How to Treat Bunions at Home

Bunions, or hallux valgus is the bane of many woman’s feet. Women likes pretty shoes, and often would wear ill fitting shoes to look attractive or to complement an outfit. A bunion can be seen clearly when the joints re-position at the ball of the foot, causing misalignment and swelling. The condition is painful and normal shoes will be ill fitting when a person suffers from bunions.

Prevention is better than treatment, this is specially true for bunions. This condition is not only painful, but uncomfortable and physically unattractive as well. The best treatment to stop bunions is to stop wearing shoes that are too narrow at the toes. Flat feet sufferers should invest in a good pair of orthotic insoles to keep the feet in its natural arch.

If it is really compulsory to wear uncomfortable shoes, limit the wear each day. For people who already have bunions, there are gel protective shields available to avoid rubbing of the feet against the shoe. There are shoe stretchers, a device to widen the shoe a little for more comfortable wear that can be done at home. Putting a toe separator between the first and second toe and an additional pad on the base of the big toe can stop joints from moving too much, causing the enlargement of the bunion.

Other short term treatments during a flare up include rest and icing the injured part. Using pain killers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to lessen the pain is helpful to get through the day if needed. While a bunion can be best addressed by a professional, home remedies can help control the condition and stop more damage from occurring. However, frequent check ups with the podiatrist should help rectify or slow down the feet condition with much less fuss.