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Columbia Orthopedics Services

Diagnosis & Treatment

Bunions (Hallux valgus)

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How are Bunions Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

People can clearly see a bunion on their feet, especially if one foot looks different from the other. A doctor can diagnose a bunion by looking at and examining the patient’s foot and through an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the level of internal changes in the foot bones and joints.

How are Bunions Treated?

Treatments

Treatments for bunions include self-care, nonsurgical, and surgical treatments. Bunions do not go away on their own. Nonsurgical treatment approaches aim to help relieve symptoms.

Self-care and nonsurgical treatments

Ways to relieve the pain and discomfort of a bunion include:

  • Footwear – wearing wide, comfortable shoes with low heels that don’t press on the bunion
  • Pain relieving medication – common over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen, or topical anesthetics such as voltaren or lidocaine gel may help reduce pain
  • Padding – using over-the-counter bunion pads or cushions
  • Toe spacers - are placed between the toes to relieve toe crowding
  • Shoe inserts - are available without prescription and provide cushion, which may help reduce pressure on the bunion
  • Orthotics - are prescription insoles that are worn inside a shoe and may help reduce pain

Surgery

Doctors recommend surgery when the bunion causes significant pain not relieved by nonsurgical treatment.

Several surgical procedures for bunions are available, and the doctor selects the specific procedure depending on the bone and joint condition of the bunion.

In most cases, bunion surgery includes:

  • Correcting the alignment of one or more bones or joints by making cuts in the bones and fixing them with pins, screws, or plates to keep them straight until the bones heal
  • Removing the bump from the toe joint is part of other procedures. This procedure is rarely done in isolation.
  • Repairing the soft tissues around the big toe that are damaged or stretched out or releasing soft tissues that are tight and pulling the big toe towards the small toes

Bunion removal surgery is typically an outpatient procedure that is done under anesthesia. The surgical time varies depending on the specific situation.

Recovery after surgery and rehabilitation

Sutures are typically removed about two weeks after bunion surgery, and specific wraps or toe spacers are used for six to 12 weeks to help keep the big toe straight. It takes several months to heal from the surgery fully. Each patient’s recovery, pain management, dressing care, and physical therapy routine can be specific to their case. Patients should discuss recovery with their surgeons.

FAQs

FAQs

A bunion may cause pain, swelling, and inflammation at the big toe joint and around the big toe. Symptoms may get worse when wearing tight shoes and sometimes when walking.

Genetics probably plays a factor in the development of bunions, but the exact causes are not fully understood. Wearing tight shoes and high heels may worsen a bunion but is not considered the sole cause of the development of a bunion.

Once bunions are developed, they don’t go away on their own and often continue to look bigger over time. Only surgery can correct a bunion, but it is typically recommended only if the bunion causes significant foot pain and toe deformity.

A bunion surgery can take from 45 minutes up to 3 hours, depending on the bunion and the specific procedures selected to correct it.

Bunions typically don’t cause leg pain.

No, you can’t correct bunion deformity without surgery, but nonsurgical treatments can help relieve pain and discomfort caused by bunions.

Get Care

Receive Treatment for Bunions at NewYork-Presbyterian

Orthopedic specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian evaluate and treat every type of foot and ankle condition, from common foot issues to complex trauma and sports injuries that require advanced surgery.

Learn about the foot and ankle conditions we treat, and contact us to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic specialist for a consultation.