Bunion Pain is Often Complex: MD Podiatrist

“When questioned, most people would assume a bunion is painful only when there is pressure to the bump from shoes,” says Daniel Michaels, DPM. “Predictably, it is much more complex than that, with surprising ramifications. Although there are exceptions, bunions can become a source of numerous, and very different, problems. Certainly, an abnormal bump on some part of the foot is probably going to get pressure from shoes. Yet, this recurrent and excessive force on human tissue has consequences.
  
“A sack of fluid can develop over a bunion, a structure referred to as a bursa, labeled bursitis after becoming inflamed. These structures develop in a variety of places throughout the body, the hip being an especially frequent one. Typically, a nerve runs right past this area of the foot, so it often gets pressured when a bunion exists. Any nerve getting excessive, repeated pressure will induce pain, so this peculiar type of discomfort is common,” says Dr. Michaels.