Hallux valgus (colloquially known as a bunion) is a term that refers to a pathological deformity in the area of the medial joint with a valgus (i.e. external) deviation of the first toe. If you have bunions on your feet, reviews from real people will help you get rid of this type of deformity. Let's consider which methods are the best for treatment and how effective the recommendations are.
Before considering tips for bunions and looking for the best ways to eliminate it, it is necessary to consider the causes of hallux valgus . Many sources indicate that the cause of the disease may be factors such as hormonal imbalances, excess weight or hereditary predisposition. Note that such factors only aggravate the likelihood of pathology occurring, but do not lead to it.
The root cause of the appearance of a bunion is a violation of the biomechanics of the joint, resulting from weakness of the ligamentous apparatus and subsequent transverse flatfoot. Also, one of the reasons for the occurrence of pathology is the structural features of connective tissue in the female body - this is why women more often suffer from bunions.
In numerous Western sources, uncomfortable shoes are considered as the main and fundamental factor in the appearance of bunions. Thus, heels with a height of more than 10 cm, too narrow a shoe toe and its length that does not correspond to the size of the foot lead not only to hallux valgus, but also to bursitis of the big toe, deformation in the ankle area and arthrosis.
Based on reviews of bunion treatment, we have selected the most suitable options that can be used to eliminate the deformity. First of all, we will look at what surgical techniques are available to treat the disease.
In world practice, more than 150 surgical methods for treating hallux valgus are used. The basic technique is to eliminate the large angle between the metatarsals, which will allow the base of the big toe to be in the correct position. Surgeons themselves identify six different ways to perform such an operation.
Thus, in German clinics the most common surgical techniques are the following:
The clinics use a special treatment protocol, which includes a number of procedures. Some of them are performed in a hospital, others can be performed at home. Reviews about bunions and their treatment in a clinical setting can be seen on the websites of many medical centers that provide similar services - we will only use the list of procedures that they offer to eliminate hallux valgus:
We studied reviews on how to get rid of a bunion, and based on numerous data from forums and medical sites, we made our own selection of techniques that can not only relieve a person from painful sensations, but also the deformity itself. Let's look at the most effective methods of home treatment:
Reviews about the treatment of bunions with folk remedies always indicate that people at the same time use proper nutrition techniques. In this case, this is the only 100% proven recommendation - doctors also share the same opinion. A proper diet involves reducing the amount of plant-based protein and fatty foods consumed. Note that such food contributes to the deposition of large amounts of salts in the joints, which is why hallux valgus deformity can be aggravated by inflammatory processes.
We consider it necessary to mention such reviews about remedies for bunions that are dedicated to special orthopedic correctors, splints and other products. A complete list of correctors can be obtained from doctors, who will also give their recommendations based on reviews from their own patients. We will point out just a few of those that are worth paying attention to:
Today on the Internet there are a lot of fakes and reviews that are presented as real, and therefore it is very difficult to draw a conclusion about which product is actually the most effective. Thus, at one time, interdigital silicone retainers and ValgusPro were popular, but after some time they began to receive only negative reviews. Therefore, before buying a medication or corrector, consult a doctor.
At the initial signs of deformation, when the bone has not yet grown much, the use of traditional methods of treatment together with therapeutic exercises, self-massage of the feet, wearing orthopedic insoles, interdigital inserts and correctors gives good results in restoring the original shape of the foot.
Start taking preventive measures against bunions in advance, especially during pregnancy or if you are overweight (since increased load on the foot provokes transverse flat feet), or if your parents or relatives had bunions.
— Wear comfortable shoes. Shoes should not squeeze your toes. Leave high heels and stilettos for special occasions, because... the support will go to the toe of the foot, even with a low stiletto heel. Buy pads, special pads, at an orthopedic salon or pharmacy to prevent the development of transverse flat feet.
— Wear shoes that suit the season, try not to get your feet cold.
- Do a preventative massage, use massage mats and slippers - this will improve blood circulation in the feet.
— Perform foot exercises - this will strengthen the ligaments of the feet.
- Periodically make compresses and foot baths from medicinal plants - this will relieve swelling, inflammation, and pain from the feet.
If you experience pain in the joint, swelling of the joint or redness of the skin on the bone, do not expect that everything will go away on its own, consult an orthopedist, rheumatologist or arthrologist.
If bone growths are caused by salt deposition, in addition to treating the bones, you should change your diet and cleanse the body. How to cleanse the body, remove waste and toxins
Traditional medicine methods (iodine nets, warm foot baths with soda and herbal decoctions, compresses of burdock leaves with turpentine, crushed cabbage leaves, onions, etc.) help well with minor joint deformities, slow down the process of bone growth, reduce inflammation and pain , and sometimes the very bone on the thumb.
To reduce bunions, it is good to take salt-iodine foot baths. To prepare a solution, take 2 tbsp per 1 liter of water. l. table salt or sea salt and 10 drops of iodine.
Apply compresses made from natural propolis to overgrown bones. Take a small piece of propolis, preheat it and soften it in your hand. Place on the enlarged bone, secure on top and secure with a dry bandage. Leave the compress on the bone overnight. If you don’t have natural propolis on hand, you can make compresses on overgrown, inflamed bones on your feet from a pharmaceutical propolis tincture.
An application made from ordinary foil will help make walking easier and relieve pain when walking. Place a piece of foil on the sore bunion and secure it with adhesive tape.
A compress of raw grated potatoes will help relieve inflammation on the bunion.
Apply small pieces of fresh river fish pulp to the painful bone on your big toe at night for 7 days. For the next 7 days, rub fir oil into the bone on your thumb. Repeat the course of procedures after 3 months. As a rule, after such procedures, the pain goes away, and the bones on the thumbs stop growing.
To prevent the bunion on your big toe from growing and hurting, apply an iodine mesh to it and lubricate it with turpentine ointment, alternating one day with iodine mesh and one day with turpentine ointment.
Preparation of turpentine ointment: place a fresh chicken egg with a white shell in a faceted stack, completely fill the egg with 70% vinegar essence and place in a dark place until the egg is completely dissolved. After about 2 weeks, the egg will completely dissolve. Remove the casing, discard it, and stir the contents. Add 1 tbsp. l. topped with butter, Vaseline or rendered lard. Add 10 g of pharmaceutical turpentine or turpentine ointment. Mix all ingredients well. If you don’t have turpentine, you can do without it.