That bony protrusion on your big toe is not only an embarrassment; it’s causing you pain and discomfort. It may be tempting to hide and ignore your bunion, but concealing instead of treating it does more harm than you realize.
Our team of experts led by board-certified surgeon and aesthetic podiatry specialist Dr. Kelly Geoghan takes the guesswork out of bunion treatments, so you can stop neglecting your foot health.
Here’s a closer look at bunions and why you shouldn’t leave them to their own devices.
Bunions form when the bones (typically the bones in your big toe) move out of place, causing the tip of your toe to pull inward and the base to stick out. Even if your bunion begins as a seemingly mild problem, it’s important to know that bunions are a progressive condition.
When we say that bunions are progressive, we mean that they only get worse over time, not better. No matter how hard you try to cover them up, they won’t go away on their own.
In fact, leaving them untreated puts you at risk for a wide range of other foot problems. For example, the way you change your foot movement to compensate for your bunion can lead to calluses and corns on the bottom of your foot or the bunion itself.
There are other cases where untreated bunions cause the cartilage in your metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint to wear down so severely that you develop arthritis in the affected joint. Sometimes, bunions can cause bursitis, which causes the small fluid-filled sacs in your joint to swell and become painful.
In the worst-case scenario, an untreated bunion results in severe problems like difficulty walking.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can treat and even reverse bunions, especially if you catch them in their earliest stages.
We know how difficult it can be to talk about the parts of your body that make you most self-conscious. That’s why Dr. Kelly Geoghan takes a compassionate approach with our patients and offers only the best, most advanced treatments.
She takes the time to get to know you, your health history, and your treatment goals before recommending a plan of action. We begin treating your bunion conservatively (especially if your bunion is in its earliest stages) with our nonsurgical options, including the following:
Should nonsurgical options prove ineffective, we may recommend surgery to address your bunion. During surgery, Dr. Geoghan carefully removes the bony protrusion and realigns your foot to prevent a bunion recurrence.
If you’re ready to take your first steps towards a bunion-free life, head to our website or call our friendly staff to request an appointment at our Lutherville, Maryland, location.
