You don’t want to have bunion surgery if it is not necessary, but you don’t want to live with pain and loss of mobility, either. By all means, try more conservative treatment options first, such as wearing different shoes, icing the joint, or using recommended pain relievers or cushioned pads.

Sometimes these just aren’t enough, though. When is it time for bunion surgery? If…

• You can’t walk very far without pain becoming unbearable.
• You can’t find any shoes that don’t make your feet feel miserable.
• You have a swollen, painful big toe that doesn’t get better with non-invasive treatment.
• You can’t curl or straighten your toe, or it is drifting inward.
• Your sore toe keeps you from doing normal activities or inhibits your enjoyment of life.