Bunions
Natural Remedies

Bunions - Editor's Choice

| Modified on Jul 08, 2024
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As much as we are on our feet, foot issues can be cause for a drastic change in pace and even schedule. You can consider bunions one of those “foot issues” that has the potential to alter your daily life if you let it. However, it is also a condition that you can often treat effectively with natural cures. Some of the home remedies for bunions include chamomile, calendula, and turmeric.

What Are Bunions?

Mayo Clinic defines a bunion as a “bony bump” that develops at the base of your big toe on the joint. Most often, the deformity forms as you big toe pushes against the toe next to it and forces the joint out of alignment. This misalignment also causes the joint of your big toe to get bigger and to protrude further out than it normally would. While bunions are most common on the joint of your big toe, smaller bunions or bunionettes can develop on your little toes.

Are There Any Natural Cures for Bunions?

While most bunions do not require medical treatment, a podiatrist or orthopedic foot specialist can help you if you have persistent pain, a visible mass on your joint, or decreased movement in your toe or foot. Otherwise, bunions generally respond well to natural, at home remedies. Chamomile, calendula, and turmeric are three of the most effective natural cures, but there are other options as well.

1. Chamomile

Research presented by LiveStrong.com suggests that a number of herbal remedies are effective for providing relief from bunion issues – one treatment being chamomile. This herbal remedy contains anti-inflammatory properties that help shrink the size of your bunion and relieve pain associated with the condition. Try drinking chamomile tea and applying used teabags directly to your bunion.

2. Calendula

Calendula is a treatment supported by Dr. James A. Duke, as it also has anti-inflammatory properties. You can often find calendula compounds or ointments in health food stores or nutrition shops. Apply the compound to your bunions 2 to 3 times daily for up to a week.

3. Turmeric

Dr. Weil suggests using turmeric or other hot spices for treating bunions. The capsaicin contained in turmeric helps reduce inflammation and reduces pain. Try drinking 1 teaspoon of turmeric dissolved in 8 ounces of water as a natural anti-inflammatory.

WebMD also suggests the importance of staying active, wearing comfortable shoes, and protecting bunions or sensitive areas with moleskin. Try any combination of these natural cures, or keep reading below to find out more about treating bunions naturally with tips from our readers!

References:
Bunions - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02916/Bunions.html
Bunions: Home Treatment - http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bunions-home-treatment
Diseases and Conditions: Bunions - http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bunions/basics/definition/con-20014535
Herbs That Shrink Bunions - http://www.livestrong.com/article/496923-herbs-that-shrink-bunions/


The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Lugol's Iodine

Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 03/28/2014
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I had bunions on both feet for many years and it wasn't till I came to the Philippines that I got rid of them completely. I had two large bunions, one on the top of my big toe and one at the base -- on both feet.

Doctors seem to believe that bunions are caused genetically or by rubbing on the shoe. I think this is bunk. Bunions are caused by deep-seated subdermal fungal/bacterial infestations in these regions. I also had very hard and unusual callous build up all around the back of my heels. And when you think about it, a foot inside a shoe wearing socks etc is a prime region for sweat build up and infections.

What's more, when I came to the Philippines and wore simple sandals and flip-flops every day (not shoes) my bunions still did not improve.

The fastest way to get rid of bunions/hard skin build-up on the feet is to first shave these regions down to the normal skin if you can and then apply a disinfectant like iodine to get rid of any discreet fungal/bacterial infections sub-dermally.

I would also not recommend topical application of lugol's iodine alone.

Only about 4%-8% of the iodine is absorbed into the skin this way. But if you use a 50-50 mix of one teaspoon of 70% DMSO(Dimethyl-sulfoxide) and one teaspoon lugol's iodine on the shaved bunion regions, you will get much faster results because of the penetrative and transdermal carrier abilities of DMSO. In other words DMSO carries much more iodine into the skin transdermally giving you faster and quicker outcomes.

DMSO is also an anti-inflammatory and will reduce the pain. Result: All bunion pathogens killed with no more bunion formation thereafter.


Coconut Oil

Posted by Brian (Sth Aus, Australia) on 10/15/2013
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Coconut Oil

Just over a week ago I began to limp from minor pain in my left foot. Closer inspection revealed a lump protruding at the base of my small toe about the size of a pea. I have never experienced this before but I googled ‘bunions' anyway and proceeded to tick every box for descriptions and matched every photo for the identification of a Tailor's Bunion.

Whether it really was a bunion will never be confirmed by a doctor because it's completely gone – no limp, no pain, no lump. But it sure is a strange place to get a pimple if that's all it was.

The only treatment I used on it was a 1 minute morning massage with a tiny bit of Coconut Oil and then putting a sock on immediately after, for 3 days. That was it. On the 4th day all was well again so I stopped treating it and haven't put a foot wrong since.

Cheers.


Massage

Posted by Jencia Barnswallow (Houston, Texas) on 06/19/2008
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

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



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