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Table of Contents
Causes
Natural Treatments
Surgery
Ways to shrinkbunionsnaturally or prevent them from worsening include wearing supportive footwear, taking pain medications or using pain-relieving topical creams, doing bunion stretches and exercises, and using ice packs, warm soaks, and gentle massage.
You may be able to manage bunions at home using certainbunion treatmentsand devices. However, these remedies usually provide only temporarily relief. For severe bunions or pain, surgery may be necessary to shrink a bunion and properly align the joint.
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What Causes Bunions?
In treating bunions. it’s helpful to understand what they are and how they form. A bunion (hallux valgus) is a bump on themetatarsophalangeal(MTP) joint, located at the base of the big toe.Bunionettesare a type of bunion that occurs on the little toe, specifically on the fifth metatarsal bone, where it meets the bone of the little toe.
Joint instability due to abnormal motion and pressure over the MTP joint iswhat causes bunions. Several factors can cause this instability, leading to deformity:
Natural Remedies for Bunions
Treating bunions at home can help you manage bunion pain and inflammation.Bunion paincan make it difficult to walk or participate in everyday activities. Reducing inflammation lessons swelling, which can shrink the size of a bunion to a certain degree.
The following remedies are all ways of relieving bunion pain and lessening inflammation without surgery.
Footwear That Fits
Shoes to prevent bunions are shoes with a wide toe box and supportive features for your heels, arch, and soles. Choose shoes with enough room for your toes, making sure that the big toe joint isn’t rubbing against the inside of the shoe.
The 23 Best Shoes for Bunions, Tested and Reviewed
Bunion Pads
Bunion pads are sometimes made from moleskin or are gel-filled. Bunion pads should allow enough room to comfortably accommodate your toes when wearing shoes. These pads can be found in drugstores and shoe stores and are designed to provide cushioning on the affected joint. They reduce pressure, which reduces pain.
Early Signs of Bunions: What to Do Once You See Them
Bunion Stretches
There are somebunion exercisesand stretches you can do to help reduce pain. Bunion stretches include doing big toe circles, spreading your toes, and doing heel raises. Experts say to perform stretches daily to reduce bunion pressure, and increase foot muscle strength and range of motion or mobility.
Pain Relievers
Usingnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen), can help relieve pain and swelling. You can also consult with your healthcare provider about prescription-strength options to reduce pain.
Toe Splints and Braces
In some cases,orthoticsand similar devices can correct bunions naturally. Orthotics are shoe inserts that help take pressure off the affected joint and prevent minor bunions from worsening, but may not help larger ones.
Devices like toe splints and braces you wear overnight are aimed at reducing morning stiffness in the affected joint. While they may be able to provide temporary relief, they may not work as long-term treatment for bunions.
Is There a Cure For Bunions?While thesebunion support devicesmay help bunions from getting worse, they have not been shown to actually shrink, flatten, or correct bunions. Talk to yourpodiatrist(foot doctor) or other healthcare provider treating you for bunions about all your options. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons cautions that “inadequate ‘quick fixes’ can do more harm than good.”
Is There a Cure For Bunions?
While thesebunion support devicesmay help bunions from getting worse, they have not been shown to actually shrink, flatten, or correct bunions. Talk to yourpodiatrist(foot doctor) or other healthcare provider treating you for bunions about all your options. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons cautions that “inadequate ‘quick fixes’ can do more harm than good.”
Other Self-Care Options
Bunion self-care may not shrink or flatten the bunion, but it will help with pain and prevent the bunion from getting larger, more painful, and causing more problems with walking. Some at-home natural methods of bunion self-care include:
These self-care activities can also be helpful for easing symptoms of bunionettes.
Foot Problems People Mistake for a Bunion
Surgery as a Way to Shrink Bunions
Success RateBunion surgery has a high success rate.There are some risk factors that influence surgery success, including bunion severity, a patient’s totalbody mass index (BMI), and whether or not the patient previously had bunion surgery.
Success Rate
Bunion surgery has a high success rate.There are some risk factors that influence surgery success, including bunion severity, a patient’s totalbody mass index (BMI), and whether or not the patient previously had bunion surgery.
No Quick FixThe American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that afterbunion surgery, most people experience less foot pain and are better able to participate in everyday activities, but it’s also important to be realistic about what’s possible. Remember that even with surgery, there is no quick fix to get rid of a bunion. Bunion surgery recovery takes up to six months, with follow-up visits sometimes necessary for up to a year.
No Quick Fix
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that afterbunion surgery, most people experience less foot pain and are better able to participate in everyday activities, but it’s also important to be realistic about what’s possible. Remember that even with surgery, there is no quick fix to get rid of a bunion. Bunion surgery recovery takes up to six months, with follow-up visits sometimes necessary for up to a year.
Summary
Bunions can be managed at home and with the help of a medical professional such as a podiatrist to reduce symptoms. Options include changing footwear if necessary, using pain relievers, doing bunion stretches, and even using nighttime splints. However, bunions don’t shrink, dissolve, or reverse from these treatments.
Surgery can realign your toe joint to its correct position and reduce pain. Bunion surgery has a high success rate, and recovery time takes up to six months. Talk to your podiatrist about bunion treatment options that make sense for you.
Common Causes of Foot Pain
7 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.American Podiatric Medical Association.Bunions.Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.What to do about bunions.Bunion: Strengthening foot muscles to reduce pain and improve mobility.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016;46(7):606-606. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0504Houston Methodist.Bunion pain: How to get relief and when to consider surgery.Northwest Surgery Center.Do bunion splints work?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).Bunions.Wang B, Manchanda K, Lalli L, Wukich DK, Liu GT, Raspovic K, VanPelt M, Nakonezny PA, Johnson MJ.Identifying risk factors for nonunion of the modified lapidus procedure for the correction of hallux valgus.The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2022;61(5):1001-1006. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2022.01.001
7 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.American Podiatric Medical Association.Bunions.Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.What to do about bunions.Bunion: Strengthening foot muscles to reduce pain and improve mobility.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016;46(7):606-606. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0504Houston Methodist.Bunion pain: How to get relief and when to consider surgery.Northwest Surgery Center.Do bunion splints work?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).Bunions.Wang B, Manchanda K, Lalli L, Wukich DK, Liu GT, Raspovic K, VanPelt M, Nakonezny PA, Johnson MJ.Identifying risk factors for nonunion of the modified lapidus procedure for the correction of hallux valgus.The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2022;61(5):1001-1006. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2022.01.001
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.
American Podiatric Medical Association.Bunions.Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.What to do about bunions.Bunion: Strengthening foot muscles to reduce pain and improve mobility.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016;46(7):606-606. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0504Houston Methodist.Bunion pain: How to get relief and when to consider surgery.Northwest Surgery Center.Do bunion splints work?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).Bunions.Wang B, Manchanda K, Lalli L, Wukich DK, Liu GT, Raspovic K, VanPelt M, Nakonezny PA, Johnson MJ.Identifying risk factors for nonunion of the modified lapidus procedure for the correction of hallux valgus.The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2022;61(5):1001-1006. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2022.01.001
American Podiatric Medical Association.Bunions.
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.What to do about bunions.
Bunion: Strengthening foot muscles to reduce pain and improve mobility.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016;46(7):606-606. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0504
Houston Methodist.Bunion pain: How to get relief and when to consider surgery.
Northwest Surgery Center.Do bunion splints work?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).Bunions.
Wang B, Manchanda K, Lalli L, Wukich DK, Liu GT, Raspovic K, VanPelt M, Nakonezny PA, Johnson MJ.Identifying risk factors for nonunion of the modified lapidus procedure for the correction of hallux valgus.The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2022;61(5):1001-1006. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2022.01.001
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