What is a bunion?
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Do you feel an unnatural bump, which feels more like a bone at the base of your big toe where it gets attached to the foot? That bump is a bunion and it develops usually because the weight of our body falls mostly on the joints in our foot. The joint that attaches the big toe to the foot, therefore, gets bigger and starts to stick out.
Though both men and women develop bunions, women are more prone to deformity of the bone. This is mainly because of women tend to wear high heels which contributes to the formation of bunions. Also, wearing shoes that are too narrow in the front can cause bunions or other bone deformities.
You run a higher risk of developing bunions if you have endured foot injuries or had any kind of deformity in the foot at the time of birth. People with a certain inherited foot type might also get bony bumps in their big toe. Few particular kinds of arthritis can also cause bunions.
Bunions can be extremely painful because they develop at a joint. They also lower the flexibility of your toe, making movement difficult.
Apart from developing a bony bump in your toe joint, you might also notice other symptoms of bunions, which include, joint pain, redness, calluses as well as corns in the joint. The affected area might develop few blisters, which can be very painful and uncomfortable. There might also be a shift of your big toe in the direction of your other toes, which is ought to make wearing shoes difficult as they won’t fit.
To cure the symptoms, and hence treat the condition itself, try these home remedies for bunions.
Suggested read: 10 Easy Home Remedies For Foot Care For Healthy, Happy Feet
Home remedies for bunions
Here are the top 10 home remedies to treat the symptoms associated with bunions.
1. Ice
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The first remedy on our list is an ice pack. Bunions tend to get sore and red after a while, and to treat these symptoms of pain and inflammation, nothing works better than an ice pack.
The cold temperature of the pack will numb the nerve endings in the affected area, and provide relief to your pain.
For the remedy, begin by crushing some ice cubes, and placing them in a clean thin towel. Wrap the towel, and place it on the bunion. After 5 to 10 minutes, repeat the remedy thrice.
This simple yet effective natural treatment will cure your symptoms of bunions and offer great comfort.
2. Massage
The second remedy on our list of natural treatments today is massage. Massage, as you know, is a therapeutic method which ensures improvement of blood circulation to the affected area. As a result, it alleviates the pain in the area, and also prevents the problem in the future.
Massage the area regularly will slowly reduce the size of the bony bump, making the area less susceptible to calluses, bunions and corns.
For the remedy, begin by rubbing some olive or coconut oil on the bunion. You can also use castor oil if you want. Before massaging, however, remember to warm the oil. This will further improve the circulation of blood. You need to slowly massage the area for at least 10-odd minutes.
The treatment should be repeated thrice a day to quickly heal the bunion.
3. Foot Exercises
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Foot exercises help in promoting toe flexibility. These exercises also slow down the growth of the bunion, and prevent the need for a surgery.
These exercises can be performed on a daily basis, and you should continue them even after your bunion is cured to prevent the further development of bony bumps or calluses on the toe.
The first exercise you can try requires you to sit on a chair and place a tennis ball under your foot. You can also use a golf ball if you want. Now roll the ball with your feet. Use the mounds of your toes to roll the ball. You should perform the workout at least 10 minutes every day.
For the second exercise, remain seated on the chair. Now gently cup the sole of your foot in your palm. Interlace your fingers with the toes. Now gently bend the toes. Go back and forth, and then upward and downward. Don’t try to force the movement. Do this every day for 10 minutes.
4. Epsom Salt
The next remedy you should try is Epsom salt. Bunions caused by arthritis are particularly healed by Epsom salt. By soaking your feet in Epsom saltwater, you can alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with bunions.
Epsom salt is a rich source of magnesium, and therefore, it balances the acid-base level in the body. This, in turn, cures the inflammation and pain in the toes.
For the remedy, you need to pour warm water in a tub or a bucket. Now add a cup of Epsom salt into the water and mix well. Soak your feet in the water, and soak them until the water gets cold. You must remember to dry your feet with a clean, soft towel. Do not rub hard as it can worsen the bunion.
The remedy must be repeated thrice a week for quick results.
Suggested read: 8 Home Remedies To Prevent Athlete’s Foot Itch
5. Turmeric
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Next remedy on our list is turmeric which contains curcumin that kills pain and reduces inflammation, both of which are key symptoms associated with bunions.
For the remedy, you need to prepare a paste of turmeric powder and olive oil. Now gently apply the paste on the affected area. The remedy must be repeated thrice a day until the condition is totally healed.
You may also take curcumin capsules if your bunions tend to reoccur every second day. For the correct dosage, consult your doctor or your health care provider.
6. Chamomile
Try chamomile to treat your bunions. The therapeutic property of chamomile makes it a great herbal remedy to treat not just bunions, but also calluses and corns.
Chamomile shrinks the bunions, and also treats inflammation and discomfort caused by the bony bumps.
For the remedy, you should start by brewing a cup of tea. Add a chamomile tea bag and sip the tea while it is still warm. You can also place the teabag on the bunion. Repeat the remedy twice or thrice a day for best results.
7. Calendula
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The next remedy on our list of natural treatments for bunions is calendula. If you are not familiar with this name, I am sure you are aware of marigold.
Calendula treats bunions owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. It treats the pain and shrinks the bump.
For the remedy, you need to wash some calendula leaves, and then crush them to extract the juice. Gently apply the juice on the area. Leave it on until it dries on its own, and then wash with lukewarm water.
Repeat the remedy two times every day to treat the condition faster.
8. Aspirin Foot Soak
The last remedy on our list is an aspirin foot soak. Aspirins work wonders on headaches, but do they also work on bunions? Yes, they do, because they reduce the discomfort in the affected area. They also reduce the stinging sensation you are likely to feel in and around the affected area.
To treat the inflammation, and keep the area soft so that you do not develop corns or calluses, try giving your feet an aspirin soak.
For the remedy, you need to fill a small tub or a big bucket with some warm water. Make sure the water is comfortably warm. Now dissolve 3 to 4 aspirin tablets in the water. Soak both your feet in the solution until the water turns cold. You need to pat your feet dry with a clean and soft towel. Do not rub the area as it can worsen the bunion. Now massage the area with warm olive oil.
The remedy should be repeated two times a week for best results.
Since aspirin can have an irritating effect on the skin, if you have never used it before, do perform a patch test prior to trying the remedy on your bunion.
Suggested read: 9 Excellent Home Remedies For Foot Blisters That Help Get Rid Of Them
Additional tips for bunions
Here are the additional tips you can follow along with these home remedies to treat as well as prevent bunions.
- If your bunion has become inflamed, then you need to keep the affected foot a little elevated for say 20 minutes every couple of hours.
- You can try acupuncture to treat bunions. Do get it done by an expert.
- Every remedy that involves washing the feet in the end, should be followed by proper drying of the area with a soft and clean towel. Be gentle while drying the bunion.
- Those who have corns in their feet might want to get it removed with corn plasters that are available in almost all medicine stores.
- Kids also develop bunions, and so you need to ensure they are wearing properly fitted shows or sandals.
That is all we have on today’s post on home remedies for bunions. Was this helpful? Will you be recommending it to others too? If you have some remedies that you would like to share with us, then please do so in the comment section below.
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