Non-Surgical and Surgical Therapies for Bunions

Do I Need Surgery to Remove a Bunion?

The short answer is it depends on the bunion. At Dr. Jack Andrew Harvey’s podiatry office in Manteca, California, we know exactly how you should treat an annoying, painful bunion.

Bunions can form when your big toe pushes against your next toe for a prolonged length of time, from wearing shoes that are too narrow, for example. This causes the joint in your big toe to stick out. Bunions can also be the result of a structural defect in your foot, or arthritis.

At your consultation appointment, Dr. Harvey will examine your foot and usually take some X-rays, to determine how much the bone is affected. He will also rate how much you can move your toe up and down, to determine any loss of range-of-motion.

If the bunion is still small, or it is not painful or swollen, a non-surgical therapy might be indicated. These non-surgical therapies include:

• Splinting or taping your foot, to add support and cushion the bunion
• Pain-relieving medications and possibly cortisone injections in the affected area
• Icing the bunion
• Wearing padding shoe inserts or custom-made orthotic devices or arch supports
• Changing to wide, comfortable shoes and not wearing shoes that cramp your toes

Podiatrists will often suggest one or more of the non-surgical treatment options listed above; however, if there is significant pain or limits daily activities, they may suggest a surgical alternative. Some common surgical treatments performed at Dr. Harvey’s office are:

• Removing part of the bone of your big toe
• Straightening the long bone in your foot, enabling your big toe to be straightened also
• Joining together (fusing) the joints in your toe
• Removing excess, swollen tissue from the toe joint

Dr. Harvey will examine your foot and determine the best treatment for your bunion. If you suffer from painful bunions, you owe it to your feet to stop in and see Dr. Harvey today, your Manteca podiatrist.