Deb And Her Bunionectomy

Overview

A bunion is when your big toe points toward the second toe. This causes a bump on the inside edge of your toe.
Symptoms

* Red, calloused skin along the inside edge of the big toe
* A bony bump at this site
* Pain over the joint, aggravated by pressure from shoes
* Big toe turned toward the other toes

Treatment

When a bunion first begins to develop, take good care of your feet and wear wide-toed shoes. This can often solve the problem and prevent the need for any further treatment. It may help to wear felt or foam pads on the foot to protect the bunion, or devices called spacers to separate the first and second toes at night. These are available at drugstores. You can also try cutting a hole in a pair of old, comfortable shoes to wear around the house.

If the bunion gets worse -- resulting in severe deformity or pain -- surgery to realign the toe and remove the bony bump (bunionectomy) can be effective. There are over 100 different surgical techniques that have been described to treat this condition.
Causes

Bunions occur more commonly in women and can sometimes run in families. People born with abnormal bones in their feet are more likely to form a bunion. Wearing narrow-toed, high-heeled shoes may lead to the development of a bunion. The condition may become painful as extra bone and a fluid-filled sac grow at the base of the big toe.

The toes in question. The right foot received the treatment since it started hurting about 6 months ago. Eventually the left foot will need the same surgery.


Deb just back from surgery. Note nurse Beo and Indy monitoring the patient.


The super attractive "boot" that Deb will be wearing for the next 3 weeks! She can not put ANY weight on her right foot for the next 2 weeks and will need to use the various contraptions you see in the background of the middle photo to motivate herself around the house.