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?!

I'm going to go in another direction as I have similar and it's definitely not a bunion in my case but arthritis in my big toe joint called Hallux Rigidus (sounds like something from Harry Potter.)

A podiatrist is probably going to give you a better diagnosis than a GP.

That’s a fucken bunion alright

I was told by my GP that having it removed would weaken the foot. I did know someone who had two bunions removed and she certainly wouldn’t walk if she could avoid it, whether that was coincidence I don’t know

Likely a coincidence. I had mine removed decades ago and hike, run, do martial arts.

It's an osteoarthritis bunion which is why it hurts so much. Anything with osteoarthritis in in has cycles of acute pain as the joint destruction occurs. Ask your GP to refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon to get it operated on. It will only get worse as you get older. My hip has got osteoarthritis in it and it has deteriorated so badly I need a hip reacement. I'm not old. That what your 1st toe joint is doing.

My DD10 has bunions in both feet much more pronounced than yours. Noticed them developing when she was about 6.
Hers are hereditary as she's never worn unsuitable footwear.
Hers were diagnosed by x-ray and she will be having the op (private don't know the NHS criteria) as soon as she's stopped growing as she's in daily pain and can now only wear one type of shoe or go barefoot. She also struggles with PE at school at certain things.

Definitely time to go back to the GP op.

I had both of mine done six years ago on the nhs, keyhole surgery, and although the recovery does take a while, and I had to have physio to remind me how to walk properly, I can honestly say, I never think about my feet any more. They have just stopped hurting. I’m 65 and they started hurting when I was 12. I researched which surgeon I wanted and got my gp to refer me, got done about six months later. It’s been amazing.

I'd go and see a podiatrist

My husband is a podiatrist. He said it's an early stage bunion.

So yup a bunion.

There is a bunion correcting foot bandage. I’ve seen it on tv on one of those crappy daytime adverts. That could help ?

I agree. I have bunions. As do my mum and grandmother. As I child I had made to measure ugly lace up shoes from Jones’ due to narrow feet. Since then I’ve always worn the frumpiest flat shoes known as I still have narrow feet which need straps to hold them in, plus I have no interest in fashion. I’ve never worn heels. I wear shoes with wide toe boxes, I’ve never worn pointed styles. I hate the thought of people judging me on shoe choices when that isn’t the case at all.

One of my bunions is much worse the than the one pictured.

I haven’t been to the doctors about mine yet because for some reason even though they’re bad they don’t cause me any pain (yet), so I know they wouldn’t do anything anyway.

I’ve massively reduced mine with yoga. Sounds implausible, I know.

@Discovereads My mum and sister both have bunions—I do not. Had my DNA tested by well known company and they identified a genetic predisposition to bunions. Thought that was pretty clever.

It looks like a bunion. I had them on both feet, but corrected by surgery 10 years ago. But my DH aunt has similar looking feet and was told it was arthritis. I was told by the surgeon who was a bunion specialist that its caused by overly mobile feet and lax ligaments. Basically faulty biomechanics. They don't cut bunions off unless there has been an overgrowth of bone as well, what they are generally doing is realigning the bones in the big toe. The surgery changed my life. But you have to be invested in it and prepared for the down time. I had both done at once , minimally invasive. 2 weeks with no weight bearing at all, basically lie on the sofa feet up, only moving using crutches to go to the loo etc. Then another 6 weeks of crutches, and they stayed swollen (I had to buy soft stretchy shoes) for another 6 plus months. But since then amazing.

That’s really interesting about the ligament issues. I have overly long (but not enough to be hyper mobile) ligaments, as does my sister, it seems to come down my dad’s side, and have a bunion too. Food for thought

Just had a look at their website, as I'm into foot-friendly shoes (bunion sufferer here). Very disappointed to see that some of them have ridiculously pointed toes!

E.g. callashoes.co.uk/products/ava-black-croc-leather

Barefoot-style shoes are the way forward IMHO. There's an extensive list/reviews website called Anya's Reviews which is really good. anyasreviews.com/

As I read this thread, adverts down the sidebar are flashing up photos of extremely 'sensible' shoes!

Try looking at Calla shoes website. Expensive but definitely worth it.

Ah someone has beat me to it!

Calla look a bit 'carry on wearing unhealthy pointed fashion shoes, but with room for your bunion too'! Bit shocked really. Not at all what shoes shaped for a natural toe spread should look like.

@fhe274

Many thanks for the tip about anyasreviews.com

I've had EEE feet for years now, and had bunions since early childhood, which only bother me if I choose badly for shoe style - since I'm vain that's been something that still happens!

I think you've just helped me a lot.😍
(I'm currently looking at the red Phoenix Knit from www.xeroshoes.eu that the anyasreviews site directed me to, and am determined to buy it asap.)

Nothing works except surgery I am a podiatrist and elderly people with foot deformities like this who have just left them for years get things like ulcers and the pain will only get worse over the years.

I’m seeing Bently cars….

It's a bunion. I have one and have NEVER worn high heels or shit shoes.

Yes, I think people saying they always wear sensible shoes often don't understand that most shoes, even square toed ones, are still squishing the toes. If your shoe isn't foot shaped, it doesn't have enough room for your foot. Barefoot shoes are the only ones with wide enough toe boxes if you suffer from squished toes and bunions.

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