People with a big toe joint problem often assume it is from a bunion. However, other things can look like a bunion but are entirely different. Bunions are bony bumps that form on the sides of big toes. They result from a misalignment of the big toe joint and are not bone growths. Arthritis affecting the big toe joint can look like a bunion because a bone spur can develop on the joint. The skin on the bone spur can be inflamed and red, resembling a bunion. These bone spurs often occur on the top of the big toe joint rather than on the side of the joint. A ganglion cyst is a firm, fluid-filled sac that can occur on the big toe joint and be mistaken for a bunion, but is softer to the touch. Gout is yet another affliction that can affect the big toe joint and cause symptoms of redness and swelling, looking like a bunion. If you notice something different about your big toe joint and wonder if it is a bunion, it is suggested that you visit a podiatrist to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
A bunion is formed of swollen tissue or an enlargement of boney growth, usually located at the base joint of the toe that connects to the foot. The swelling occurs due to the bones in the big toe shifting inward, which impacts the other toes of the foot. This causes the area around the base of the big toe to become inflamed and painful.
Why Do Bunions Form?
Genetics – Susceptibility to bunions are often hereditary
Stress on the feet – Poorly fitted and uncomfortable footwear that places stress on feet, such as heels, can worsen existing bunions
How Are Bunions Diagnosed?
Doctors often perform two tests – blood tests and x-rays – when trying to diagnose bunions, especially in the early stages of development. Blood tests help determine if the foot pain is being caused by something else, such as arthritis, while x-rays provide a clear picture of your bone structure to your doctor.
How Are Bunions Treated?
Refrain from wearing heels or similar shoes that cause discomfort
Select wider shoes that can provide more comfort and reduce pain
Anti-inflammatory and pain management drugs
Orthotics or foot inserts
Surgery
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Teaneck, NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Bursitis results from the bursae (small, fluid-filled sacs) cushioning the muscles, tendons, and bones around your joints becoming inflamed. This often happens at the base of the toe when it is repeatedly irritated. It is often mistaken for a bunion because it is painful, swollen, and red.
However, the two conditions are importantly different. Although both bunions and sesamoiditis can affect the big toe, sesamoiditis is characterized by the inflammation of the two sesamoid bones that float below the big toe joint. This inflammation can occur as a result of overuse.
The lump of a bunion is found on the inside of the big toe, as opposed to the top in hallux rigidus. The pain from a bunion is most commonly caused by pressure from shoes or, on occasions, by crowding or crossing over of the lesser toes. The latin for a bunion is hallux valgus, as opposed to rigidus.
Sesamoiditis is an inflammation of the sesamoid bones in the ball of the foot and the tendons they are embedded in. It's usually caused by overuse, especially by dancers, runners and athletes who frequently bear weight on the balls of their feet.
When something puts extra pressure on your big toe joint for a long time (usually years), that pressure can push your joint out of its natural alignment and toward your other toes. Eventually, a bunion forms on your MTP joint when your body compensates for your toe being pushed out of its usual place.
If these minor injuries are left untreated, complications may result and lead to ulceration and possibly even amputation. Neuropathy can also cause deformities such as Bunions, Hammer Toes, and Charcot Feet.
Known as a chronic autoimmune disease, lupus and its symptoms are similar to that of arthritis, affecting the tissues in the joints and leading to various problems in the feet including bunions, claw toes, and hammertoes.
Capsulitis of the foot, also called MTP (metatarsophalangeal) synovitis, causes a sharp or aching pain in the ball of the foot, often centered beneath the base of the second toe. This pain indicates a separation of the proximal phalanx, the bone at the base of the toe, and the metatarsal, the long bone of the foot.
Swelling and bruising: The base of your big toe may be inflamed.Bruising can extend around your swollen toe and up to the top of your foot. Limited range of motion: You may not be able to move your toe or bend it up and down. You may feel like your foot is weak or you're unable to push off the ground like before.
Hallux limitus is a condition in which the joint where your big toe meets your foot is painful and stiff. Hallux refers to your big toe. Limitus means limitation. In the early stage of hallux limitus, you have limited flexibility in your big toe joint (called the first metatarsophalangeal joint).
(Dorsal bunions are a completely different variety, in which the bump appears on the top of the base of the toe. These are often the result of arthritis in the toe joint.) Doctors and scientists have not been able to identify a single cause or set of causes for bunions. However, heredity and gender each play a role.
There are, however, some critical differences between bunions and bone spurs. Bunions are a deformity of the bones and a soft-tissue imbalance.On the other hand, bone spurs are most likely formed by trauma to the joint or by arthritis. Ill-fitting shoes and genetics are the primary causes of bunions.
The most common hallux rigidus symptoms include: Pain in or around your big toe. It usually feels like the pain is on the top of your toe, but you may feel it deeper or inside your toe, too. Stiffness in your big toe.
One of the hallmarks of this foot condition is Hallux rigidus which causes bone spurs to develop in the joint. This deformity leads to inflammation and irritation of the skin, making the bump resemble more like a bunion.
Gout may be mistaken for a bunion because one of the most noticeable gout symptoms is a red, painful swelling around the big toe joint. However, unlike bunions, which form over a long period and gradually produce pain, gout often generates sudden and sharp pains.
Bunions and bone spurs are two of the most frequently encountered deformities in the feet. Bunions appear as a noticeable bump at the base of the big toe joint, while bone spurs are bony protrusions that develop on the surface of a bone.
Ongoing big toe or foot pain. A visible bump on your big toe joint. Decreased movement of your big toe or foot. Difficulty finding shoes that fit properly because of a bunion.
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