If you already have a bunion, it is important to wear shoes that have enough room as to not put pressure on the bony projection. When a bunion progresses to the point where walking becomes difficult and conservative treatments aren't effective, you may need surgery. A consultation with your podiatrist will be needed for further diagnosis and to develop a proper treatment plan. People think of a bunion as being as a bump on the side of the foot near the big toe. However, bunions go deeper than what we can see. Although the skin might be red, a bunion actually reflects a change in the anatomy of the foot. Mallinckrodt ( $MNK ) has released good-news data from a Phase III study of an experimental pain drug for use by patients after bunion surgery. In June, the Dublin, Ireland-based drugmaker submitted a new drug application for priority review for the therapy, an oral extended-release combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. Mallinckrodt's treatment will offer a level of resistance to tampering with the highly addictive product, a quality that could set it apart in the competitive pain drug arena; BMO Capital Markets analyst David Maris told Reuters sales of the therapy could peak at $200 million by 2017. Story More Finally, for more advanced bunions, it is often necessary to perform an osteotomy of the base of the first metatarsal bone. This allows for greater correction of the underlying angular deformity. The cut bone is rotated and then held together with two or three screws. At the same time, the distal end of the first metatarsal is shaved and the soft tissue tightened. This is a more extensive procedure and sometime requires the use of crutches and protective weight bearing for six weeks after surgery. Example of one such first metatarsal osteotomy is called the Ludloff osteotomy. Is there a curved line just under the ball of the foot on the big toe side? Notice the feet in the above picture. The lines at the base of the ball of the foot below the big toe are deep and I would ask about burping, heartburn, reflux, or other stomach concern. Having lived in Miami, Florida almost 40 years, I have to say a sunburn is an every weekend occurrence. Getting a sunburn is not as easy as relieving the pain from one. I have found some natural ways to ease the pain, hope they benefit you as much as they have for me. Bunion surgery recovery normally requires six to eight weeks non-weight-bearing in a cast. Occasionally, procedures require to be carried out on both ends of the bone, for example when there is a terrible bunion among an atypical turning around of cartilage on the joint of big toe. Additional factors that have to be well thought-out while correcting a bunion consist of rational expectations, potential activity, and feature of one's bone. A number of people just have idealistic expectations concerning what post operative bunion surgery will result in. Do not allow the surgery site to get wet when stitches are still in the foot or pins are exposed through the skin. Whether your bunion pain is minor or major it can most likely be treated. Some bunion conditions require surgery or some other invasive medical intervention. In most cases however, temporary relief is available even from the comfort of home. Bunions can be the result of heredity, poor-fitting shoes, arthritis or stress on your foot. This condition happens when a bony nodule forms at the outer base of your big toe, often causing your big toe to bend inward and cramp the other toes. Bunions can be mild to severely painful. Luckily, there are various ways to relieve the pain and discomfort of this condition. Symptoms occur most often when the shoes that you are wearing crowd your toes, such as shoes with a tight toe box or high heels. This further proves why women are more likely to have symptoms of bunions than men. Additionally, spending long periods of time on your feet may also increase your risk of bunion pain. At this time of year many of my patients are attending holiday parties. This can mean being on your feet for long periods of time, standing, dancing, walking , in new, stiff dress shoes and high heels which can cause a real pain in the foot, namely that of blisters and bunions! With Dr. Oz is special celebrity guest Marilyn Milian, a former Florida state circuit court judge who currently presides over the popular television series The People's Court and who herself suffers from bunions and turned to surgery as a solution. “The aftermath is very, very, very, very painful and involves slow recovery,” says Judge Milian who wearing a walking cast at the time of the filming was 8 weeks into recovery from her bunion surgery and describes how that at week 4 she was screaming in excruciating pain. Your big toe gradually starts to overlap your second toe. This can be unsightly, and cause pain when you wear shoes. Most importantly, many reviewers report significant relief from bunion pain that happened in a remarkably quick time, as in a week or two, accompanied by a reduction in the size of the bunions. Of course, as with any product, results vary person-to-person. But you will be encouraged by the numbers of people who say this hinged splint is by far the best bunion splint they have ever tried, and that it is definitely worth the price. These were some of the surgical methods that might be employed for providing pain relief. If you ever spot a bony swelling on your big toe, consult an orthopedic surgeon soon.