Bunions

Check if you have bunions

• A lump on the side of the foot by the big toe
• The big toe pointing towards the other toes
• Hard, red or sore skin over the lump
• Pain or swelling around the joint, often worse in shoes

Things you can do yourself

Do

• Wear wide, deep shoes with a low heel and soft uppers
• Use a bunion pad or gel cushion to stop rubbing
• Hold an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the joint for up to 20 minutes to ease swelling
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you need pain relief

Don’t

• Wear high heels or narrow, pointed shoes
• Cut or burn corns over the bunion yourself

Non-urgent advice: See a podiatrist if:

• the pain is stopping you doing everyday things
• hard skin or corns keep forming over the joint
• finding comfortable shoes has become difficult

How we can help

We remove painful hard skin and corns, protect the joint with padding, advise on footwear and, where it helps, recommend insoles. If you’re considering surgery, we’ll explain when to ask your GP for a referral.

Foot conditions

Related conditions

• Heel pain Pain under the heel, often worst with the first steps in the morning.
• Flat feet Low or fallen arches, which only need treatment if they cause pain.
• Pain in the ball of the foot Burning or aching under the toes, known as metatarsalgia.