Discover how our skilled bunion surgeon can help you.
Dr. Salma Aziz is an experienced foot and ankle specialist in the Orange County area. Her areas of focus encompass all types of foot, ankle, and toenail issues with an emphasis on minimally invasive treatments and surgical techniques. As a top bunion surgeon, Dr. Aziz seeks to provide relief for patients with bunions that are:
- Stubborn and painful
- Do not respond to other methods of treatment
What is a bunion?
Put simply, a bunion is a bony bump that forms on the base of your big toe, on the joint. It develops when your big toe pushes against the adjacent toe, which forces the big toe’s joint to increase in size and stick out. Sometimes, the skin over the bunion is callused, sore, and red. If you have smaller bony bumps on the joints of your smaller toes, those are called bunionettes.
What causes bunions?
Bunions occur when an imbalance of pressure in your feet makes your big toe joint unstable. This causes a hard, bony bump form outside of the normal shape of the foot. While bunions themselves are not inherited, faulty mechanical structures that can contribute to them are inherited.
Other causes for bunions include congenital deformities (present at birth) and foot injuries. It is associated with some types of inflammatory arthritis, as well as occupations that require you to wear pointed shoes and spend a lot of time on your feet. Wearing tight shoes or high heels can also contribute to bunions and make them worse.
As a bunion surgeon in Orange County, Dr. Salma Aziz can help you determine what is contributing to your bunion, so you can effectively treat it and prevent the problem from reoccurring.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of bunions include numbness, burning, inflammation, redness, soreness, and pain at the site of the bunion. You will notice a bulging bump at the base of your big toe, on the outside. The skin at the base of your big toe can become thick, and you might notice corns and calluses in the area as well. Additionally, you might have a restricted range of motion in your big toe.
You might notice these symptoms most while wearing shoes that are tight fitting, or after spending a long period of time on your feet.
You should contact Dr. Salma Aziz, an experienced bunion surgeon, if you notice that you are experiencing any of the signs or symptoms of bunions. Early treatment is important for pain relief.
