A bunion is a bump normally consisting of soft tissue and bone that forms at the base of your big toe and conjoins with the foot bone known as metatarsal. When this happens, the end result is that the big toe will tend to excessively point towards the second toe causing a deformity. The condition is as a result of pressure response effect and can be very painful when walking or wearing shoes, especially the ones that don’t fit or don’t have enough toe space. Bunions are more likely to form in women than men mostly based on the shape design on feminine foot wear. The pain can become excruciatingly unbearable and when it does, you might want to consider a bunion removal. But what are the causes of bunions?
The precise cause of a bunion isn’t clear, however, there are some possible reasons as to why you can develop the condition and they include:
Arthritis
While arthritis can cause a bunion, on the other hand, bunions might cause arthritis to develop in the toe. There are three types of arthritis that are believed to cause bunions. These are gout, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is a type of arthritis that commonly affects the big toe in particular. Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis associated with psoriasis, the skin condition that causes red flaky patches with silvery scales. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammation and pain in the joints.
Genetics
Genes might also be the cause of bunions as an individual from a family whose members have bunions is more likely to develop the condition. However, it is not always guaranteed that if you come from a family that has a history of developing bunions, you will also develop it.
Badly fitting shoes
If you are persistently wearing shoes that are particularly too tight on the toe region or those that don’t fit properly, you might be at risk of developing a bunion or making an already developing bunion to worsen. Women who wear tight high-heeled shoes are at risk of stretching their big toe and causing nerve damage to it, as most of the weight is concentrated on the front of the foot thus straining the toe joints.
Treatment
Treating bunions is entirely dependent on the degree of pain and discomfort you are going through. If the pain is excruciating to a point it starts giving you walking problems then surgery may be the only way to correct your bunion and ease you of that burden. If not, you can ease the pain by taking over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen.
Prevention
To prevent formation of bunions, it is recommended that you wear suitable footwear that won’t put strain on your toe joints and nerves thus causing the deformity. You also want to maintain normal weight because excess weight can worsen the condition.
A bunion can be a major step back to any person who is physically mobile especially when it’s in a critically developed stage. Medical assistance should therefore be put as a priority before your condition worsens. A Beverly Hills bunion removal allows you to get rid of the problem.
