Is Surgery Necessary If You Have Bunions?

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Nobody loves hearing that they will require surgery to get their ailment resolved. Even knowing that the ultimate result would be pain relief and a return to full activity does not necessarily alleviate the worry before the procedure - or make the recovery more enjoyable.

The truth is that surgery is often the best option. Unfortunately, by the time most patients come into our office to have their bunions checked out, it is the only viable choice remaining.

But have you already passed that threshold? Let's look closer at this disease and the elements that influence whether or not bunion removal surgery is the best option.

Slow Progression of Deformity

There’s a lot to unpack about bunions. But for the purposes of this article, let’s summarize by saying there are three simple things you should know about them:

- They will gradually worsen over time;

- You may be able to alter how quickly or slowly they worsen;

- Surgery is the only way to remove them. Conservative therapy may ease your discomfort, but they do not reduce the size of the bunion;

- In other words, bunions can take months, years, or even decades to progress from a minor misalignment in the big toe to a large, painful bulge that will not fit into any typical pair of shoes.

However, once a bunion has progressed to the next stage of development, it cannot be reversed. So it's in your best advantage to seek out conservative treatments to manage discomfort and, if possible, reduce progression as soon as possible.

Conservative Options

If you see a foot doctor early - when the pain is minor (or, preferably, nonexistent) and you still fit in your shoes - they may be able to assist you in pursuing a number of non-surgical techniques that are helpful.

Again, none of these will reduce your bunion or restore your foot to its previous condition. However, if they allow you to enjoy your desired lifestyle without pain, most people would consider that a victory and will try to keep the status quo as long as possible.

- Changing to roomier or more supportive shoes;

- Bunion pads can relieve unpleasant friction against the bump;

- Taping or splinting the misplaced toe in a neutral position (assuming the joint is still flexible);

- Shoe inserts or custom orthotics may ease pressure on the bunion and/or correct biomechanical defects that are contributing to its growth.

If conservative measures like these may relieve your discomfort and allow you to live your life as you wish, feel free to use them for as long as possible before the situation changes.

When Is Surgery Necessary?

The quick surgical checklist looks like this:

- You've already attempted cautious methods, which either failed or are no longer effective;

- You feel pain on a daily basis or when completing duties or activities that are vital to your quality of life, and it is severe enough to prevent you from performing or enjoying them as you would want.

As it was previously stated, the unfortunate truth is that by the time most patients come to see a doctor regarding their bunions, they have easily checked both of these boxes. If you wait until you're in a lot of life-altering pain and can't wear your shoes anymore to get help, you've already passed the time where surgery is really your only option.

But there is some good news remaining. Do not be afraid of surgery! Even though bunion surgery has some apparent drawbacks - most notably a couple of weeks of downtime and up to a few months of rehab - it's a modest price to pay for the opportunity to reclaim your life.