Dr Timothy Young, A Board Certified Foot Surgeon On: Should I Get Bunion Surgery? Part 2

Severity and Symptoms: The severity of your bunion and the related symptoms play a significant role in the decision-making process. If your bunion causes persistent pain, limits your ability to exercise or comfortably walk, or if it interferes with your daily life, surgery may be a viable option.  Also if the bunion condition is progressing. Consulting with a qualified foot surgeon can help assess the severity of your bunion and provide guidance on the best course of action.

Benefits and Risks: Like any surgery, a bunion surgical procedure carries both risks and benefits. Risks can include infection, stiffness of the joint, nerve damage, recurrence of the bunion, or dissatisfaction with the cosmetic outcome. Conversely, the benefits can be significant, such as pain relief, improved foot function, and the ability to wear a wider range of footwear comfortably. Understanding and reviewing the potential risks and benefits with your foot surgeon is crucial in making an informed decision.

Lifestyle Considerations: Another important factor to consider is your lifestyle. Bunion surgery usually requires a period of recovery, during which you will need to limit your activities and wear special footwear or a boot. If you have an active lifestyle or have demanding work requirements, you should consider timing and how the recovery period could affect your daily activities. It's important to discuss these considerations with your surgeon to determine the most appropriate timing for the foot surgery.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, please give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

We have discussed many things to consider after foot surgery in the previous post. There are several other things of course to think about with narcotic pain medication. Number one is to respect the potential for narcotic addiction. As soon as your pain is much reduced, you should stop taking your narcotic pain meds. You have to plan on meals and food. Remember to take narcotic pain meds with food. Make sure you drink plenty of water. It’s also good idea to plan on taking a stool softener so that you don’t get constipated with a narcotic pain medication such as docusate (Colace). A fiber laxative may also be helpful. Buy the stool softener before your surgery so you are prepared. If things get too far along don’t forget to take a suppository as another option. The most critical thing is that you need to make sure that you have bowel movements daily and you don’t get behind on this.  You should keep track of your bowel movements along with your narcotic and post op medication log.  ust add the info to your medication log.

If you have questions about hallux valgus bunion surgery or bunion correction, please let us know if you would like a consultation. Give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online.