Bunions are not always painful. For some people, they are just there, and they live with them. However, when they get painful and disrupt your life, it is time to get help from a podiatrist. Dr. Timothy Gardner, DPM of Family Foot and Ankle Clinic in Knoxville, TN, a board-certified podiatrist, offers the help that you need to make sure you can walk without pain and wear your shoes comfortably.

Bunion Treatment at Home

Treatment of your bunions begins at home. You need to make sure that the pressure that is causing your bunion is removed from the area of the foot at the base of the big toe. This means changing your shoes. Shoes that cause pressure by being pointed or by having a high heel should be avoided. You may also want to add a pad to protect the bunions from the pressure applied by shoes.

Getting well-fitting shoes that accommodate the deformity can help to make them less painful. For some people, it is the shape of their foot or the construction of the foot that contributes to bunions. OTC orthotics may provide some relief. 

Treatments From Your Podiatrist

If you have tried home remedies to relieve the pain of bunions, and it has not helped, it is time to schedule an appointment with your podiatrist. 

Custom orthotics created by your podiatrist can help to reposition the foot and ankle so that every step that you take does not apply undue pressure on the irritated joint in the toe.  The benefit of custom orthotics is that they are personalized and made for your specific foot. 

Specialized exercise can help to maintain the mobility in the toe joint and stop the development of arthritis in the bunion, which will just decrease mobility and increase pain. Exercises that use your toes to pick up marbles, toe rotations, and stretching are all beneficial. 

Nighttime splints that keep the big toe in the correct alignment are an option, especially for adolescents whose bones have not finished growing. 

Surgical solutions may be the only way to provide the relief that is needed if all the conservative methods have failed to provide relief. The bunion can be removed, and the big toe placed back into alignment. You may have to stay off of your feet for a week or two and keep your foot elevated. In most cases, you should be fully recovered in between six to twelve weeks. 

If you are suffering from painful bunions in Knoxville, TN, it is time to get help. Give the office of Dr. Timothy Gardner, DPM of Family Foot and Ankle Clinic a call at (865) 218-7474 to make an appointment.