What the FUCK is wrong with my foot? *picture attached*

[StripeySocks1234]

Sorry for cursing! It’s been a long day, made worse by an aching foot/toe.

I have a lump at the side of my foot, it’s solid and feels boner. I presumed it was a bunion because that’s what it looks and feels like. I went to the GP who agreed and sent me for an Xray but also wanted to rule out gout. When I went for the results, she said the blood test for gout came back absolutely fine, and from the x rays it’s not a bunion. She didn’t say what it was and didn’t offer any help or advice, and I was only 16 so I was relieved it was nothing and was just desperate to get out of the surgery. She just said take paracetamol or ibuprofen when I need to. She basically finished the consultation at that point and said there’s nothing else she can do for me I just have to manage it myself.

That was several years ago, and since then it’s definitely got bigger and more painful. If I took painkillers every time it hurt, I would probably be overdosing! It’s painful everyday but goes through periods where it’s unbearable. It’s like an intense ache up the side of my foot and down my toe. I’ve tried special socks, toe guards, separators, gels, pads, everything possible.

I should have spoken up and said I’m confused, but she clearly wanted me out asap and I was 16 so I was like oh ok cool and was fine with the lack of explaination about what it actually is, but now I’m so confused! What can look like a bunion, but isn’t actually a bunion?!

It could be a bone spur, I had them on the back of my heels and removed as a teenager.

Not sure you can get them there though. They are just a lump of extra bone though.

I've had a painful bunion since I was in my early twenties but it's never not significantly worse just comes and goes.

If having no luck with your gp, see a podiatrist.

Oo. Interesting. I am so wobbly with hypermobility though that I wear big fuck off b

Poor advice. Bunions aren't necessarily caused by poor footwear, that's outdated advice.

Boots...to stop me falling over so often.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteophyte/

I think it's bizarre that an X-ray determined yours wasn't a bunion though?

I do wonder how men get bunions.

I don’t know what the threshold is for NHS treatment but blimey, if you’re taking painkillers all the time just to get around, you must be really suffering with it. It’s having a big effect on your quality of life - I’d have thought that was a strong argument for having it treated. You poor thing - foot pain is awful to live with.

On the plus side, there is some weirdo on Twitter with a bunion fetish, so if you did need to raise money for private treatment you could probably sell him some pictures…

Yep, you obviously have the hyper-mobility gene that predisposed you to develop bunions earlier than peers would…as I said even girls shoes are designed to start the development of bunions. Toe shape alone does it.

Interestingly you know the medieval very pointy shoes that were hot fashion 600yrs ago (for men and women)? The trend started in Poland, and once Paris got them, they became all the rage in London, etc. Well these were called Poulaine shoes and caused 1 in 4 Britons to have bunions….
www.thesun.co.uk/tech/15226655/medieval-britain-bunions-common-problem/

Make Gp appointment and don’t be fobbed off.

Lol. It’s medical fact based on Osteology. It’s not outdated advice.

Not a solution per se but do check out Calla Shoes…they are specifically designed for people with bunions and they have some lovely stuff.

It’s a bunion OP.
Have you injured your toe in the past? Could you have arthritis in your toe from an old injury?
I have arthritis in my big toe and can be extremely painful.
Agree see podiatrist.
There is an extremely high threshold for surgery on NHS.

It was probably a lot milder when you first had it checked out at 16. Now it is a full on bunion.

“feels boner” 😭
Yes, it’s a bunion.
The surgery is a difficult recovery, bear in mind.

Hand on heart, I’ve worn sensible shoes all my life and had a bunion on both feet. I heard horror stories about how painful the surgery was and honestly it was fine. My feet look normal and I’m not in pain anymore. I hope you get it sorted soon as the only way to cure it will be surgery ( which is usually a day case too). Good luck. 😊

Yep.bunion. Treatment based on physical discomfort and not appearance so if it's causing functional difficulties, you will be able to get surgical rectification. That being said, the state of the NHS at the moment may mean several months wait🙄

If it looks like a bunion, and feels like a bunion, it's a bunion.

@Nonbio46 I’ve had a bunion develop simply because my gait has changed due to arthritis in both knees-I cannot spread weight through my foot properly and I’ve always worn supportive shoes
Hope op goes back to drs and gets it sorted

My mum has one and saw a specialist but eventually discharged her as she’s not in enough pain. If it’s excruciating you might get it removed

I’d go to the podiatrist and see if you can relieve the symptoms. Take all your usual shoes and let them check them on your feet. It’s got worse and you’re in more pain so perfectly reasonable to go back to the GP for an opinion. Podiatrists are experts in this type of thing though so I suspect you might get good advice there!

Will they remove those NHS or did you go private? I have them on the back of both heels

Whether or not it is a bunion or a genetic malformation, and the effects are much the same anyway, you need your GP to refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in feet. Surgery nowadays is usually day admission, no plaster, weight-bearing, home on sticks or crutches, and not particularly painful. I've had quite a few ops and it makes a huge difference.

It’s really not outdated advice at all.

The main cause of bunions is poor footwear.

And if you have bunions as the OP does, whether or not they were caused by poor footwear, you need to ensure suitable footwear now.

It’s standard, basic advice for anyone with bunions.

Exactly!