Common Foot Problems and Their Symptoms

3. Bunions

Another common foot problem is bunions. Bunions usually occur on the big toe's joint and can be identified as a very prominent bump, which is the bone protruding toward the inside of your foot. Symptoms include inflammation and pain on the big toe and can cause great discomfort and lead to walking improperly. A bunion can also form on the opposite side of the foot, causing the little toe to move inward. The main cause of bunions is wearing poor-fitting footwear. Treatment includes wearing supportive footwear, soaking feet in warm water to relieve pain or using products designed to treat bunions within the shoe. Doctors may also recommend surgery when the pain has persisted for over a year. The goal of surgery is to return the big toe to its correct position by removing the bump and putting bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves back into correct order.