Bunions are a common foot condition characterized by the development of a bony bump at the base of the big toe. This condition, known as hallux valgus, can cause discomfort, pain, and difficulty in finding properly fitting footwear.
Treatment of Bunions
Treatments are aimed at easing the pain of bunions, but they won’t reverse the deformity itself. These treatments include:
- Choose shoes with a wide toe box and avoid those with pointed toes or high heels.
- Place pads over the area of the bunion to help minimize pain.
- Avoid activity that causes bunion pain, including standing for long periods.
- Use oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Apply an ice pack several times a day to reduce inflammation and pain.
- Try injections of corticosteroids to treat the inflamed bursa sometimes seen with bunions.
- Consider custom orthotic devices.
Surgical Treatment of Bunions
If non-surgical treatments fail and the pain of a bunion interferes with daily activities, it’s time to discuss surgery with a foot and ankle surgeon. Together you can decide if surgery is best for you.
Surgical procedures are designed to remove the “bump” of bone, fix the changes in the bony structure of the foot, and correct soft tissue changes. The length of the recovery period will vary, depending on the procedure or procedures performed.
Dr. K’s AMI-BUNION® surgery offers many benefits over traditional bunion surgery—including a reduced recovery time. Patients typically walk without crutches the day after surgery; some have even returned to work in just one week.
Let Us Help You Put a Stop to Bunion Pain
The thought of foot surgery might be scary, but when you learn about Dr. K's minimally invasive technique for correcting bunions, you will be relieved to learn that there is little scarring and only a few days of downtime. Schedule an appointment in Woodland Hills—or meet Dr. K for a virtual consultation—to find out if AMI-BUNION ® bunion surgery is an option for you.