Treating Your Bunions

Treating Your Bunions

Bunions often begin painlessly with no obvious complications. However, bunions grow slowly over time. This means that complications bunionswith your bunions could present themselves little by little, affecting your daily life before you know it. If you feel as though your bunions require treatment, your podiatrist can help. Learn more about bunions with your doctor at Family Foot and Ankle Care in Chandler, AZ.

Do I have a bunion? 
Bunions form at the base of the big toe and present themselves as a lump or bump which points toward the inside of the foot. The growth is made of bone and is hard to the touch. The bunion itself will probably not cause any pain in its early stages, though, as it progresses, it can cause some more obvious symptoms, including:

  • decreased range of motion of the big toe
  • pain while standing and walking
  • swelling and redness around the bunion
  • overlapping smaller toes
  • corns and calluses where the toes overlap

Diagnosing Bunions 
Bunions are often diagnosable based on a visual confirmation during a physical examination. The bunion’s distinctive bump and the way the toes grow due to its location give your doctor an obvious sign that you have a bunion. If necessary, x-rays can help your doctor see further inside your foot to determine the bunion’s severity or other factors.

Bunion Treatment in Chandler, AZ
Bunions cause the big toe to jut towards the smaller toes, causing them to grow toward the outside of the feet and, eventually, overlap. This misalignment in addition to the bunion’s location, which bears most of the body’s weight, can cause some serious issues with pain and walking. While bunions in their earliest stages may only require that patients wear better fitting shoes and regular foot examinations to ensure the bunion does not grow. However, more severe cases require bunion surgery to remove the bunion and realign the toes.

For more information on bunions or their treatments, please contact Dr. Alan Discont and Dr. Morten Krahn at Family Foot and Ankle Care in Chandler, AZ. Call (480) 732-0033 to schedule your foot examination with your podiatrist today!