An estimated one in three Americans have bunions, a painful foot deformity that can limit your mobility. At C&S Foot and Ankle, Camille Christensen, DPM, and Scott Norris, DPM, specialize in bunions treatments to correct joint deformities in your big toe and ease pain and other symptoms. The team offers both conservative therapies and surgical procedures, so you can get back to your routine with minimal downtime. Call the office in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for bunions or book an appointment online today.
request an appointmentWhat are bunions?
Bunions are bone deformities that affect the joint at the base of your big toe. They form when your toe bones move out of place due to pressure on the joint. You can also develop a Tailor’s bunion, also known as a bunionette. This deformity affects the joint at the base of the pinky toe.
This joint misalignment forces the big toe sideways toward the smaller toes and can increase your risk for other toe deformities, including hammertoes, and joint conditions like arthritis.
Wearing shoes that are too narrow or too tight is the most common cause of bunions. You may also be at risk for developing bunions due to:
- Flat feet
- Foot injuries
- Neuromuscular conditions
- Inherited foot structure issues
Without treatment, bunions can become painful and limit your mobility. They can also lead to joint deformities that become more difficult to treat.
When should I seek medical attention for bunions?
You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at C&S Foot and Ankle if you have bunion symptoms like:
- Bulging bump on your big toe joint
- Joint swelling or pain
- Corns
- Calluses
- Restricted movement of your big toe joint
Initially, the team performs a physical exam of the affected toe. They may also order an X-ray or other diagnostic imaging test of your toe joint to determine which treatment is right for you.
How are bunions treated?
Your treatment plan for bunions or bunionettes (Tailor’s bunion) depends on the severity of your joint deformity and your symptoms.
The C&S Foot and Ankle team may initially recommend lifestyle changes and footwear improvements to decrease pressure on your toe joint. You should select shoes featuring a wide toe box that offers room for your toes.
Nonsurgical treatments available for bunions include:
- Bunion pads
- Bunion slings
- Custom foot orthotics
- Voltaren topical gel (for joint pain relief)
- Corn and callus removal
If conservative therapies aren’t enough to relieve bunion pain, the team may recommend a bunionectomy – the surgical bunionectomy recommended is dependent on every patient’s individual deformity. They use surgical techniques to remove inflamed tissue surrounding the big toe joint and realign the bones to correct the deformity.
The foot specialists also offer Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, an outpatient surgical procedure to correct the root cause of the joint deformity – a misaligned joint. The surgeons fuse the bones using titanium plates to allow for correction of the deformity in all three planes. increase the joint’s stability.
Schedule a diagnostic evaluation for painful bunions online or call C&S Foot and Ankle today to book an appointment.
