You may be able to manage bunions at home using certainbunion treatmentsand devices.
However, these remedies usually provide only temporarily relief.
For severe bunions or pain, surgery may be necessary to shrink a bunion and properly align the joint.
SKashkin / Getty Images
SKashkin / Getty Images
What Causes Bunions?
it’s helpful to understand what they are and how they form.
Joint instability due to abnormal motion and pressure over the MTP joint iswhat causes bunions.
Reducing inflammation lessons swelling, which can shrink the size of a bunion to a certain degree.
The following remedies are all ways of relieving bunion pain and lessening inflammation without surgery.
In the interim, you might reduce the pressure on your big toe joint by using bunion pads.
Bunion pads are sometimes made from moleskin or are gel-filled.
Bunion pads should allow enough room to comfortably accommodate your toes when wearing shoes.
They reduce pressure, which reduces pain.
Bunion Stretches
There are somebunion exercisesand stretches you might do to help reduce pain.
Bunion stretches include doing big toe circles, spreading your toes, and doing heel raises.
you’re free to also consult with your healthcare provider about prescription-strength options to reduce pain.
Toe Splints and Braces
In some cases,orthoticsand similar devices can correct bunions naturally.
Devices like toe splints and braces you wear overnight are aimed at reducing morning stiffness in the affected joint.
While they may be able to provide temporary relief, they may not work as long-term treatment for bunions.
Is There a Cure For Bunions?
Talk to yourpodiatrist(foot doctor) or other healthcare provider treating you for bunions about all your options.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons cautions that inadequate quick fixes can do more harm than good.
Bunion surgery realigns by repositioning the toe bone and surrounding tendons, ligaments, and nerves.
It shrinks bunions and alleviates the pain.
Remember that even with surgery, there is no quick fix to get rid of a bunion.
Bunion surgery recovery takes up to six months, with follow-up visits sometimes necessary for up to a year.
However, bunions dont shrink, dissolve, or reverse from these treatments.
Surgery can realign your toe joint to its correct position and reduce pain.
Bunion surgery has a high success rate, and recovery time takes up to six months.
Talk to your podiatrist about bunion treatment options that make sense for you.
American Podiatric Medical Association.Bunions.
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.What to do about bunions.
Bunion: Strengthening foot muscles to reduce pain and improve mobility.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.
Northwest Surgery Center.Do bunion splints work?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).Bunions.
2022;61(5):1001-1006. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2022.01.001
