Early Signs of Bunions: What to Do Once You See Them

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVisual SignsPhysical SignsStagesPreventionNonsurgical TreatmentWhen to Consider Surgery

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Visual Signs

Physical Signs

Stages

Prevention

Nonsurgical Treatment

When to Consider Surgery

Abunion, also calledhallux valgus, refers to a bony and often painful bump on the side of the big toe. This is most commoncause of bunionsis a misalignment of the big toe.

Early signs of bunions include redness, thickened skin, swelling, and tenderness around your big toe joint. While you can’t reverse a bunion’s growth, you can manage your symptoms along the way.

This article will discuss the early signs of bunions, as well as pain management and treatment options.

Bunions and Overlapping Toes

Early (Visual) Signs of Bunions

At first, bunions start small and don’t cause many obvious problems. In the early stages of abunion, you may notice the following symptoms around yourmetatarsophalangeal(MTP) joint, which connects the base of your big toe to the rest of your foot:

Early (Physical) Signs of Bunions

While bunions may not be visually obvious right away, they can cause discomfort even in the beginning stages. Here are some early physical signs of a growing bunion:

Do Bunions Form in Stages?

Bunions are often progressive, meaning that they get worse over time. If you don’t take steps to prevent your bunions from growing, you may develop complications. The following symptoms are associated with bunions in advanced stages:

Can Anything Stop Bunions From Progressing?

Once bunions have started to develop, they will become permanent. However, there are a few ways to stop them from getting worse or causing further complications. These include:

Bunions and Pain ManagementIce packs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), can help to relieve bunion pain. Studies also suggest that Botox injections into your forefoot muscles can provide pain relief.

Bunions and Pain Management

Ice packs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), can help to relieve bunion pain. Studies also suggest that Botox injections into your forefoot muscles can provide pain relief.

Nonsurgical Bunion Treatment in Early Stages

If your bunions keep getting worse once you take the above self-care steps, you may need treatment from a podiatrist (foot specialist) or another healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may recommend:

Podiatrist ReferralsApodiatristis a medical doctor (M.D.) who specializes in treating health conditions that affect the feet, ankles, and lower parts of the legs. Ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a podiatrist if you’d like help in managing your bunion symptoms.

Podiatrist Referrals

Apodiatristis a medical doctor (M.D.) who specializes in treating health conditions that affect the feet, ankles, and lower parts of the legs. Ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a podiatrist if you’d like help in managing your bunion symptoms.

When to Consider Bunion Surgery

If nonsurgical treatment options don’t work, bunion surgery may be the right choice for you. In a bunion removal surgery, orbunionectomy, anorthopedic surgeonor podiatrist typically removes the bony bump from the side of your toe and takes steps to repair the MTP joint.

You may want to consider bunion surgery if you:

Summary

Bunions affect about one-third of U.S. adults.Although they are common, they can be very uncomfortable and even make it difficult to walk or find shoes that fit.

Early signs of bunions include swelling, redness, and tenderness around the base of the big toe. Over time, your big toe joint may start to stick out more, making it painful to put pressure on your foot.

Talk to a healthcare provider, such as a podiatrist, if you begin to notice early signs of a growing bunion. They can recommend nonsurgical pain management and treatment options to provide relief and help you participate in your daily activities without discomfort.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Bunions.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Bunions.Hurn SE, Matthews BG, Munteanu SE, Menz HB.Effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for hallux valgus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2022;74(10):1676-1688. doi:10.1002/acr.24603Aebischer AS, Duff S.Bunions: A review of management.Aust J Gen Pract. 2020;49(11):720-723. doi:10.31128/AJGP-07-20-5541American Podiatric Medical Association.What is a podiatrist?MedlinePlus Genetics.Bunion.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Bunions.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Bunions.Hurn SE, Matthews BG, Munteanu SE, Menz HB.Effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for hallux valgus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2022;74(10):1676-1688. doi:10.1002/acr.24603Aebischer AS, Duff S.Bunions: A review of management.Aust J Gen Pract. 2020;49(11):720-723. doi:10.31128/AJGP-07-20-5541American Podiatric Medical Association.What is a podiatrist?MedlinePlus Genetics.Bunion.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Bunions.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Bunions.Hurn SE, Matthews BG, Munteanu SE, Menz HB.Effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for hallux valgus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2022;74(10):1676-1688. doi:10.1002/acr.24603Aebischer AS, Duff S.Bunions: A review of management.Aust J Gen Pract. 2020;49(11):720-723. doi:10.31128/AJGP-07-20-5541American Podiatric Medical Association.What is a podiatrist?MedlinePlus Genetics.Bunion.

MedlinePlus.Bunions.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Bunions.

Hurn SE, Matthews BG, Munteanu SE, Menz HB.Effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for hallux valgus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2022;74(10):1676-1688. doi:10.1002/acr.24603

Aebischer AS, Duff S.Bunions: A review of management.Aust J Gen Pract. 2020;49(11):720-723. doi:10.31128/AJGP-07-20-5541

American Podiatric Medical Association.What is a podiatrist?

MedlinePlus Genetics.Bunion.

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