For others, it’s a decision that takes years to make. People think they shouldn’t have surgery until in severe pain, so they work around the pain–wearing flip-flops and sneakers–and convince themselves they’re “pain-free”. Or maybe they think their surgery would be for purely cosmetic reasons, which in their minds doesn’t justify it.
If you’ve exhausted non-surgical treatments and you’re still in pain, it’s time to surgically fix the problem. But also if a bunion interferes with your life, whether that means your daily activities, walking, exercise, shoe choice, negative feelings about your feet, you should consider surgery. It’s essentially corrective surgery, since surgery will correct the misalignment of the bones that cause the bunion. Usually it’s a combination of factors–pain, limited activities and emotional issues–that signal it’s time to do something about your bunion.
A consultation from a bunion surgeon will allow you to get an assessment of what is actually going on in your foot and listen to treatment options from a qualified expert.