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Can I Treat Bunions At Home?

When a person develops bunions, it can make various aspects of life difficult. This bony growth can cause toes to overlap on one another and making fitting into a pair of shoes comfortably next to impossible. While there are a few ways you can treat a bunion at home, seeking out professional help is always encouraged. At Great Neck Family Foot Care, we want to help you keep walking without issue. That is why our expert podiatrist, Dr. Hochstein, would like to share some of the best at-home tips you can try before coming in for your appointment. 

What You Should Know About Bunions

A bunion is a bump that generally forms at the base of the big toe. Bunions occur at joints, where your toes naturally bend. If your big toe pushes against your other toes, they will overlap and cause the big toe bone to stick out. This results in a bunion. The bunion can rub against footwear and cause pain. Some of the most common causes of bunions include: 

  • Neuromuscular problems that affect the feet such as flat feet
  • Footwear that is tight and/or narrow
  • Recurring stress to the foot
  • Previous foot injuries
  • Congenital defects
  • Arthritis

Common At-Home Treatments 

If you have been suffering from bunions and are looking for some relief prior to scheduling an appointment with a podiatrist, our team would reccommend the following tips to try: 

  • Switch up your socks 
  • Wear wider shoes 
  • Ensure your feet have the proper support 
  • Ice 
  • Stretch 
  • Rest

How Can A Podiatrist Help?

While the above treatments may bring you some quick relief, the pain will likely persist. If this is the case, seeking out the help of our podiatrist, Dr. Alec Hochstein, should be your next step. When left untreated, bunions will typically begin to grow larger, causing more pain. Depending on the severity of your bunion, we will likely suggest one of the following surgical or non-surgical treatment options: 

  • Wearing splint while sleeping to help encourage proper joint alignment.
  • Cortisone injections.
  • Having corns or calluses removed. 
  • Bunionectomy.
  • Surgery to remove the bunion and also realign your toe. 

Schedule An Appointment

At Great Neck Family Foot Care, our team knows that even after making use of at-home treatments, sometimes the symptoms that come along with bunions can be unbearable. When this is the case, professional medical intervention will be required. Our expert podiatrist, Dr. Hochstein, can provide the treatment methods needed for you to get back to being pain-free. To schedule your much-needed appointment, contact our team today.