, and after which you will not be able to bend that big toe at the metatarsophalangeal joint.

So if your bunion is causing you pain and affecting the way you live, your doctor may refer you to a orthopedic surgeon for consultation.

However, if you have the same mild symptoms as I do, YOU WILL want to find a bunions treatment that is going stop those horrible bony calluses from getting worse.

Find out what bunion treatments I use to cure my pain and correct my toe alignment, by clicking here.

October 3rd, 2011 | Category: bunion treatment | Leave a comment

How to Treat a Bunion

There are several ways you can treat a bunion, but the type of treatment will depend on how mild or severe your foot condition is. If you have a mild bunion you may be able to just use painkillers, anti-inflammatories and an ice pack, as described in my article titled bunions treatment without surgery, and you will probably find relief.

However, if your foot problems are more severe I would recommend using one of the following products (which I wear):

  • Bunions cushions/pads
  • Silicone toe separator
  • Splints

Bunion Cushion

A bunion cushion or pad is usually made from soft latex foam or soft silicone gel, which bonds to your foot with waterproof adhesive. They ease pain by cushioning hard skin and calluses, which softens and reduces friction and the pressure you can feel when wearing shoes.

Bunion Cushion

The thin design of cushions means that they are comfortable to wear with most types of shoes. They are also washable, so will remain effective for several months.

Toe spacers, also called toe stretchers give you pain relief by separating the big toe and the second toe. They work by re-aligning the toes which reduces pressure on the bunion joint, which eases your pain.

Toe Seperator

You can wear toe spacers with most types of shoes, which makes wearing shoes (if you have a bunion) a lot more comfortable. They are anatomically shaped to help with the alignment, (as shown in the picture) and will correct overlapped or crooked toes, with a kind of straightening effect of the first toe.

Bunion Splints

I have toe spacers, and have gotten some relief, but I must confess that I have not used pads or cushions. My preference is to use two types of bunion splint, one for the day and one for the night.

  • Hinged bunion splint
  • Hook and loop night splint

Bunion Splint

Whilst the splint I use during the daytime can also be worn at night, I much prefer to use a night splint which was specifically recommended to me by my podiatrist for using at nighttime. The footsmart brand is really effective. This splint corrects bunions and musculoskeletal conditions by stretching the toe muscles and tendons back to their proper place. There are other manufacturers such as pedfix, however I have found that footsmart is much more comfortable.

While the soft foam rests on the area which is inflamed or tender, the plastic brace holds your toe in position, which alleviates pain caused by the bunion and crooked toe. The bunion night splints innovative hook and loop design is adjustable, which allows the most relief and best treatment.

During the daytime I wear a Bunion Aid hinged splint, which is comfortable to wear with or without shoes if I am just relaxing, sat on the couch reading a book. It is as rigid as a night splint, but provides you with the comfort of a soft day version.

Because they are flexible and thin, you can wear them very easily with wide fitting shoes or boots. But, as I’ve already said, they can be worn very comfortably if you are just wearing socks, slippers or even if you are barefoot.

Important: I must pass on to you information that my foot doctor told me about corrective orthotics and splints. You must not start off wearing splints for longer than recommended, because the alignment corrections which these devices make don’t happen immediately. They occur over a period of time.

The suggested time for wearing them when you first get them is a maximum of twenty minutes. You should then gradually build up the length of time to three hours per day maximum.

You should also be aware that if you have diabetes or circulation problems, that they are NOT recommended for you.

I would love to hear about other peoples orthopedic health problems, so please share them. Until next time, when I will talk about bunion surgery, please take care. I do hope you found this article on how to treat bunions helpful. If you did or if you have any of your own suggestions, please leave me a comment in the box below.

September 26th, 2011 | Category: Cure for Bunions | Leave a comment

Bunions Treatment Without Surgery

Hi, this is Meryl and thanks for reading my blog. I have suffered with mild bunions problems for a few years and because I have a family history of bunions, a little while ago I started to fear that it may get worse. I have visited my doctor a few times, who prescribed me painkillers, anti-inflammatories and also gave me a few ideas, but his final word was that he thinks I should have corrective surgery  to relieve the symptoms. But I am not ready for surgery just yet, I don’t think the pain is bad enough.

So this led me to seeking out a bunion treatment that did not involve surgery. And I found several options, which is what I will share with you as this blog grows.

I’ve already discussed painkillers, and pharmaceuticals are usually a doctors first choice for some reason. But that being said, if the pain is bad enough that they bring you some relief, then why not?

Before that, and something I had already tried before seeing my doctor, was ice packs. An ice pack will reduce the inflammation, if your toe joint is particularly painful.

I do recommend trying this, but remember not to place the ice pack directly on your skin because it will burn! First wrap the pack in as thin as towel as you can find, then leave it on the painful area for around twenty minutes. If it gets too cold and becomes uncomfortable, remove the pack immediately. I recommend using the ice pack several times throughout the day

In my next article, I will give a few more ideas on types of bunions treatment you can use without getting surgery, but for now try the ice packs and see how much relief it gives you.

 

September 26th, 2011 | Category: Cure for Bunions | Leave a comment