As a woman it is likely that you wear high heeled shoes. Because of these fashionable but unhealthy shoes you may be suffering from painful bunions. A bunion is an enlargement of the joint, typically the joint of your big toe caused by an increased bone formation. This causes pain, and eventually misalignment of the toe and subsequent toes. For some women who already have foot problems a bunion may make pain worse, and for others a bunion causes chronic pain and impedes the ability to walk properly. There are a few ways to relieve the pain of a bunion without surgery.

Like many other aches, pains, and maladies, rest and treatment with an over-the-counter NSAID (non-steroidal ant-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen or aspirin may help bunion relief in mild cases. If you're one of those women that like to wear restrictive shoes, it may be time to trade in your heels for walking shoes.

Another method that can be effective for giving you bunion relief if you are suffering from a lot of pain, is to have steroids injected into the swollen joint of the big toe. With this technique, you will experience temporary relief from the symptoms of your bunion, but as with the other remedies we have discussed, this will not be a permanent cure.

If you have tried the conservative options without success, talking with a podiatrist about surgical treatment for your bunion relief may be appropriate. Persistent pain and decreased functionality may be rectified by removal of the bony formation and realignment of the big toe, even insertion of stabilizing screws. If this is a treatment you are evaluating, be aware that this is not always considered to be a successful surgery.

Healing from this procedure can be quite painful, and the correction may not be permanent. This surgery is not generally performed for cosmetic reasons, but rather to provide alleviation of pain. You must be vigilant in following your physician's instructions after this surgery.