While bunions are a common foot ailment, they are not the only potential cause of foot pain. It is possible to misdiagnose a bunion –– or to even overlook it for years at a time. As such, it’s key for health-conscious individuals to understand what bunions are and what symptoms are associated with bunions. What does bunion pain feel like? In short, bunion pain is often described as dull and throbbing. However, bunions can also become sensitive and acutely painful to the touch. And in some instances, bunion pain can even extend to the ball of the foot and the bottom of the leg. Here, we’ll explain more about bunion symptoms and what you should do if you experience bunions yourself: 

Common Bunion Symptoms

Bunions are bony masses that form along the big toe joint. Bunions occur when muscles, tendons, and joints become misaligned within the foot. This misalignment creates pressure on the foot and causes a bunion to form. Bunions can take a long time to develop. Many bunions start out small and painless. However, with time, bunions tend to grow larger and more painful. 

Some common symptoms of bunions include redness, swelling, and throbbing or acute pain in the foot. 

Diagnosing Bunion Pain 

Most people may feel fairly confident in their ability to spot a bunion when they see one. Yet, it’s always dangerous to try to diagnose medical conditions on your own. Bunions can appear very similar to other foot-related issues –– like arthritis or even gout. If you experience bunion pain or notice an unusual bump or lump on your foot, then you should reach out to a podiatrist for assistance. They’ll be able to diagnose the issue correctly and provide you with treatment advice moving forward. 

Dealing with Bunion Pain

As we mentioned above, bunions may at first appear small and innocuous. This can unfortunately lead many individuals to ignore bunions for long periods of time. Not only will this allow the bunion to grow, but it will also make it more painful and more difficult to effectively treat. That’s because the only way to get rid of a bunion for good is to have it surgically removed. 

Though there are a number of non-surgical treatments designed to address bunion pain, none have the capacity to reduce, reverse, or remove a bunion. This means that, at best, products like pads, sleeves, and cushions can only provide temporary pain relief. 

Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery

Thankfully, minimally invasive bunion surgery is a patient-friendly procedure that can effectively remove bunions and alleviate bunion pain. Minimally invasive techniques allow surgeons to remove bunions and correct misalignments in the foot through very small incisions. In turn, this also means that recovery times are significantly shorter for minimally invasive surgeries when compared to traditional bunionectomies. 

Contact Us

Bunion pain may start out as a small annoyance, but it can eventually lead to debilitating and disruptive pain. At Northwest Surgery Center, we can help our patients address bunion pain permanently through innovative minimally invasive surgery. Contact us here to learn more about our processes or to schedule a consultation today.