Patient Education Free booklets and video viewing. Larry D. Scortt, D.P.M. Foot Problems Bunions Bunions are an actual enlargement of the bone on the side of the big toe joint. They are not a calcium deposits. When your feet hurt, your whole body hurts. This particular abnormal function is mainly inherited, and bunions worsen over time.
Bunions are cosmetically unsightly, and generally cause swelling, pain and skin irritation.
As it moves outward, away from the center of the foot, the great toe moves toward the second toe. Most of the time the great toe underlaps the second toe, but in many cases it may move directly into the second toe, pushing all of the smaller toes against one another. Conservative treatments are most commonly undertaken in the earlier stages of bunion deformity. This usually turns out to be only a temporary relief of symptoms and does not affect the growth of the bone or any deviation of the bone. If the patient does not utilize any of the conservative treatments, the condition can worsen, and the necessity for surgery may become more likely.