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.
