Bunions are semi-common deformity that occurs on the side of the foot, near the joint of the big toe. Bunions are a condition that is caused traumatically or congenitally and the most common cause for this is faulty bone structure which is best explained by an internal flaw with your feet’s support system. Another major cause of this condition is the over-use of high heeled shoes which worsens this painful deformity.
A bunion occurs in the big toe, which otherwise known as the Hallux. The Hallux has what is known as the metatarsal bone, where the base of the big toe joins the end of the 1st metatarsal bone. This region of your foot has two accessory bones called the Tibial Sesomoid and the Fibular Sesomoid. The Hallux also contains the medial cuneiform, which is the most crucial bone since it is this bone that provides a very stable connection to the first metatarsal bone. The medial cuneiform provides the foundation of support that you feet need to balance the weight of your body to your feet. If you have instability in your medial cuneiform, the chances of you getting bunions are rather big.
Why you should avoid getting bunions
If you have a family history of bunions, chances are, you are likely to get this bone condition. Bunions can get really painful if not treated at an early stage. This deformity can really cause your feet structure to look crippled. The worst part about it is not that it is deformed; it is the pain that this deformity comes with.
Aside from the hereditary aspect that this condition stems from, bunions are caused by the way you walk. This is also known as Over pronation and it is what causes the tendons and the joints in your feet to become misaligned from each other. Severe cases of this condition will often require surgery, which can become pretty excruciating and it is this reason why you should avoid getting
bunions at all costs.
How painful is bunion surgery?
Bunion surgery like most foot and ankle procedures is known to be really painful, although it is not just the procedure that is excruciating. Oftentimes people find the recovery period to be more painful as the procedure is not simply a shaving of excess bone that causes the swelling of your big toe bone.
Treating bunions are more complicated than that as to correct this, the angle deformity has to be corrected. This means that the bones that correspond to your big toe must all be corrected. This is the bone in your big toe that extends all the way back to the middle of your foot. This will allow your big toe to straighten itself out. The procedure to correct this may involve several different types of surgeries depending on the severity of the condition, where the use of different metal screws, plates, and other forms of hardware are needed to be implanted in your foot.
Furthermore, the recovery time from surgery can range from 6 to 8 weeks of perpetual pain that will need to be regulated through anesthetics and other pain relievers. Without these, the pain is enough to cause lack of sleep and sometimes, fainting episodes, depending on the severity of the condition.
The problem with bunion recovery
Many people have had trouble recovering from bunion surgery. This is because they have all of these high expectations that they will be back to walking properly in no time at all. This expectation has been over exaggerated because the common practice for people who have underwent a surgery have a tendency to become too active without realizing that to correct this condition, they need to take it easy by properly following the rehabilitation program that their doctors recommend for them. This program is designed to heal the foot by regulating and dismissing inflammation that is a product of every surgical procedure.
The moral of this story is never to overestimate a surgical procedure. In allowing your bones and tissue to heal properly, you must give them the necessary time to let nature take its course and allow them to heal properly.
How to avoid bunions
Bunions are a common condition that both men and women get. When they get this condition, they experience excruciating pain in their feet as the bones in their feet are misaligned and deformed. When this occurs, the joints in their big toe stretches towards their pinky toes and with continued stress on their joints, the bunion becomes larger.
When the skin surrounding the bone becomes inflamed and swollen, it causes a lot of pain and difficulty for the person to walk normally. To avoid bunions, it is recommended that you take the following precautionary measures:
- To prevent the formation of bunions, it is recommended that you continuously wear wider shoes
- If you are already showing signs of bunion formation, you should visit your doctor where he or she will prescribe you with medication to relieve pain and inflammation.
- For women who prefer wearing high-heeled shoes, it is recommended that they avoid wearing these because if they have a forming bunion, this will worsen the joint misalignment in their feet.
- Another treatment recommended by most specialists is to dunk your feet in warm water followed by icing you’re the joints in your feet immediately after. This will help to prevent inflammation to your bones and tissues.
- There are also a few silicone padding that can be applied directly to the bunion, which distributes pressure to the areas with pain. This helps to reduce swelling and pain.
If these treatments are not sufficient enough to alleviate pain, you should immediately visit your doctor so that surgery may be performed. If you procrastinate any longer, the condition will worsen and you may find yourself with a severe case of bunions, which will prove to be extremely painful
