Learn the Truth about Bunions and Bunion Surgery

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Take this little quiz about bunions and then compare your answers with the answers below from the board-certified podiatrists at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center.

Questions: true or false?

  1. A bunion is a bump that grows on the side of your foot.

  2. Bunions are caused by high heels.

  3. There are many ways to treat a bunion.

  4. You shouldn’t ignore a bunion.

  5. Bunion surgery is extremely painful.

Answers

  1. False. A bunion may look like something’s growing, but it’s not. There’s no outgrowth of bone, but there is bone movement. The joint at the base of your big toe moves out of alignment.

  2. False. Bunions are the result of a problem with how your foot is put together and how it functions. A tendency for the joint to move out of place is usually inherited. Bunions are made worse when you cram your toes into tight shoes or high heels, but these aren’t the actual cause.

  3. True. Treatment for a bunion includes non-invasive methods such as changing the style of shoes you wear, wearing orthotic insoles to relieve pressure on the bunion, taking anti-inflammatory medications, night splints, icing, and resting.

  4. True. Most bunions get worse over time. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the harder it’ll be to get relief. The bony bump will get larger and your big toe will push against your lesser toes. Hard calluses can form between your toes and the lesser toes will also begin to move out of place. Your big toe joint can suffer severe arthritis as a bunion progresses.

  5. False. All bunion surgeries are not the same. To understand all your options, visit one of our board-certified podiatrists Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, Dr. Dan Phan, or Dr. Joseph Saka. We’ll examine your foot, test your toe’s range of motion, take x-rays to determine the extent of the bunion, and get you going on treatment. Bunion surgery is an option if you’re in constant pain and conservative methods aren’t working.

We’ll always be truthful with you about the best way to treat your bunions. Call us in Howell and Jackson (Monmouth County) New Jersey at (732) 905-1110 or contact us online for an appointment.