Dare to bare your Bunion!

With warm weather just around the corner, those feet you were hiding will soon be in sandals! Worried that all your friends will see your big bunion bumps? Do you have no idea what I am talking about so far?? Well enjoy the ride as we discuss all you need to know about the wide world of bunions!!

A bunion is when your big toe begins to move towards the rest of your smaller toes, and most likely is accompanied by a bump on the inside edge of the big toe. The problems that most people experience with bunions are red and calloused skin along the bump of the bunion, along with swelling of the big toe joint, with decreased range of motion and stiffness in the joint. The worst part of all though is some can experience PAIN during walking with any type of tight fitting shoes

Bunions can be caused by several factors. Bunions most commonly affect women, as types of shoe gear are often aggravating factors. Tight fitting shoes, especially high heels, can have a profound impact on developing buions. As the amount of hours per day, as well as number of years you spend in such ill-fitting shoes, the more likely a bunion will develop, or increase in severity. Bunions can also be genetic, or accompanied by another ailment, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or based on the type of foot you have. Pronation (a foot that rolls flat as you walk) or a splay type of foot, can also be predisposed to developing bunions.

Buions can be diagnosed through both a clinical evaluation by your podiatric physician, as well as taking an x-ray. X-rays are a very helpful tool, as your doctor will use the measurements he takes of a few different angles of the foot to determine the best option for treatment. With a very mild bunion that causes little pain or discomfort, it is advised to try and wear shoes with a wider toe box to provide more room for your feet, with the occasional Ibuprofen or aspirin for pain relief. There are also different types of spacing devices and braces that can be used to try and conservatively treat bunions, in addition to physical therapy to increase joint range of motion, as well as special custom molded inserts that allow for more room. If the bunion has been present for a long time, or is very painful or rigidly fixed, then surgery may be a good option. There are hundreds of different procedures, and variations of each procedure that can be done, all with excellent outcomes.

A similar type of foot problem is known as a tailors bunion. This has all the same type of causes, symptoms, and treatment, except the location is different. Tailors bunions occur at the other side of the foot, involving the joint of the 5th or pinky toe! Many people even opt to get both procedures done at the same time! With sandal weather quickly approaching, make sure to see your local podiatrist to address your bunions as soon as you can! You are entirely too busy and important to be living with pain!


The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about common conditions associated with the foot and ankle. Any advice given, whether medical or legal, is an opinion. For legal counsel or podiatric care, one should see their local podiatrist or attorney. More information can be found at my website www.michiganfootdoctor.com

Ever feel any burning, tingling, or a numbness in your feet?

Do the symptoms above describe how your feet feel from time to time? Are you a diabetic? Odds are, you could have what is known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. What exactly is that, and how did you get it?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that most commonly produces symptoms such as burning, numbness, tingling, pain, and loss of muscle function and reflexes in extremities. The areas most commonly affected are the feet and hands. The symptoms can eventually spread "proximally," towards the legs and arms. Causes of peripheral neuropathy besides diabetes include: renal or liver failure, hypothyroidism, excess vitamin B6, deficiency of vitamin B12 or vitamin A, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosis, leprosy, and shingles, to name a few.

More specifically, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, also called distal symmetric neuropathy or sensorimotor neuropathy, is unfortunately something that as many as sixty to seventy percent of the diabetic population end up experiencing. People with a history of diabetes for over 25 years, or those with uncontrolled blood sugar levels tend to experience the most severe neuropathy symptoms. Once the neuropathy symptoms develop it is very imperative to see your podiatrist on a regular basis for routine and episodic diabetic foot care and risk management.

Your podiatrist will check your feet at a minimum yearly, to assess the skin, muscles, bones, circulation, and sensation of your feet. They will assess the protective sensation in your feet by using an instrument called a Semms-Weinstein 5.07 monafilament wire to determine the extent of your condition. They may also use a tuning fork to assess vibratory sensation.

There are several treatment options for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. First and foremost is to keep blood glucose levels in the normal range, as set by your endocrinologist and podiatrist. Other options include medications both by mouth and topically that is rubbed into the skin. Physical therapy can also help decrease the pain.

It is very important to assess your feet for any type of peripheral neuropathy, especially if you're a diabetic! , The chances of foot injury or infection increases tremendously once sensation to your feet is lost. Oftentimes diabetics cannot even feel something as small as a rock rubbing in their shoes. This can lead to an ulcer (an open wound that does not heal), and possibly progress even to an amputation. The literature indicates that of the 86,000 amputations per year, more than half are in diabetics. This number can drastically be reduced if proper foot care is instituted. Diabetics need to check their feet daily for any rashes, cuts, blisters, scabs, growths, swellings, redness/discolored areas, infections, calluses and for any other suspicious looking areas. Applying the proper lotion to the feet, wearing properly fitting shoes (Medicare does cover diabetic shoes and inserts for qualifying diabetics which look like regular shoes) are also crucial to good foot health. Take good care of your feet, and they will take good care of you for many years to come!
Do the symptoms above describe how your feet feel from time to time? Are you a diabetic? Odds are, you could have what is known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. What exactly is that, and how did you get it?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that most commonly produces symptoms such as burning, numbness, tingling, pain, and loss of muscle function and reflexes in extremities. The areas most commonly affected are the feet and hands. The symptoms can eventually spread "proximally," towards the legs and arms. Causes of peripheral neuropathy besides diabetes include: renal or liver failure, hypothyroidism, excess vitamin B6, deficiency of vitamin B12 or vitamin A, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosis, leprosy, and shingles, to name a few.

More specifically, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, also called distal symmetric neuropathy or sensorimotor neuropathy, is unfortunately something that as many as sixty to seventy percent of the diabetic population end up experiencing. People with a history of diabetes for over 25 years, or those with uncontrolled blood sugar levels tend to experience the most severe neuropathy symptoms. Once the neuropathy symptoms develop it is very imperative to see your podiatrist on a regular basis for routine and episodic diabetic foot care and risk management.

Your podiatrist will check your feet at a minimum yearly, to assess the skin, muscles, bones, circulation, and sensation of your feet. They will assess the protective sensation in your feet by using an instrument called a Semms-Weinstein 5.07 monafilament wire to determine the extent of your condition. They may also use a tuning fork to assess vibratory sensation.

There are several treatment options for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. First and foremost is to keep blood glucose levels in the normal range, as set by your endocrinologist and podiatrist. Other options include medications both by mouth and topically that is rubbed into the skin. Physical therapy can also help decrease the pain.

It is very important to assess your feet for any type of peripheral neuropathy, especially if you're a diabetic! , The chances of foot injury or infection increases tremendously once sensation to your feet is lost. Oftentimes diabetics cannot even feel something as small as a rock rubbing in their shoes. This can lead to an ulcer (an open wound that does not heal), and possibly progress even to an amputation. The literature indicates that of the 86,000 amputations per year, more than half are in diabetics. This number can drastically be reduced if proper foot care is instituted. Diabetics need to check their feet daily for any rashes, cuts, blisters, scabs, growths, swellings, redness/discolored areas, infections, calluses and for any other suspicious looking areas. Applying the proper lotion to the feet, wearing properly fitting shoes (Medicare does cover diabetic shoes and inserts for qualifying diabetics which look like regular shoes) are also crucial to good foot health. Take good care of your feet, and they will take good care of you for many years to come!


The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about common conditions associated with the foot and ankle. Any advice given, whether medical or legal, is an opinion. For legal counsel or podiatric care, one should see their local podiatrist or attorney. More information can be found at my website www.michiganfootdoctor.com