Author: Foot Doc
Date: 10/19/2007 11:49 am PDT
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DISCLAIMER:
THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
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"Bunion" is not an entirely specific term, and the word is used to defines several foot problems which are not necessarily connected. The bunion that most people normally think of is one where there is a prominent bump on the medial (inside) portions of the head of the first metatarsal. This is often, but not always associated with drifting of the great toe in the direction of the fifth toe (hallux valgus), and sometimes there is also a bump on the dorsum (top) of the first metatarsal head. There is also a bunion know as a tailor's bunion, which presents as a bump on the lateral (outside) aspect of the 5th metatarsal head. But unless you have led me a stray with your description, you are probably describing a dorsal bunion, where the prominent feature is a bump on the dorsum (top) of the first metatarsal head. It is not unusual for this problem to be associated with osteoarthritic degeneration of the great toe joint, often with dorsal proliferations of the base of the great toe as well as the head of the first metatarsal. But there are other condition which might cause swelling and pain in the general area which you have described, such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis, though gout is more often than not unilateral at any given time. So, as you can clearly see, a definitive diagnosis based only on your comments and without a hands-on examination is impossible. It is also essential to know if you have a full and pain-free range of dorsi-flexion of the great toe or whether there is restriction and/or pain when putting the toe through that motion. I would recommend that you see a well-vetted ABPS Board Certified podiatrist OTHER THAN one who is certified only for ambulatory surgery, and is therefore a diplomate of the "Ambulatory Section" of the group. These are members who attained Board Certification though a negotiated settlement, and not by sitting for and passing the ABPS examination. Once they sit for and pass the full Certification examination they are placed in the "American Board" section of the group along with other fully certified podiatrists.
Once you have a definitive diagnosis, I will be happy to attempt to answer general questions about that diagnosis and its treatment, but I cannot offer advice which would necessarily apply to the possibly unique specifics of your individual cse. |
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