The "Bunion Surgeons" of New York City

There are many foot doctors or podiatrists in New York City. Some of these doctors are experts in the treatment in the deformity of the feet brought about through "Bunions", which are actually a disorder of the foot and not a disease. Most of the doctors or “bunion surgeons” as they are popularly known treat patients through a number of process for providing relief and care. But before discussing these processes, we need to know what "Bunions" actually are and how it affects our daily life and activities.

We often describe bunions as those bumps that appear on the side of the big toe. But in reality, bunions are much more than that. The bumps that are visible to us actually reflect the changes that have occurred in the bony framework of the front part of the foot. With a bunion, the big toe leans toward the second toe, rather than pointing straight ahead. This makes the bones misaligned making the bumps of the bunion. Bunions are progressive in nature. In the first instance, the big toe starts to lean towards the second toe which gradually changes the angle of the bones and as time passes by, the characteristic bump is produced, which continues to increase prominently. Generally the bumps appear at the later stages.

In most cases bunions are caused by the faulty mechanical structure of the foot which is usually inherited. It is not the bunion itself that is inherited, but certain foot types that make a person prone to developing a bunion. Although wearing shoes that crowd the toes won't actually cause bunions in the first place, it sometimes makes the deformity get progressively worse.

Symptoms of bunions occur often through wearing of shoes that crowd the toes or shoes with a tight toe box and high heel shoes. As women wear such types of shoes frequently, they are liable to have the symptoms of bunions more than men. Standing for long periods on your feet also increases the chances of bunions. Some of the symptoms of bunions are:

• Soreness or Pain in the area

• Inflammation with redness

• Burning sensation

• Numbness

Bunions can be easily diagnosed as we can see the bumps with our naked eyes in the region of the big toe or side of the foot. In most cases the Bunion Surgeons of New York City will in the first instance take X-rays of your feet to determine the degree of the deformity and the extant of damages that have occurred. Therefore once the Bunion Surgeon of New York City, to whom you went, evaluates your case, he will chalk out a course of treatment that will be suitable for you.

On careful examination of your case, the Bunion Surgeon will determine the extent of the deformity and its advance, which will enable him to take the further course of action in treating the disorder. Early treatments are aimed at easing the pain of bunions. Some of the options include:

• Patients should choose only those shoes that have a wide toe box and should not wear shoes with pointed toes or high heels.

• Sometimes pads are placed over the area of the bunion which will help in minimizing the pain. The Bunion Surgeon, New York City may give you some for your use or you may purchase them from a drug store.

• The patients should also avoid activities that causes bunion pain and should also avoid standing for long time.

• Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen to relieve the pain are often prescribed.

• The surgeon may also advise the patient to place ice pack several times a day. This helps reduce inflammation and pain.

• Injections of corticosteroids are useful in treating the inflamed bursa (fluid-filled sac located in a joint) sometimes seen with bunions.

• The Bunion Surgeon may also provide you some orthotic devices for your use.

When the pain of a bunion interferes with daily activities, it's time to discuss surgical options with your podiatric surgeon. The surgeon will be able to decide if surgery is the best option. Recently, many new techniques have been made for successful treatment of bunions. A variety of surgical procedures are performed to treat bunions. The procedures are designed to remove the “bump” of bone, correct the changes in the bony structure of the foot, as well as correct soft tissue changes that may also have occurred. The chief aim of the surgical procedure is to ease the pain that you are suffering as a result of the bunions. Before performing surgery, the Bunion Surgeon, New York City will examine your X-Rays and consider your age, level of activity and other factors. Recovery after the operation will depend on the surgery that was performed.