Things To Know About Foot Surgery

by Niru Shane

There are a number of foot problems that can affect us. While there are some good medications to get rid of some of these foot ailments there are times when these pains can not be cured by various topical lotions. For these the only remedy is that of foot surgery.

Foot surgery is done by a trained podiatrist surgeon. In many of the cases the foot problems are not that severe. Bunions for instance can be treated with inserts to control incorrect foot mechanics. However for severe bunions day surgery is recommended. Here the long metatarsal bone is cut and then realigned so that it is straight. When the bone has been fixed it is held in place with a screw. The healing process will be fully completed in about several months. For hammer toes if the symptoms are of a mild nature then all that needs to be done is the shoe type has to be changed. This will cause the hammer toes to be less painful. A splint can be used to hold the toes together. Surgery may be required if the symptoms of hammertoes is too severe. The surgery can correct the problem by releasing the soft tissues of the foot and by removing a bone piece from the toe. Heel pain is a condition that causes an inflammation in the muscle that connects the heel to the rest of the foot. You can control this problem by using orthotics to support the arch of the foot. Foot surgery is used only if it is absolutely needed. In this surgery the fascia muscle is partially removed from the heel bone.

Morton’s Neuroma is caused by the swelling of one of the nerves in the foot. This swelling takes place between the 3rd and the 4th toe bones. Neuroma can cause the sharp pain that spreads between the 2 infected toes. There will generally be burning pains, tingling, cramping and sometimes numbness while you are walking.

Morton’s Neuroma can be treated by changing your shoes to a wider shape. This will reduce the symptoms of Neuroma. You can wear orthotics to prevent the nerves from becoming irritated. In more severe cases cortisone injections will be able to relieve the pain and the swelling that is caused by the Neuroma. Surgery will only be needed to remove or to decompress the Neuroma.

As with all of these foot problems foot surgery is required only if the condition becomes too severe to be borne. When the surgery needs to be done it may require only day surgery and nothing more complicated. Before having foot surgery done it is best to try other methods of curing the pain of the various foot ailments. It is always best to avoid any type of surgery where possible.