Foot pain in the big toe is commonly known as bunions. Most frequently charged on wearing tight, narrow and high heeled shoes, it seems that a lot of women are now paying the price of style and beauty with bunions on their feet. This foot problem has a medical terminology which is called Hallux Valgus although it is ordinarily known as a bunion and a real pain in the big toe. With this problem of the forefoot, a bunion looks like a major bump on the inside of the foot around the joint of the big toe.
When you have a bunion or foot pain in the big toe, the bump appears swollen, red and painful on the inside of the foot around and in the big toe joint. The bump which you see is essentially the bone protruding towards the inside of the foot. With a bunion, the base of the big toe will eventually become bigger and will stick out even more and the big toe will might continue to drift toward the rest of the toes and in several cases, the big toe could essentially come to rest under or over the second toe. With no proper treatment, the second toe can put pressure on the third toe changing its proper alignment.
Although the prevention for foot pain in the big toe is the best treatment of all, there are treatment choices which are available too. Surgery is an option if walking has become painful and it is the sole treatment which will ultimately get rid of the pain related to bunions. The objective of the surgery is the realignment of the ligaments, bones, nerves and tendons in order that the big toe can be back it is normal position, thus relieving the pressure on the other toes and the pain of the bunion.
Before considering surgery, it is best to avoid wearing shoes with tight, narrow toe box, sharp pointy toes and heels three inches and higher. Foot pain in the big toe is generally treated with cold compresses, anti-inflammatory medications, soaking the feet in Epsom salts for added comfort, protective bunion pads, cortisone injections, orthotics and comfortable shoes.