Bunions are bony bumps that form on the joint at the base of your big toe. A bunion forms when your big toe pushes against your next toe, forcing the joint of your big toe to get bigger and stick out. The skin over the bunion is often red and sore. Bunions can be caused by:
- Wearing tight, narrow shoes
- Inherited structural defects
- Stress on the foot
- Medical conditions, such as arthritis
Signs and symptoms of a bunion can include:
- A bulging bump on the outside of the base of your big toe
- Swelling, redness or soreness around your big toe joint
- Thickening of the skin at the base of your big toe
- Corns or calluses, which often develop where the first and second toes overlap
- Persistent or intermittent pain
Treatments include changing shoes, padding, taping, splinting, wearing wide-toed shoes, using padded shoe inserts, icing, and medications like ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen. Surgery is sometimes performed in serious cases.
