Bunions are lumps that occur around the big toe joint or tiny toe joint. However, they are bones that grow outward and change orientation. Its growth can create swelling in your soft tissue causing it to appear red and irritated.
Bunions are caused by pressure on the bones. It could be due to poor footwear, your DNA, and poor foot mechanics. (Bunions are more common in people who have flat feet.) Bunion growth can affect your toe structure, as can hammertoes.) The pressure can be caused by a combination of your body form and footwear.
The source of pressure affects both of your feet. As a result, patients who have a bunion on one foot, the other foot can be affected too. You will want to cure the bunions because they are often uncomfortable and make it difficult to fit into shoes. Prevent them from worsening and causing more issues.
We may be able to repair your bunions without surgery if I visit you early enough. To minimize unpleasant rubbing, early interventions include cushioning your bony bumps. We can help you get fitted for orthotics. These can help with biomechanical difficulties that cause bunion formation. As a result, your bunions are unlikely to grow larger. At the same time, they refuse to go away and surgery is the only technique to get rid of bunions.
Bunion Surgery
Bunions are unpleasant if on both feet. So, it is not surprising if you are considering bunion surgery or you want both of your feet operated on at the same time.
For instance, correcting a bunion involves a major time commitment. So, having both feet operated on at the same time seems logical. Unfortunately, in my Houston podiatry practice, that logic does not hold water because, while some physicians may appreciate the convenience, I do not. I, like many of my colleagues, strongly oppose it.
Why would you want to fight convenience? Here is the deal: there are a variety of bunion surgery options available to you. I will take an x-ray of your foot before operating to determine the best course of action.
The treatment method I choose will be determined by the location of your pain and the rotation of your bones. I will realign your metatarsal bone and straighten your big toe anyway. That means I will have to make a surgical fracture in your bone when I do bunion surgery. Because this is a medical process, your shattered bone will remain stable but putting too much pressure on the fracture will make it worse. That is a possibility.
We have particular post-operative guidelines for bunion excision to avoid this issue. We must keep your foot elevated after surgery to reduce swelling and apply a bandage on your foot. The area must remain clean and dry for several weeks following your surgery. When we treat two bunions at the same time, things might get complex.
Bunion Surgery Post-Op Care
The majority of bunion patients can walk after surgery. They have a protective boot on your foot but even with that, you need extra attention on that foot.
It is easy to care for one foot following surgery, however, doing the same for both feet can be significantly more challenging. Plus, if I operate on both of your feet, your mobility is limited.
Do you see why I advise against having both bunion operations at the same time? If you do not understand, let me explain. You might not like the results if we treat both of your bunions at the same time. Because it is not uncommon to have one fantastic result and one that falls short. If this happens to you will most certainly need revision surgery in the future and I am sure no one wants that. Wouldn’t it be better to achieve two excellent results instead? Even if two separate bunion procedures are required?
Do not put off getting your bunions evaluated if they are causing you discomfort! We can explore non-surgical approaches when we treat bunions early, as I mentioned. And this will determine whether you require surgery or how restricted you will be during your rehabilitation. Does that option appeal to you? Do not wait for your bunions to get worse, contact Houston podiatrist Dr. Shobowale right now. We will examine your bunions and devise a treatment strategy that is both quick and effective!
