Corns And Bunions, What To Do?

Keeping your feet healthy is an important part of keeping the rest of your body healthy. However, conditions like corns and bunions can take a toll on the most simple of your daily tasks like walking or even standing. Learn about what you can do to treat your corns and bunions with Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists with offices in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ.

What is a bunion? 
A bunion is a foot deformity often brought on by wearing narrow, tight or high-heeled shoes though simple genetics are sometimes to blame. The bunion itself is a lump or bump on the inside of the foot underneath the base of the big toe. Bunions grow very slowly over time and often begin painlessly. However, over time, an untreated bunion can cause pain, swelling and discomfort and make standing or walking more difficult.

What is a corn? 
A corn occurs when the skin becomes thickened due to rubbing or friction. Corns usually present themselves on the tops of or in between the toes. Corns can be hard or soft, with hard corns being thick patches of skin and soft corns being much thinner and whitish in color. Corns are usually small in size and feel hard to the touch. Corns can become painful depending on their location, but normally do not hurt.

How are bunions and corns related? 
As a bunion grows, it causes the big toe to grow toward the smaller toes. This, in turn, forces the smaller toes toward the outside of the foot, eventually causing them to overlap. These overlaps cause the skin to rub together to create friction, creating a corn.

Bunion and Corn Treatments in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ 
Often, bunion treatments begin with simply monitoring the bunion’s growth and implementing specific lifestyle changes to slow its growth like switching to more comfortable shoes with a wider toe box. However, a bunion which has begun to cause pain or discomfort may require bunion surgery to remove the bunion altogether. Realigning the toes and removing the bunion will allow existing corns to fade away and prevent future corns from forming.

For more information on bunions and corns, please contact your podiatrist at Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists at their offices in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ. Call (856) 488-5290 (Pennsauken office) or (856) 875-8855 (Turnersville office) to schedule your appointment with your podiatrist today!