What Causes Bunions?

Your podiatrists at Michigan Feet, Dr. Lawrence Brown, Dr. David Beneson, and Dr. Paul Constantino, can help with all your foot ailments including bunions in Center Line, and Royal Oak, MI. Bunions can be unsightly, and painful, and make footwear uncomfortable, but we can help you find relief.

Causes of Bunions

A bunion is a bone deformity that forms and grows over time, most commonly due to prolonged use of constrictive footwear. Bunions are more common in women due to high heels and constrictive footwear, but anyone can develop a bunion.

When all the toes are forced together like in a high heel or shoe with a tight toe box, the big toe joint protrudes and rubs against the footwear. This causes discomfort and inflammation, and over time, forms a bunion. You are at greater risk of developing a bunion if you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or if your family members develop bunions.

How We Can Help

Our podiatrist can help with your bunions in Center Line, and Royal Oak, MI. Various treatments ease the pain and help realign your toe. Your podiatrist will always recommend wearing comfortable, supportive footwear with a large toe box that gives your toes room to wiggle at all times. When your toes can be spread out it relieves pressure from footwear on the big toe joint.

Treatments for bunions include:

• Custom orthotics you wear in your shoes that help realign the bones in your foot as you walk.
• Pads to cushion the bunion and make you more comfortable in footwear.
• Splints you wear at night to help straighten the big toe.
• Pain relieving medications for pain in the toe joint.

Typically bunion surgery, or a bunionectomy, is only used when the bunion has become very large and you haven't responded to other treatments. It is still a very safe procedure that removes the bunion and realigns the bones in your foot.

Treat Your Bunions Today

To treat your bunions in Center Line, and Royal Oak, MI, Dr. Lawrence Brown, Dr. David Beneson, and Dr. Paul Constantino are your podiatrists at Michigan Feet. Contact us for an appointment in Center Line, MI at (586) 758-5770, and in Royal Oak, MI at (248) 435-4777.