[YEA]  06/19/2008: Jencia Barnswallow from Houston, Texas: "Oil Massage reduces bunion size.

My husband of 35 years had an extremely large bunion on his big toe.
It was so large the shape of his foot and toes were distorted and the skin so stretched and tight it looked as though it was about to split for a stretch mark.

Years ago when it became a problem, he learned his shoes were too small. Wearing looser shoes stopped the bunion growth and pain, but the size remained huge. The doctors suggested leaving it alone since the pain subsided. Still the distortion was pretty obvious and affected the way he walked. He also had huge very tough calluses.

Our friend suggested rubbing the toe and bunion area several times a day to increase circulation and blood flow to the area and encourage synovial fluid to move around the bones again. I set a timer nearby and began by placing a thick terry towel in my lap under his foot as I began rubbing his toe, bunion and lower foot along that side for 10 minutes every morning. A blister sometimes formed so I began to use a teaspoon of olive oil on his toe/bunion and massage while we talked or read. Occasionally, I would apply a little
more oil. We are usually reading during this time so the time goes quickly. The timer is helpful so you don't have to keep checking. When my fingers get tired, I use more of my palm to rub the area and then switch back to fingers again after a break. It is helpful to drink a lot of water before starting to get the body well hydrated which aids blood flow and movement of synovial fluid.

After a few days, I began rubbing up to 20 minutes and sometimes would do this twice a day, morning and evening depending on time availably.

We showed our friend again about a month later and he was shocked by the reduction in size and the looseness of the skin. I could literally pinch a half inch between my fingers by then, whereas before it was so tight, there was nothing at all because it was stretched so thin.

The increased blood flow encouraged by the massaging was moving synovial fluid and dissolving the outer layers of excess calcium of the bunion and it is literally being washed away.

We are in to the 2nd month now and it is already enough smaller he can wear a narrower shoe width again after 20 years.

We make a joke now that someday he will have such shapely feet again, that he might think about having skin reduction surgery because it really is quite similar to extreme weight loss leaving a lot of excess hanging skin. If not skin reduction surgery, then maybe a tiny little toe girdle? LOL"

08/27/2011: Janikaye from Bloomington, Mn: "I THINK I have a bunion starting to form on the left side of my right foot. I have started massaging it daily with castor oil / turmeric, and I do think that helps with the pain. However... What I am wondering is what can I do to prevent the problem from getting worse? Since it's just beginning, maybe someone has a prevention idea. Bunions do run in our family and I am just starting to get one at age 57. Thanks for your help."