Bunion: An Overview & its Types

Bone deformity of the joint at the base of the big toe is known as a bunion. The main prodrome behind bunion is the big toe pointing towards the other toes on the same foot which often compel the foot bone attached to it to stick outwards. Some of the symptoms of a bunion are:

You will see a bony and swollen bump on the outside edge of your foot.

Pain and swelling over your big toe joint due to pressure from wearing shoes.

You might find hard, red and callused skin by your big toe and second toe overlapping or the sore skin over the top of the bunion.

Therefore, these symptoms can sometimes get worse if left untreated, so it is always best to concern podiatric surgery Baltimore where a doctor will ask about your symptoms and also examine your foot carefully. Bunion often takes place slowly over time and finally gets bigger and sticks out.

One of the main reasons behind bunion is; shoes that don’t fit well or conditions that often make your joints swell and hurt such as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, people suffering from bunion should not wear high heeled or pointed shoes.

In order to ease the swelling and pain of a bunion, you can apply some crushed ice by wrapping it in a towel.

Here are some of the different types of a bunion:

Bunion with skin irritation: Some bunions are more acute and cause more symptoms as compared to others. The bump on the side of the big toe joint may be red and distressing, rubbing against the shoes. Therefore, when you are suffering from large and irritated bunion you need to have the shoes that have a wide enough toe box.

Large bunion

In this, the foot has large bunion at the big toe joint and a tailor’s bunion at the pinkie toe. This type is likely to be easily viewed with the help of an X-ray.

Bunion with Hallux Limitus

Bunion of this type is often found with the condition known as hallux limitus which is identified by a limited range of motion at the big toe joint. Thus, the limited range of movement leads to jamming of the big toe joint which can cause a bunion to rise on the top of the big toe joint.

Tailor’s bunion

In this kind of bunion, a bump forms on the pinkie toe side of the foot. It is mainly caused due to abnormal foot structure or function. This bunion occurs on the outside of the foot rather than the inside.

Therefore, the main reason behind bunion is ill-fitting shoes. Your podiatrist may recommend surgery when your bunion is causing pain for at least a year. It is always recommended by doctors to stay away from footwear that is tight, pointed or crowd your toes.

Since 1965, we have been involved in providing quality bunion treatments under the supervision of bunion surgeons. We ensure that the right treatment is given to the patient, while our doctors have special training and expertise in the management of bunion surgery.