Hi all....what is the correlation between RA and bunions? I have read some stuff that bunions can occur because of RA and I have noticed recently that my big toe seems to be pointing a little bit towards my second toe. I know that I have a history of bunions in my family but I have never noticed this on myself before. And also it's been starting to hurt.....and it's red on the side. Does anyone else have bunions and if so, is this related to RA?
What can you do about it?
Britenny
Britenny, I've developed one on the left first toe in the last 6-7 months. It is causing me to walk with slight limp due to the constant pain, sort of a burning sensation. I did some internet research and found that RA can be the cause of bunions by way of extra bone growth in the first joint, which makes the toe point to the second toe. My Rheumy knows it's there and in fact I called to ask again what I should do about it and he wants me to wait until I see him again for a reccomendation. That will be the end of October. In the meantime, I guess I'll keep polishing it to a high red gloss. Take care and don't wear shoes!
Mike
To help the big toe from leaning on the second toe, you can buy toe spacers. They are at most drugstores. I buy the clear rubber kind, I find they last for months, over the sponge rubber kind.
Kieye
Hi Britenny,
I have a bunion as well. Like Mike, I have a burning sensation along with the pain. My doctor has suggested I have surgery since my feet (one worse than the other) are deformed but I keep putting it off.
Bunions can be caused by RA or from wearing narrow shoes.
Kelly
Hi....how long do you have to have been wearing narrow shoes for a bunion to occur? I have been wearing flat shoes all the time now for nearly a year and none of them are tight. Also, I am only 23. There were only a few years in there that I was wearing narrow shoes....could that be time enough to cause a bunion or is it most likely from RA? It's so strange cause I've never noticed it before so it must be a recent development. It sucks....I always thought I had such nice feet until this..Sorry Britenny it is always distressing to find a new nasty thing is happening no matter what your age! I started to develop bunion on my right foot about 8 years ago. It was really inflammed and painful at first but then it calmed down. It hasn't progressed either.(HooRay!)
Most people can wear narrow shoes and not get bunions - so please don't go getting on a guilt trip. For now, just make sure your shoes support your feet without pinching the side of your big toe.
At least it is something that can be repaired
I had one and 6 or 7 years ago had it fixed. That was all before I had RA. I'm still undecided if it was worth it. It still bothers me sometimes, but the problem is the doctor that did the surgery used too long of a screw to put the toe bone back together with and it sticks out both the top and bottom a little bit. He said he could take it out after six months or a year but I wasn't about to let him go back in there.I had surgery on both feet at the same time for bunions when I was in the tenth grade. It was the best thing that could have happened. I had it done because I was having to wear such wide shoes and finding anything stylish in a wide shoe was pretty tough in 1973..... My big toes was also turning under my second toes.
I am so glad that my parents had the "foresight" to have this done. I cannot imagine the mess I would be in today if I still had these bunions with the other foot problems I had since having RA. I have a Taylors bunion that needs surgery and I am having it removed this summer!
Every doctor that I go to comments on the beautiful job that the ortho did and how straight the toes have stayed. And this surgery was 32 years ago!
It was a long recovery ( six weeks in walking casts), but things were done a lot different back then. My Mom had it done recently and her recovery time was much less than mine.
I have bunions, nodules and bursars on my feet. They all burn and get sore at times. The bursar bothers me the most because it's on the bottom of my foot. All are due to RA. I had numerous surgeries over the years to remove them or make them smaller. The joints in my big toes are fake. I wore toe spacers for a while too.
I was a kid in the 70's and I can attest - there was nothing stylish and wide and comfy enough to accomodate my feet. I wore Snoopy and Flintsones sneakers even through HS! It was embarasing but they were the only thing that would work. My feet are in better shape now. Though that darn bursar bugs me. The bunions are smaller and don't give me too much trouble.
Heredity can play a role in having bunions, too. My mom has them, my aunt had them, my grandmother had them ...... I was only 13 and didn't have RA, so the heredity theory works best for me. Something popped up on the bottom of my big toe it is causing pain right to the bottom of my foot anybody have any idea. I showed my Gp on mon and some other things too and I am just coming out of a flare. He did not tell me what it is but is putting me on the rush list to see a new rhuemy my curent one blows me off. My liver count was high for 2 mnths you know what he said to me are you a boozer anyways any ideas on the lump? thanks TERESAThey gotta ask if you are a drinker when you have elevated liver stats. (Stop drinking is the quickest fix for that). Good Luck with new rhuemy.
Marian I wish I was a drinker but it really never agreed with me so I stopped yrs ago.TERESA