If you have a bunion, surgery is likely needed, but not inevitable. Surgical intervention will be recommended in severe cases, but there are many things that you and your podiatrist can do to manage bunions non-surgically. Our podiatrist, Dr. Peter Siroka, in Stamford, CT treats bunions frequently. He can help guide you on the best treatment strategy for your bunion.

What are bunions?

Bunions are a deformity of the foot where the big toe joint becomes dislocated. This sometimes leads to a protrusion on the inside of your foot at the junction where the big toe meets the rest of the foot. Decades of stress placed on the foot may lead to the big toe being displaced inwards towards the other toes. In some cases where a bunion has significantly progressed in severity, the big toe may be displaced so much that it lays on top of the second toe. This is known as crossover toe.

Bunions range in severity from a mild nuisance to a very painful condition that impairs your ability to walk. Bunions will progress and get worse if they continue to be exposed to improper stresses and friction. You must take action as soon as possible after being diagnosed with a bunion.

How are bunions treated?

Before surgical intervention is recommended, there are non-surgical measures that you can take to stop or slow down the progression of your bunion. Our podiatrist can guide you in managing your bunions in Stamford, CT. Some conservative measures that Dr. Siroka recommends for managing bunion pain are:

• Make sure your shoes fit well. Shoes should be roomy in the toe area. Squishing of the toes will cause excessive stress and friction on the big toe joint. This will in turn lead to further displacement of the big toe joint, causing your bunion to get worse.
• Shop for new shoes in the evening. Our feet are slightly swollen in the later hours of the day. When buying new shoes, this needs to be considered. Shoes will fit a little differently in the morning.
• Measure the size of your foot each time you buy a pair of new shoes. As we get older, our arches tend to fall and not be as supportive. This causes your feet to flatten and you may need to buy a larger size of shoe than you are used to.
• Maintain a healthy weight, avoiding excess stress on the foot.
• Custom orthotics worn in your shoes may help.
• Pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, may help to alleviate any discomfort.

When the above conservative measures have been tried and failed, surgery will be recommended. Surgery for the removal of a bunion is called a bunionectomy.  This procedure will remove the bunion and correct the anatomy of the foot.

Contact us to schedule a consultation

Take the first step towards treating bunions in Stamford, CT by making an appointment with Dr. Siroka by calling (203) 614-8185.