Getting Help With My Feet

After struggling for months to run without having pain, I realized that there might be something wrong with my feet. It just seemed like whenever I did any type of physical activity, I was burdened with stifling pain. It was annoying, but I knew that a podiatrist might be able to help. Sure enough, after meeting with a doctor, I learned more about what was causing the trouble. It turned out that I had pulled a tendon in my foot, which was causing all kinds of problems. This blog is all about getting your foot problems fixed once and for all.

The Pain in Your Little Toe Might Be From a Bunionette—These Treatments May Help

Blog

If you have a painful bump on the outside of your little toe, it might be a bunionette. A bunionette can be very painful. It's often caused by constant pressure against your little toe. The condition is basically the same as a bunion, except a bunion usually refers to a condition of the large toe. When the little toe is affected, it's called a bunionette. Here are some treatments that may help relieve pain and slow the progression of the bunionette.

Relieve Pressure on Your Little Toe

The first step is to relieve the pressure on your little toe so the cause of the abnormality ends and the progressive damage stops. You may need to change the type of shoes you wear so that your toes do not touch the sides of the shoes when you walk. Wearing shoes with narrow toes that crowd your toes together is a major cause of both bunions and bunionettes.

Also, consider your lifestyle and see if you have a habit of sitting or standing a certain way that puts pressure on the outside of your toes. Bunionettes are sometimes called tailor's bunions because tailors would work for long hours in a cross-leg position and keep the outsides of their feet pressed against the ground.

Wear Toe Pads or Inserts

Covering the bunionette with a pad helps shield it from bumping or rubbing against your shoe and it may help reduce your pain. You might also need to wear inserts in your shoes that pad your feet or hold your toes in a stable position. While bunionettes are often caused by something as simple as wearing tight shoes, other things can be to blame. You may have a genetic tendency towards developing them or you might have a bunionette along with arthritis.

You might even have the condition because of the way your foot moves when you walk. In these cases, a foot doctor can help you by providing custom orthotics if they are necessary. These stabilize your feet to prevent rolling and to compensate for conditions such as fallen arches.

Consider Bunionette Surgery

If you follow the treatment advice from your podiatrist and your bunion is still so painful that you have trouble walking and going about your usual routine, then surgery might be a solution. Your podiatrist will consider your overall medical health to decide if surgery is the right choice and then decide which type of surgery should be done. Bunionettes affect the bones in your little toe in various ways.

You might need surgery to remove tissue around the joint or part of the bone may need to be removed. You may even need to have a pin put in your toe to straighten it out.

If you're experiencing pain in your little toe, or anywhere in your foot, be sure to see a foot doctor before the condition becomes severe. With early intervention, you have a better chance of avoiding surgery and the potentially long downtime needed for recovery. Make an appointment through services such as Mid Nebraska Foot Clinic.

Share

1 February 2018