Experiences with
BunionsCheck if you have bunions
The main symptoms of bunions are hard lumps on the sides of your feet, by your big toes.
Your big toe may point towards your other toes.
You may have hard or swollen skin. The bunion may look red or darker than the skin around it.
You may also have pain along the side or bottom of your feet. This is usually worse when wearing shoes and walking.
How to ease bunion pain yourself
You cannot get rid of bunions or stop them getting worse yourself, but there are things you can do to ease any pain.
wear wide shoes with a low heel and soft sole
hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel to the bunion for up to 5 minutes at a time
try bunion pads (soft pads you put in shoes to stop them rubbing on a bunion) – you can buy these from pharmacies
take paracetamol or ibuprofen
try to lose weight if you're overweight
do not wear high heels or tight, pointy shoes
- pain from a bunion has not improved after trying home treatments for a few weeks
- the pain is stopping you doing your normal activities
- your bunions are getting worse
- you have bunions and diabetes – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes
Treatments for bunions
If you have bunions, a GP will look at your foot and ask you about your symptoms.
They might refer you to a foot specialist (podiatrist).
A GP or podiatrist can advise you about:
- things you can do to ease your symptoms
- things you can buy or have specially made to reduce bunion pain, such as insoles (orthotics), toe spacers and toe supports (splints)
You can also pay to see a foot specialist privately.
A GP may refer you for surgery if your bunions are very painful or they're having a big effect on your life.
Surgery is not done just to improve how your feet look.
How to prevent bunions
The cause of bunions is not always known, but you may be more likely to get them if you wear shoes that do not fit properly.
It might help to:
- make sure your shoes are the correct size and have enough room for your toes
- avoid shoes with high heels or pointy toes
The main symptoms of bunions are hard lumps on the side of your feet near your toes. Your big toe might also point towards your other toes.
You can ease bunion pain by wearing comfortable shoes, using bunion pads, taking painkillers and holding an ice pack against the bunion for 5 minutes.
Treatments for bunions include insoles, toe spacers, toe supports (splints) or sometimes surgery to remove the bunion and straighten the toes.
You can help prevent bunions by wearing shoes that are the correct size with room for your toes, and avoiding shoes with high heels or pointy toes.
Related links
HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence
