Is Surgery the Only Treatment for Bunions?

 

 

 

Learn more about treating bunions

Watch more videos by Dr. Waskin

Is surgery the only treatment for bunions? Well, it is the only treatment if you actually want to correct the bunion. But there are things that can be done to make it less symptomatic so you don't have the pain from the bunion, if you need to put the surgery off to a later time.

One of the things you can do is wear properly fitting shoes. A bunion is a bump on the side of your foot, so you need a shoe that won't be pressing against it. That alone can greatly reduce the discomfort of a bunion.

On occasion, we can give some oral anti-inflammatory medications, or sometimes, a small steroid shot into the bunion — if it's really inflamed. For a mild bunion, what we'll sometimes do is fabricate a custom-made shoe insert. It looks like a custom-made arch support that you'd wear in your shoe, and it supports your foot in a manner that reduces the pressure on the bunion.

So, while there are things to do that can symptomatically make it feel better, eventually you're probably going to want to get the bunion fixed for the long-term, because it will get worse and become increasingly symptomatic.

If you'd like more information about bunions, check out the links below. Or, to schedule a consultation, give us a call at 804-320-FOOT (804-320-3668).