I have small bumps at the base of both my right and left big toes. As far as I can remember, I have had them for years. Quite recently, however, they have become so painful I can barely hobble along. Could they be small bunions? They look like callouses. I plan on visiting the doctor to have them checked out as it would be nice to walk again without being in pain all the time!

Hi Jenzo71,

Since no one else has answered your post, I'll give it a go. I hope, for your sake, that you don't have bunions and that there is another, simpler explanation, but just in case...If you have bunions you'd see and feel hard, bony bumps that vary greatly in size on the inner borders of the foot where the bone which joins the big toe is. Technically, this is caused by the turning outward (called valgus) of the big toe (called hallux), and this in turn causes the big toe to bend INWARD toward the other toes. I know that sounds confusing, but the important thing is that you'd see a protrusion of bone and it usually gets larger over time. Only x-rays can reveal the deformity inside the foot--the turning outward of the bone.

If the bunion is severe, as those of us who've had to have bunionectomies can attest, it can be very painful and become red and inflamed. If the bunion is very severe, the big toe can underlap or overlap the other toes. Needless to say, a bunion of any significant size can cause pain in standing or walking and wearing shoes can eventually be quite painful. For a proper diagnosis, you need to see a doctor, preferably (in my view) an orthopedic surgeon. I know some others swear by their podiatrists, but the have less training than surgeons and the complication rate is higher. You also need to look for somebody who does lots of these on a regular basis--experience counts here. Another personal opinion: I feel it's best to do one at a time, since the complication rate is higher with double bunionectomies. My apologies to those who've had both bunionectomies at once and think it's the way to go, and for them it may be, but the numbers don't lie and it causes lots of folks lots of problems.

I don't know whether you're even still with us on the board, since no one answered for a while, but I hope this helps. I'm sure others could probably explain it more clearly, but at least this gives you a general idea of what you could be looking at and what you can do. Take care.

twobadfeet

The bumps on my feet don't appear to vary significantly in size for each foot, but are pretty uniform. They also don't seem to be red or inflamed, but they are hard, and they sometimes are quite painful. I have been using cushions for the past week or so, which help somewhat. I do plan to get a referral for a foot specialist; an orthopedic surgeon would be better? It's strange that I have had these bumps for several years (I assumed my foot was supposed to look like that), and only within the past 6 months have they become really bothersome. I never wear high heels or pointy-toed shoes, but I am always on my feet, and I walk a great deal for exercise. Any ideas out there for relief before I see a dr.? I have found that wide shoes tend to flop around on my feet, and buying a shoe size larger generally has a lot of excess space at the heel.

My sister has hammertoes; could these "foot issues" have a genetic tendency? Help! (not to mention, "ouch").

Janzo,

Not everybody's bunions are red and inflamed. My right one was, and was extraordinarily painful, but then it was also considered severe. Also, you don't have to wear high heels or wear pointy-toed shoes to have bunions; a small percentage of bunions are due solely to genetics (though they can also be caused by arthritis or polio.) Most, however, are due to poorly-fitting shoes. Also, where bunions are concerned, it doesn't help to be female. They are nine times more common for women than for men. (But then, we don't have to worry about prostate problems, do we?) So the short answer is yes, genetics do play a role, though I'm not sure whether that's also true of hammertoes.

Cushions, pads and comfortable shoes may help short-term, but I'm sorry to tell you this problem doesn't get better on its own. It's progressive, and as some of the people on this board can tell you, can get pretty severe if uncorrected for a long time. As I mentioned, the big toe can actually overlap or underlap the other toes, impairing the ability to walk. And the worse the bunion, the more complicated the surgery and the more difficult the recovery. I think it would be best to see an experienced, qualified orthopedic surgeon. Only s/he can tell you whether what you have is bunions at all, and if so, whether they are severe enough to consider surgery. Since I didn't know anyone who could provide a referral, I did Internet research about my doctor's background and choose someone who was well-regarded (listed in a "Best Docs in the Area" article), who had good credentials and who specialized in foot and ankle surgery. For me, that made him a better bet than a podiatrist, who would have less training/education. And some say the complication rate is higher for podiatrists, though I'm sure that would be hotly debated in some circles. Why all that research for an appointment? Because I knew my bunions would need surgery and usually the doctor you see for a consultation is the one who does the surgery. That decision has paid off in spades. The surgery went perfectly and my foot is recovering well--though it takes a long time, even if you have a good surgeon. Hope this helps. If you have other questions, just ask.

twobadfeet

Janzo,

Not everybody's bunions are red and inflamed. My right one was, and was extraordinarily painful, but then it was also considered severe. Also, you don't have to wear high heels or wear pointy-toed shoes to have bunions; a small percentage of bunions are due solely to genetics (though they can also be caused by arthritis or polio.) Most, however, are due to poorly-fitting shoes. Also, where bunions are concerned, it doesn't help to be female. They are nine times more common for women than for men. (But then, we don't have to worry about prostate problems, do we?) So the short answer is yes, genetics do play a role, though I'm not sure whether that's also true of hammertoes.

Cushions, pads and comfortable shoes may help short-term, but I'm sorry to tell you this problem doesn't get better on its own. It's progressive, and as some of the people on this board can tell you, can get pretty severe if uncorrected for a long time. As I mentioned, the big toe can actually overlap or underlap the other toes, impairing the ability to walk. And the worse the bunion, the more complicated the surgery and the more difficult the recovery. I think it would be best to see an experienced, qualified orthopedic surgeon. Only s/he can tell you whether what you have is bunions at all, and if so, whether they are severe enough to consider surgery. Since I didn't know anyone who could provide a referral, I did Internet research about my doctor's background and choose someone who was well-regarded (listed in a "Best Docs in the Area" article), who had good credentials and who specialized in foot and ankle surgery. For me, that made him a better bet than a podiatrist, who would have less training/education. And some say the complication rate is higher for podiatrists, though I'm sure that would be hotly debated in some circles. Why all that research for an appointment? Because I knew my bunions would need surgery and usually the doctor you see for a consultation is the one who does the surgery. That decision has paid off in spades. The surgery went perfectly and my foot is recovering well--though it takes a long time, even if you have a good surgeon. Hope this helps. If you have other questions, just ask.

twobadfeet

hi Two,

I do have an appointment with my primary care doctor next Friday. Should I be limiting the walking I do? For some reason, my feet don't seem to hurt as much when I go out walking. Also, do you have any insight as to why my feet would suddenly start hurting? I have always tried to wear comfortable shoes, but 1 of the doctors I work with (I work in a medical building) said my feet are kind of flat, and that I do have minor bunions. My sister has flat feet too, apparently. Finally, is the surgery a day procedure? And how extensive is scarring? I may be jumping the gun here, but I am tired of the discomfort-it seems like a lot of people have this problem!

thanks for all your advice!

I'm a male with bunions (never worn high heels! :) ), but I do have semi-flat feet and everybody thinks that's why I probably got bunions. My sister has them too, and she also has semi-flat feet. My sister, however, wore those rubber things you but in between your toes, but that only prevented the big toe from getting too close to the other toes, but the bunion is still there. Anyway, I think my case is mostly genetic as my mom also has (mild) bunions. I got the surgery done on my left foot because 1) it was painful and 2) for the reasons twobadfeet mentioned--gets worse with time, more complicated to fix in the future. My right foot, however, doesn't hurt, but the bunion is still there. I don't think I'll get the surgery for that one right away because I still need to get a job and all that, so I'll give it some time.

Carlos

Hi Jenzo,

I'm glad you're planning to see someone about your feet; be sure to ask for a referral if s/he can make one. I'm not sure what to make of the fact that your feet feel better when you walk. Prior to my bunion surgery the more I walked the WORSE my feet felt. Any more than about an hour in shoes and I'd be in some pretty serious pain. Even now, a lot of walking will make my other bunion (the one that hasn't yet had surgery) more tender and painful. Maybe others have some insight here, but I'd wonder whether all you have going on is bunions if walking eases your symptoms. I'll be very interested in what your doctor has to say about the cause of your pain.

I can tell you that after putting up with the (mostly tolerable) bunion pain for decades, mine suddenly got much worse. I told my husband that I had lost more ground in 2 months (of intensive shopping and preparations for his folks coming for an extended visit) than in the previous 5 years. For me, when my bunions took off, they really took off. Even the angle of my big toe got visibly worse. About your flat feet: I also have flat feet, and I've heard that other foot anomalies can contribute to the development of bunions.

The procedure itself is usually done on an out-patient or "day patient" basis.
You can check the previous posts on this board for descriptions by many of us of our actual surgical experience. I received a nerve block and IV sedation and woke up almost immediately after; they helped me dress and off my husband and I went (with me in a wheelchair) to the car, which he had brought around to the front of the hospital.

The degree of scarring from this surgery depends on the number and size of the incisions. I have one scar 3 inches long on the inside of my foot and one 1 inch long on the top, between the 2nd and 3rd toes. Others have one long scar on the top of the foot. Those are the two most common configurations, I think. The scars fade over time, and as many of us do, you can use Mederma, cocoa butter of Vitamin E cream to accelerate the fading.

Hope this answers your questions. Let us know what your doctor says.

twobadfeet

hi Two,
I will let you know the outcome of my appointment. As far as walking goes, like I mentioned, sometimes there is no discomfort, however, I remember now that recently I was on a treadmill and could barely hobble afterwards.

hi Carlos,

hey, that was a cool quote, by the way. How severe were your bunions before you opted for surgery? Did you find that being off your feet helped alleviate pain/pressure/whatever? It would be great if I could get off my feet most of the day; however, without a dr.'s note, my job probably wouldn't go for it but we'll see.

Oh yeah... Thanks... I searched all over the net to try to find a quote that dealt with "feet" :D

Carlos

Hi Jenzo71, It's good you have found this site, so you can get a lot of good advice from people who have actually had their bunions removed. You'll be able to compare your doctors information with the information you get from here. Good luck.

Hi Jenzo71, It's good you have found this site, so you can get a lot of good advice from people who have actually had their bunions removed. You'll be able to compare your doctors information with the information you get from here. Good luck.

hi mygig,

I am actually thrilled I found this site, too. Being a compulsive worrier doesn't help, but working with medical professionals can be reassuring. They seem to think I don't have a serious problem; however, when your feet hurt, it feels monumental! :)

Jenzo71,

Did the picture I posted help you? It's on my last post on the second page of this thread.

Carlos

Jenzo71,

Did the picture I posted help you? It's on my last post on the second page of this thread.

Carlos

hey Carlos,

yes, I did get the picture you sent. Your pre-op bunions actually don't look that severe in terms of size; was it the pain that drove you crazy? Your pre-op feet are similar to my feet now, actually, but I thought feet were supposed to look like that! :(

How long was the actual procedure itself? Was it day surgery? How long did you have to stay off your feet? I think the cabin fever would make me kind of loopy. Can you recommend any activities I could do in which I could still get exercise, but not be beating up on my feet? How about a stationary bike? I know swimming is good, but I am not the world's best swimmer. Strength training?

Hope you don't mind all my questions!
Jen

No, unfortunatelly feet are not supposed to look like that. :( It was the pain after doing exercise that I wanted to solve, so I went to a podiatrist. He told me that the bunions would get worse if untreated and the more I waited for surgery, the more complicated the surgery will be. (I'm 24, by the way, so there was plenty of time for my bunions to get worse.)

The actual procedure was about 2 hours, but I was at the hospital from noon until 7pm. It will be a month tomorrow since I had the surgery (on left foot, by the way) and I'm still unable to walk by myself. I depend on crutches right now, but I've been gradually applying weight on my left foot, so pretty soon I may switch to just having a cane.

I had actually switched to swimming before my surgery--feels great! I've heard about others doing Pilates and/or Yoga--not sure what their experience has been. Can't think of other exercises/sports you could do... Anyone out there have good ideas?

Carlos

here's a general question-how many opinions do people usually get about their foot (or any other) issues? I am sure my primary care doc will refer me to someone, or have a list of people to select from. Also, how much time do people need off from work if they have surgery? It probably depends on how complicated the situation is, I would think.

here's a general question-how many opinions do people usually get about their foot (or any other) issues? I am sure my primary care doc will refer me to someone, or have a list of people to select from. Also, how much time do people need off from work if they have surgery? It probably depends on how complicated the situation is, I would think.
HI Jenzo,
You will definately need to see a foot specialist. Not only does it depend on what type of procedure he does but what type of work you do.I work 40+ hours a week and I'm on my feet from 9-6 at work. Then I have 3 kids to care for when I get home. So my Doctor would not allow me to go back to work for 8 weeks. Good luck to you and let me know how you make out :),
Susie

HI Jenzo,
You will definately need to see a foot specialist. Not only does it depend on what type of procedure he does but what type of work you do.I work 40+ hours a week and I'm on my feet from 9-6 at work. Then I have 3 kids to care for when I get home. So my Doctor would not allow me to go back to work for 8 weeks. Good luck to you and let me know how you make out :),
Susie

Hi Susie,
I am hoping that my colleagues will be flexible enough to have me perform duites that will let me sit. I will let you know the outcome of the appointments.

Jen

...................

Daniel

I too had bunions until 2 weeks ago (assuming the op went well) and they were more pronounced than those shown in the photo. 15yrs rock climbing wearing tight climbing shoes has probably not helped! I also do fell-running, cycling and walking, so am very active.

I was in no pain to speak of, but I was worried about arthritis later on (only 33), so I decided to have surgery. The op went very well & was conducted by an orthopedic surgeon. Both feet were corrected; I had scarf osteotomies and have 3 screws in each foot. The op lasted 3 hours and I was on mild pain-killers for 2 days. and I am now walking around with no pain & very little swelling (2 wks post op.). The plaster slippers should be off by Christmas. So in my experience, the operation and immediate recouperation have been fine.

I would recommend having surgery if your consultant advises it - if you leave it and it gets too severe, then they may have no choice but to fuse the big toe joint, which will not help the tennis playing!

I hope this helps
Simon (UK)