If you are tired of hiding your feet every time you wear a slipper because of that ugly bump jutting out of the base of your toe, its time you started considering some bunion treatment.

Bunions are one of the most common foot ailments that are also very painful. Usually, the big toe becomes a bony bump mainly at its base and might even become red and tender at times. This unusual shape of the big toe might cause a lot of pain and make it difficult for you to wear closed toe shoes.

Bunions are usually formed when the bones in the big toe get misaligned. Sometimes, the toes might even start overlapping a little. How you treat your bunion highly depends on the severity of the growth your bunion has made.

Though the conventional bunion treatment is to get a bunionectomy or surgery done to cut out the bunion, here are some natural remedies that are worth a shot.

Changing shoes

Try to wear comfortable shoes that allow room for your toes instead of wearing peep toes or shoes that might cause it any type of discomfort.

Padding
Try to use over-the-counter bunion pads. You can also ask your doctor to tape your foot in the right position to reduce any kind of stress caused by the bunion and alleviate your pain.

Shoe inserts
Certain shoe inserts can help in distributing the weight of the foot evenly. Arch supports are a great way of treating your bunion. You might have to wear them for a long time, but they help in shaping the feet for the long run.

Apply ice packs
In case your toe or joint is swollen because of the pain, applying an ice pack is a great way of getting rid of the same. It can bring down the inflammation. However, remember not to apply direct ice to your foot as it might harm the skin. Therefore, make it into a pack by wrapping it in a cloth or using a gel ice pack.

Apart from this, here are certain preventive measures that can help reduce your bunion size and pain:

• Avoid activities that might put a lot of pressure on your foot or toes. However, do not give up on exercising altogether.
• Try activities like swimming or bicycling.
• Avoid narrow and tight shoes with high heels. Instead, wear boxed, low heeled shoes with arch supports if possible.
• When you lie down, make sure to elevate your foot so that it is higher than your chest. Apply an ice pack for ten to twenty minutes at once.
• Try to put moleskin around the pressure areas. You can also use felt patches as a part of the bunion treatment as it protects the bunions from being rubbed by your shoes.

In case these home remedies do not work out, here are some medical and surgical methods that might help with your bunion treatment:

Medications

Medications might not help you get rid of your bunions.However, they are good to reduce the pain that comes along with bunion feet.
Use nonprescribed, over the counter medicines like Tylenol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that might help relieve your pain. These include ibuprofen and aspirin. Speak to your doctor about what might suit you the best.

Surgery
Some bunion treatments might require surgery whereas some, might not. It depends on the severity of your bunion as to whether or not you might need it. A bunion surgery is a minor over-night process. This means that you might not have to stay in the hospital for more than a day. It requires nothing more than a local anesthesia to the place of the surgery.

The different types of surgeries might involve:

• Straightening of the big toe by removing a certain part of the bone.
• Removing the swollen tissue around the bunion part of the toe.
• Joining the bones of the affected parts permanently.
• Realigning the elongated bone between the back part of the foot and the big toe so that the abnormal angle of the foot is straightened out.

Considering all of these factors, here are some of the most common surgeries that help in bunion treatment:

Osteotomy
It is the most common of all bunion treatments. This procedure involves removing the bony lump and realigning the bones inside of the big toe. A doctor can fuse distal soft tissue realignment along with it. This corrects the deformity that is in shape and also makes the foot appear normal.

Excision
It involves removing the bunion from the joint of your toe. A false type of joint is formed by the scar tissue. It pins the joint in place with the help of wires that are removed about three weeks after the surgery.

As mentioned, bunion treatment involves a lot of procedures and domestic treatments. Therefore, depending on the severity of your bunions, one can choose the right kind of treatment. You might need to take your doctor’s advice on that!