How to Relieve Painful Bunions Without Surgery
Every day, you need your feet to keep you moving. Unfortunately, pain can hinder you from getting your daily tasks done or from enjoying the summer heat by walking in sandals or barefoot.
Fortunately, several solutions exist to relieve the symptoms of hallux valgus and therefore allow you to enjoy your vacations in peace.
Hallux valgus or bunions occur when the bone at the big toe joint is displaced. When this happens, the pressure on the joint increases over time and the big toe is pushed inwards towards the rest of the toes. This results in a large and painful lump sitting at the big toes’ joint.
Bunions can cause incredible pain and can make wearing shoes difficult. In some cases, patients have difficulty walking and maintaining their balance. For this reason, it’s best to speak with a foot professional to get proper diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Hobeychi, podiatrist and owner of the Clinic et Centre de Chirurgie Podiatrique, has more than 25 years of experience and has performed over thousands of minimally invasive podiatric surgeries. Bunion surgeries are only done in moderate or severe cases.
However, there are ways other than surgery in order to provide temporary relief from the pain caused by bunions.
Remember that one of the leading causes of bunions are shoes that don’t fit your feet well. Choosing the right type of shoes is essential in order to avoid the risk of increased deformity of the feet, but also in order to be able to walk without suffering. Shoes with wide toe areas leave room for the affected toe and therefore reduce the pain caused by hallux valgus.
Avoid high heels, pointed shoes and walking barefoot. If possible, you should opt for shoes that provide great support to the foot. As for the insole, it is preferably removable so that it can be replaced by a plantar orthosis if necessary.
Manufactured and prescribed by a podiatrist, orthosis is an orthopedic device that is custom-made to adapt perfectly to the shape of your foot. Its purpose is to correct, compensate or even preserve the functions of lower limbs. In the case of bunions, the role of the plantar orthosis is to redistribute the weight under the foot in order to reduce pressure on the joint and provide better comfort to the patient.
Wearing a splint at night or when not wearing shoes can also help set your affected foot straight and ease discomfort. While you can do this yourself, it’s better if this is done by a doctor.
Using moleskin or gel pads are also a huge help. They reduce the pressure generated by the shoe and are easily available in drugstores.
You can also turn to shoe inserts or toe separator as they help position your foot correctly. They can be bought over the counter or prescribed by podiatrists.
One of the best ways to relieve big toe pain, since it gets most of the stress and pressure, is through stretching and massage. These slow stretches and movements help increase blood circulation and relieve pressure on the surrounding muscles.
Using your finger, pull the affected big toe back into its normal position and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat these steps two to three times until you feel relief.
For temporary bunion pain relief, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, and a topical analgesic could be a huge help. Depending on its active ingredients, some analgesics provide a cooling sensation that blocks the body’s pain signals, alleviating some of the pain and discomfort. These ointments are readily available in most drug stores, but it’s best to speak to your doctor about this first. You can book a consultation with us within a few days, at the time that suits you best.
After a long day of walking and standing, one of the best things to do is to take a hot, long bath to relax. The same can be done for sore feet and can help provide additional relief to those with hallux valgus.
Relieve bunion pain by soaking your feet in a warm or lukewarm bathtub or head over to a spa for that much-needed foot treatment. For a simple foot bath, add a few tablespoons of Epsom salt, and fill up with water up to ankle level. Soaking your feet for 10 to 15 minutes should help alleviate pain and discomfort. Click here to learn more about homemade recipes to try for your feet.
You can also soak your feet in cold water or apply ice packs for 10 to 15 minutes, many times a day, in order to help lessen the pain by cooling it.
Not only is maintaining a healthy weight essential to one’s overall well-being, but it can also help manage bunion pain too. One of the main jobs of the feet is to provide support throughout the day. For overweight individuals, the extra weight can create additional pressure and stress on the feet when walking or standing.
Maintaining a healthy weight can help relieve the feet of extra stress and gradually result in greater comfort in the long run.
Many people suffer from bunions, bony bumps that form on the base of your big toe in your feet. When bunions persist, it’s possible that other foot-related injuries can occur if bunions are left untreated. Some of these include hammertoes, bursitis, and smaller bunions below the little toes. Thankfully, quick and effective solutions exist for temporary relief after a long day. If the discomfort increases over time or sudden pain arises, it’s always better to seek medical assistance from your podiatric clinic in order to get the best treatment for your condition. If you have bunions and have tried all of the possible home remedies for it, it’s most likely that surgery is the way to go to remove the pain caused by bunions and prevent complications.