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Posts for tag: Bunion

By Crofton Podiatry
April 17, 2019
Category: Ingrown Toenails

There are many reasons why you might find yourself limping due to pain in your feet or toes. It could be a bunion, callus or corn all of which are quite treatable. One, though, may require more than average especially if it’s not taken care of. An Ingrown toenail may sound somewhat minor to the average person, but if not taken care of can require surgery to fix, something most people will want to avoid if possible and do if needed.

An ingrown toenail is when your toenail starts to grow into the actual toe groove causing pain and discomfort. What may start out to be a slight issue can quickly escalate.

Causes of Ingrown Toenails include:

  • Poor fitting shoes – shoes that are too tight at the toes not allowing for growth and pushing the nails inward.
  • Poor trimming – nails that are not trimmed properly can grow this way.
  • Family History – a history of ingrown toenails in your family can be passed on to relatives.
  • Trauma – trauma to the toes may case nails to grow inward.

Symptoms of an ingrown toenail include redness, swelling, pain and possible drainage from an ongoing infection. Any or all of these can indicate an ingrown toenail. In other words, if the toenail is ingrown you will know it by how it looks and feels.

If you do have an ingrown toenail you will want to see your podiatrist as they are best trained to assess and treat them. You want to catch it before it progresses too far, and surgery is needed. To avoid getting them you will want to do the following.

  • Wash your feet with anti-bacterial soap to keep feet and toes clean and dry.
  • Cut your nails straight across, not on a curve.
  • Cut them when they are soft like after a bath or shower.
  • Wear proper fitting shoes not too tight or too loose at the toes.

Treatment beyond trimming the nails could include the podiatrist cutting out the sides of the toenails to stop the ingrown nail from growing further which in most cases is quite successful.

If you believe you have an ingrown toenail or any other concerns with your feet, call our office and make an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. He will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments. Call Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas. 

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By Crofton Podiatry
March 12, 2019
Category: Bunion
Tags: podiatrist   corns   calluses   surgery   Bunion   arthritis  

Choosing the right fitting footwear is very important, as making the wrong choice could cause very painful problems for your feet. One of the effects of not doing so is the development of something called a bunion or a painful bony lump on the inside of the foot at the big toe joint. The lump, or bunion, also known as hallux valgus, puts pressure on the big toe causing it to turn inward.  While not everyone gets a bunion, those who do need to see a podiatrist to have it treated.

Risk factors for bunions include:

  • Inherited foot type. You may have a structural defect that’s been passed down from others.
  • High heel shoes. Shoes which put excessive strain on the toes pushing them together.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis. A condition of sensitive swelling in the toe joints.
  • Poor fitting shoes. Both men and women need to make sure shoes provide plenty of width, especially at the toes.

Usually, someone suffering from a bunion will feel pain enough to know something is wrong, but other symptoms may also occur including difficulty finding correct fitting footwear, a visible lump near your big toe, corns or calluses where toes overlap and a lessened ability to move your toes. All these are signs that you may be developing a bunion.

Treatment of bunions will depend on the severity of the bunion. Non-surgical treatments include:

  • Wearing correct fitting and more comfortable shoes.
  • Wearing bunion pads which helps place the toes in a more anatomically correct position.
  • Placing ice on the foot which will help reduce swelling.
  • Pain medicine. The use of over the counter pain meds to reduce pain and swelling.
  • Injecting Cortisone in the foot to alleviate swelling.

In more severe and painful cases surgery may be needed including:

  • The removal of swollen and painful joint tissue.
  • Removing or cutting parts of the big toe thereby straightening it.
  • Adjusting the bones in your feet to make them straighter with regard to the toes. 
  • Repairing the tendons and ligaments around the toe.

Of course, only the most severe cases require surgery. The best person to determine how to treat your bunion is your podiatrist. Only they will know what is best for your foot.

If you believe you may have a bunion or have any other concerns with your feet, make an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. He will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments. Call Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas. 

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By Crofton Podiatry
May 04, 2017
Category: Bunion
Tags: Bunion   Hammertoes  

Have you noticed pain or a bump on the inside of the big toe joint? You may have a bunion. Also known as hallux valgus, a bunion is a bony protrusion, which makes the big toe lean toward the second toe. This can happen due to constant pressure on the big toe joint, whether it be from tight shoes, deformities, or injury. Symptoms can include: pain, redness, inflammation, callus or corn on the bump, and stiffness in the big toe. Your feet may feel more discomfort in your shoes, requiring you to buy footwear with a bigger toebox.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Leaving bunions untreated can make the growth bigger and complicate the problem. It can cause higher risk for bursitis, hammertoes, arthritis, and even cause deformity in your feet. If the issue becomes severe enough, you may even need surgery to fix the problem. For most, however, surgery is not required. Some treatment options include:

  • Icing – If there is swelling and/or pain from your bunions, you can use an ice pack or cold compress for 15-20 minutes, several times a day to relieve it.
  • Padding – There are bunion pads available to purchase at drugstores or pharmacies to cushion the bunions from further pressure or irritation.
  • Medication – NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can help with reducing inflammation and/or pain. If you need to take these medications, make sure to follow the recommended dosing.
  • Replacement Footwear – You may need to buy new shoes that better fit your feet. With bunion development, there’s a good chance that your big toe joint has pressure on it from current footwear. With bunions, the front of the shoes will need more room.

  • Orthotics (custom, if necessary) – Some shoe inserts can help take pressure off the bunion. There are also toe spacers that will keep the big toe straighter, and prevent from pushing into your second toe.

Got bunion pain? Come see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. Make an appointment by calling (410) 721-4505 to get assessed and properly treated. Our team is ready to assist you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

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By Brad Toll
February 20, 2015
Category: Bunion

Even though February is here New Year’s is still fresh, and it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to make this 2015 the best year yet!  First on most people’s list for their 2015 resolution is improving their personal health. However, accomplishing these goals may be impossible when you’re hindered by bunion pain. We see many patients in the Crofton, Gambrills and greater Annapolis area who have let their bunion pain bother them for years before coming into our office to get it fixed. 

Bunions are not only cosmetically embarrassing, and painful, but can also increase your risk of trips falls, and other injuries. Delaying treatment is only delaying your return to a healthy life!  Surgical management of your bunion is often simple, and definitive. Oftentimes your local podiatrist can offer a multitude of surgical and non-surgical options which can resolve your bunion deformity, remove your foot pain, and kick your 2015 off to a great start in a matter of months.

Ignoring your bunion won’t make it go away! If your feet are causing your pain and are keeping you from accomplishing your resolution for a healthier 2015, find a local foot specialist to talk about getting your pain resolved, and putting your best foot forward in the New Year! If you’re around the greater Annapolis area, feel free to give us a call here at Crofton Podiatry at 410-721-4505 or schedule online here!

By Brad Toll.

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2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25
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Podiatrist - Crofton, Crofton Podiatry, 2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25, Crofton MD, 21114 (410) 721-4505