Bunions don't always need surgery, but if your bunion is getting worse, and it interferes with your daily life, it could be time to talk to your doctor about surgery. There are a few ways bunion surgery can be done. Your doctor considers the severity of your condition and the tissues that are affected when planning your procedure. Here's a look at how the surgery might be done if your bunion is still fairly mild.

Your Doctor Might Do an Exostectomy

An exostectomy surgery for a bunion involves shaving off the bump on your toe. This gets rid of the bump, but it doesn't realign your toe. It may only be done by itself if you have a slight bunion, but there's still a risk of the bunion returning with this surgery.

An exostectomy is often done along with other procedures such as tightening or lengthening the soft tissues around the toe and surgically straightening your toe so it is in proper alignment again.

The surgical straightening of your toe is called an osteotomy, and it's a common procedure that involves putting pins or screws in your toe joint to keep it straight. An osteotomy is often necessary when you have a large bunion, as a simple exostectomy may not bring about pain relief.

You'll Probably Have a Local Anesthetic

Bunion surgery for a minor bunion will probably be an office procedure that's done with a local anesthetic that numbs your foot from the ankle down. When the surgery is complete, the doctor will probably wrap your toe in a compression bandage that you'll wear home.

You May Need Help at Home for Several Days

Depending on the nature of your surgery, you might need help preparing meals and doing other things around your home after your surgery. Your doctor may advise you to rest with your toe elevated and not bear weight on your toe. You might have discomfort for a few days after the surgery too, but your doctor may give you a prescription to help with the pain.

You might need to wear a protective boot for several weeks and you might even need crutches so you can avoid putting weight on your toe. It takes bones a while to heal, so don't rush into your old activities too soon. Follow your doctor's instructions for when you can return to work and do things like play sports again.

Once you've recovered from your bunion surgery, you should find wearing shoes is more comfortable and you have less pain when you walk. You may want to avoid wearing heels and shoes with tight toes since bunions could form again, and you want to avoid that if possible.