Johnetta Granzin

Foot Pain Heel Of Foot

Coping With Bunions

Overview
Bunion Pain Sometimes, the big toe can become angled outwards towards the middle of the foot and second toe. This forces the top of the first metatarsal to stick out from the side of the foot at the base of the big toe. If this happens, the bones can become misaligned and a painful bunion can form. It is not known exactly what causes bunions, but wearing badly fitting shoes is thought to make the condition worse. Research also suggests that bunions may run in families. It is thought that bunions are more likely to occur in people who have unusually flexible joints, and that this flexibility may be inherited. In some cases, certain health conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout, may also be responsible for the formation of bunions. These conditions cause pain and inflammation in the joints.

Causes
Many problems that occur in the feet are the result of abnormal pressure or rubbing. One way of understanding what happens in the foot due to abnormal pressure is to view the foot simply. Our simple model of a foot is made up of hard bone covered by soft tissue that we then put a shoe on top of. Most of the symptoms that develop over time are because the skin and soft tissue are caught between the hard bone on the inside and the hard shoe on the outside. Any prominence, or bump, in the bone will make the situation even worse over the bump. Skin responds to constant rubbing and pressure by forming a callus. The soft tissues underneath the skin respond to the constant pressure and rubbing by growing thicker. Both the thick callus and the thick soft tissues under the callus are irritated and painful. The answer to decreasing the pain is to remove the pressure. The pressure can be reduced from the outside by changing the pressure from the shoes. The pressure can be reduced from the inside by surgically removing any bony prominence.

Symptoms
symptoms and problems caused by bunions include pain. You may then have difficulty walking due to pain. Inflammation and swelling at the base of the toe. This sometimes becomes infected. The foot may become so wide that it can be difficult to find wide enough shoes. You may get arthritis in the big toe. The second toe can become deformed. In severe cases, the big toe can push your second toe up out of place.

Diagnosis
Orthopaedic surgeons diagnose bunions on the basis of physical examination and weight bearing x-rays. Two angles are assessed, the intermetatarsal angle, that is between the first and second metatarsals (the bones that lead up to the base of the toes). If this angle exceeds 9? (the angle found in the healthy foot) it is abnormal and referred to as metatarsus primus varus. the hallux valgus angle, that is, the angle of the big toe as it drifts toward the small toe. An angle that exceeds 15? is considered to be a sign of pathology.

Non Surgical Treatment
Nonsurgical treatments such as rest and wearing loose (wider) shoes or sandals can often relieve the irritating pain of bunions. Walking shoes may have some advantages, for example, over high-heeled styles that pressure the sides of the foot. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin, Ecotrin), ibuprofen (Advil, Children's Advil/Motrin, Medipren, Motrin, Nuprin, PediaCare Fever) and naproxen (Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn, Aleve), can help to ease inflammation as well as pain. Local cold-pack application is sometimes helpful as well. To reduce tension on the inner part of the joint of a bunion, stretching exercises are sometimes prescribed. Depending on the structure of the foot and severity of the bunion, custom insole orthotics can slow the progression of the bunion and address underlying biomechanical causes. Inflammation of the joint at the base of the big toe can often be relieved by a local injection of cortisone. Any signs of skin breakdown or infection can require antibiotics. When the measures above are effective in relieving symptoms, patients should avoid irritating the bunion again by optimizing footwear and foot care. Bunions Callous

Surgical Treatment
When deciding whether to have bunion surgery, there are several things to consider including your age, in children, bunion surgery is often delayed because of the risk of the bunion returning, your medical history and general health, problems with wound healing and infections are more likely in certain conditions such as diabetes, you?re also more likely to develop problems if your bunion is caused by a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, your occupation and lifestyle, bunion surgery can make your toes less flexible, and you may be unable to return to the same level of physical activity, your expectations of surgery, bunion surgery has about an 85% success rate, but there's no guarantee that your foot will be perfectly straight or pain-free; the success of surgery depends on the type of procedure, the experience of the surgeon and your ability to rest after the operation, the severity of your symptoms, surgery will usually only be recommended if your bunions are causing considerable pain and non-surgical treatments haven't been unsuccessful (because of the associated risks and complications).