Psychosomatics of a bunion
A bunion is a bony bump at the base of the big toe, which angles towards the other toes. It can hurt, turn red and make it hard to wear shoes. It is more common in women, partly because of family history and the shape of the foot, and tight shoes can make the pain worse. Wide shoes, insoles and sometimes surgery help, and a doctor decides. The Ladder method adds questions about where you keep going through pain.
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When to see a doctor
An orthopaedic doctor or podiatrist makes the diagnosis from an examination and an X-ray. The NHS advises seeing a doctor if foot pain stops you walking normally and wearing shoes, if the toe has turned or hurts all the time, and especially if you have diabetes. An orthopaedic doctor chooses shoes with orthotic insoles.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method a bunion is not explained as "you cannot stop", and you are not to blame for it growing. The causes are known: the shape of the foot, family history, age, shoes. Questions to yourself belong alongside good shoes and treatment, not instead of them.
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In the method the foot fits the image of a step forward: where you are going and what it costs you. It is an image, not the cause, and it does not replace an examination by an orthopaedic doctor.
On the ladder this shows up as the steps "I keep going through pain" and "I am not allowed to stop". You can work through them at your own pace.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
More: signs, medicine, sources, questions
How it shows up
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- A hard bump at the base of the big toe
- The big toe angles towards the others
- Redness and swelling of the joint
- Pain when walking, especially in tight shoes
- Corns and sore spots on the toes
- Burning or numbness in the toe
What medicine knows
A bunion (hallux valgus) is a shift of the joint at the base of the big toe: the toe itself angles towards its neighbours while the joint sticks out as a bump. The NHS says women get it more often than men, and it usually develops slowly.
Causes according to the NHS and MedlinePlus: family history and the shape of the foot, flat feet, arthritis, tight shoes with a narrow toe and a high heel. Shoes do not create a bunion by themselves, but they can speed its growth and make it hurt more.
Signs: a hard bump at the base of the big toe, redness, swelling, pain when walking and in tight shoes, corns and sore spots where the toes press on each other. The doctor examines the foot and, if needed, sends you for an X-ray.
What helps according to the NHS: comfortable wide shoes with a soft toe, silicone pads and orthotic insoles, painkillers on a doctor's advice, sometimes ice. If the pain is severe and stops you walking, surgery is discussed, and it is done when other options have not worked. A bunion will not go away on its own, but its growth can be slowed.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bunion be caused by nerves?
No. A bunion is linked to the shape of the foot and family history, flat feet and arthritis, and tight shoes can speed its growth and pain (NHS). Nerves do not create it, and a doctor chooses the treatment.
What does a bunion mean in psychosomatics?
There is no proven "meaning". In the Ladder method a bunion becomes a reason to ask yourself where you keep going through pain and whether you can let yourself stop. It is a question to yourself, not a diagnosis.
Do I have to have surgery?
No. If a bunion does not bother you, surgery is not needed. Wide shoes, pads, insoles and painkillers help. Surgery is considered when the pain is severe, stops you walking and other options have not worked (NHS).
Related topics
Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.