Does your bunion pain keep you from enjoying your favorite activities? Your Sparta, NJ, podiatrist, Dr. Philip Caswell of Family Foot & Ankle Center, offers treatments that can reduce your pain.
How you can ease your bunion pain
Bunions develop when your big toe joint moves out of its normal position, causing a bony bump at the base of your toe. Although symptoms may be mild initially, pain, tenderness and inflammation increase as the bunion worsens. If you have bunions, following a few of these suggestions may ease your symptoms:
- Buy Roomier Shoes: Look for shoes that are wide enough to accommodate your bunions. It's also important to consider the height of the toe box if your big toe has begun to overlap your second toe. Avoid high-heeled and tight shoes.
- Use Ice and Pain Relievers to Control Symptoms: Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication and ice packs reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling and can increase your comfort. Don't use ice packs for longer than 20 minutes at a time. If ice and pain relievers no longer adequately control your pain, your podiatrist may recommend a cortisone injection.
- Reduce Friction with Pads: Applying adhesive pads to your bunions and corns and calluses can improve your comfort when you wear shoes.
- Add Orthotics to Your Shoes: Prescription shoe inserts called orthotics to reposition your foot, decrease pressure, and offer a little extra cushioning. Your Sparta, NJ, foot doctor may recommend orthotics to help reduce your pain and improve your comfort.
- Try Night Splints and Taping: Your podiatrist may also suggest wearing splints while you sleep or taping your foot during the day. These measures help keep your foot properly aligned.
- Exercise Your Foot: Stiffness in your big toe can be a problem if you have a bunion. Simple exercises, such as scrunching a towel with your toes, picking up marbles with your toes, and stretching your big toe can reduce stiffness.
- Consider Surgery: If your bunions interfere with your usual daily activities or your pain is severe, it may be time to think about surgery. During bunion surgery, your podiatrist realigns your big toe joint and removes excess tissue and bone.
Don't let bunion pain take over your life! Call your podiatrist in Sparta, NJ, Dr. Caswell of Family Foot & Ankle Center, at (973) 300-9151 to make an appointment.