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What You Need To Know About Bunions And Bunion Surgery

27 August 2021 by Hugh Larson

If you have a bunion, you know that having one can make wearing shoes painful and buying shoes that fit correctly difficult. Thankfully, bunion surgery can be performed to correct the deformity.

What Is a Bunion?

A bunion is a bump that forms over time on the base of your big toe. It's also possible for smaller bunions, tailer's bunions, to show up on your little toe. Bunions can occur when some of the bones in your foot get moved out of the correct place. A bunion will stick out on your foot, sometimes causing your big toe to turn and overlap with your other toes. 

What Causes a Bunion?

To this day, doctors aren't completely sure what causes a bunion to form, but they have theories. 

They believe the following things can increase the risk of bunions:

• Stress on the foot
• Poor-fitting shoes
• Arthritis
• Genetics

To prevent getting bunions, it's important to choose shoes that have enough room for your toes to wiggle around comfortably and not press your toes together.

Bunion Surgery

Before surgery becomes an option, you may be asked to wear better-fitting shoes or try a medication to reduce the swelling. If those actions do not help, then surgery will be offered to you. 

The goal of bunion surgery is to reduce the pain it causes and correct the form of your foot. Bunion surgery is generally considered medically necessary. Therefore, your insurance will cover a portion of the cost. 

It is likely that you will be awake for the surgery, but your foot will be numbed using anesthesia. During the surgery, your doctor will realign and remove any bone, tendons, or ligaments that are causing the bunion to worsen. Once your doctor finishes that, they will stitch and bandage your foot. It is possible to go home on the same day of the surgery, depending on how you and your foot react. 

After the Surgery

After the surgery is complete, it will be important to keep your foot elevated as much as possible. 

You will also be instructed to do the following:

• Limit walking
• Rest
• Apply ice
• Regularly change dressings
• Responsibly take medication or pain relievers

There will be a follow-up appointment to remove your stitches after a couple of weeks. This would be the time to talk to your doctor about any concerns you've had during the recovery process. 

Always alert your doctor about:

• Fever
• Redness
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Pain

To prevent bunions from recurring, make sure to wear comfortable and roomy shoes at all times. 

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