What Is It?

A bunion is a firm, painful bump that forms over a bony bulge at the base of the big toe. In most cases, the big toe joint also is enlarged, and has degenerative arthritis. The toe also may be pushed toward the second toe.

Bunions tend to be inherited, but they also are common in the following groups:

• Women who wear high heels

• People who wear shoes that are too narrow or too pointed

• People with flat feet

All of these situations force the big toe to drift toward the little toes, and this can cause bunions to form.

Symptoms

The dominant symptom of a bunion is a big, bulging bump on the inside of the base of the big toe. Other symptoms include swelling, soreness and redness around the big toe joint, a tough callus at the bottom of the big toe, and persistent or intermittent pain.