Over the summer Congresswoman Michele Bachmann made a correlation between migraine headaches and wearing high-heeled shoes.  Her son, Dr. Lucas Bachmann, a medical resident at the University of Connecticut, confirmed that his mother in fact noticed a connection between days she wears heels and the onset of migraines.

Medical experts commented and the general consensus was that a direct link between the two is unlikely.

Running a presidential campaign is certainly stressful and a possible source of migraines.  Also, if she suffers from neck and back pain, this could be exacerbated by wearing high heels.

Typical side effects of wearing high-heeled shoes include bunion and hammertoe deformities, and nerve entrapment in the ball of the foot called Neuroma.

 

Tags: neuroma, hammertoe, bunion, migraines, high heels, Michelle Bachmann

Does your foot look like the picture above?  Do you have a knot at the bottom of your big toe that seems to be growing?

A bunion is an irregular enlargement of the bone at the base of the great toe.  This causes the great toe to move in the opposite direction toward the lesser toes.  Bunions are progressive, meaning that they can become worse over time.  Women are more affected than men.

Bunions are caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes, flat feet, congenital deformities (abnormal formation of foot bones present at birth), rheumatoid arthritis, trauma and inherited factors.

Conservative (non-surgical) treatment includes a shoe with a wide deep toe box, padding and arch supports.  If the joint becomes inflamed (red, hot, swollen) this is treated with cortisone injection.

For those with persistent pain, surgery is indicated.  This involves removing the bump and realigning the toe.  The goals of surgery are to reduce the deformity, decrease pain and increase function.  Recurrence may occur after surgery, therefore it is important to wear proper shoe gear to reduce the chances of surgical failure.

If you or someone you know is concerned that they may have a bunion, call Foot Care Centers at 856-691-2152 to make a preferred appointment.

 

Tags: growth on big toe, pain, bunion