Bunions

Bunions

Because I'm partial to being barefoot whenever possible, I've managed to completely sidestep painful conditions like corns and bunions that shoe-wearers often get. In fact, I've never had any foot problems except those related to gout and minor bouts with athlete's foot in the distant past.

A bunion is a deformity of the big toe. The base of the toe protrudes outward, forcing the rest of the toe to point inward, sometimes even overlapping the other toes. The bunion is the bump at the base of the big toe.

Bunions are sometimes caused by a hereditary weakness called hallux valgus. (Hallux means "big toe," and valgus means "bowed.") But more often, especially in women, they result from trying to force the foot into a pointy-toed, high-heeled shoe. The bunion rubs on shoes, causing a thick callus to form.

Green Pharmacy for Bunions

The best advice for bunions is to wear shoes with roomy toe boxes so that the bunion doesn't rub. Cushioned shoe pads also help. While your podiatrist may recommend these remedies as a matter of course, there are other, herbal sources of bunion relief . Here are some of the herbs that can help some people.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis). More often used for bruises, cuts and inflammation, this herb is sometimes recommended for bunions. I'd try it by applying a commercial calendula salve or tincture directly to the bunion, maybe two or three times a day for up to a week. You'll know by then if it's going to help.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Naturopaths suggest taking bromelain, a protein-dissolving (proteolytic) enzyme found in pineapple, for inflammatory joint problems such as bunions. I generally prefer a whole-foods approach, but it is possible to buy just the bromelain. Naturopath Michael Murray, N.D., co-author of Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine and several other scholarly books on nutritional and naturopathic healing, recommends taking 250 to 750 milligrams three times a day. All indications are that bromelain is extremely safe. In human studies, doses up to 2,000 milligrams have caused no side effects.

You can take commercial bromelain products if you like. I love pineapple and would rather get my bromelain from the natural source. If I had a bunion, I'd eat lots of pineapple in fruit salads with papaya, which also contains a potent proteolytic enzyme (papain), and season it all liberally with ginger, which contains both proteolytic and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Red pepper (Capsicum, various species). Capsaicin, the hot ingredient in red pepper, is also medically "hot" as a pain reliever for inflammatory conditions. When applied to the skin at the site of pain, capsaicin blocks certain pain nerves by depleting them of substance P, one of the compounds responsible for producing pain. Many studies show that creams containing 0.025 percent capsaicin relieve all sorts of pain after a few weeks of treatment.

If I had a painful bunion, I'd try this herb. At home, I'd bite off one end of a hot pepper and chew it, and I'd rub the other end directly on the bunion. On the road, I'd go with commercial over-the-counter capsaicin preparations, such as Zostrix and Capzasin-P.

If you use a capsaicin cream, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterward so that you don't get it in your eyes. Also, since some people are quite sensitive to this compound, you should test it on a small area of skin before using it on a larger area. If it seems to irritate your skin, discontinue use.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Research suggests that like red pepper, turmeric depletes nerve endings of substance P. Applying about a teaspoon of grated fresh turmeric directly to the bunion twice a day could conceivably be helpful. Other studies show that when ingested, the compound curcumin in turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory effects, another reason that it might help relieve bunion pain.

The standard dose of curcumin is 400 milligrams three times a day, which is the equivalent of about six to eight teaspoons of turmeric. That's way more turmeric than you'd want to use in a curry. To get this herb's anti-inflammatory benefits, you'll have to use capsules.

Willow (Salix, various species). Willow is herbal aspirin, thanks to the compound salicin that it contains. A closely related compound, salicylic acid, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a callus remover and for wart treatment. Salicylic acid also shows up in many over-the-counter preparations for treating bunions and corns. Salicylates are absorbed through the skin. If I had a callused bunion, I'd try applying fresh willow by wrapping the inner bark around the bunion. I'd also add some dried bark to my daily herbal teas. If you're allergic to aspirin, however, you probably shouldn't take aspirin-like herbs, either.

Arnica (Arnica montana). The flowers of this plant, also known as mountain daisy, are useful for treating muscle and joint complaints, according to Commission E, the body of experts that makes herbal recommendations to the German government. It doesn't take much extrapolation to speculate that this herb might also help deal with bunions.

For a tea, use one to two teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes. Don't drink more than two cups a day for more than three days. For longer-term use, I'd go with an arnica ointment, which is what homeopaths recommend for all sorts of muscle, joint and sports injuries. Many health food stores and pharmacies now carry arnica ointments. Follow the package directions.

Camomile (Matricaria recutita). Essential oils of camomile, cypress and juniper have been suggested by aromatherapists for treating bursitis and could conceivably be useful for bunions. Of the three, camomile would be my top choice. It has well-established anti-inflammatory activity that could help keep bunions under control. After you've drunk your camomile tea, apply the spent tea bag directly to the bunion.

If you have hay fever, however, you should use camomile products cautiously. Camomile is a member of the ragweed family, and in some people, it might trigger allergic reactions. The first time you try it, watch your reaction. If it seems to help, go ahead and use it. But if it seems to cause or aggravate itching or irritation, discontinue use.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum). Clove oil is almost pure eugenol, a potent anesthetic widely used by dentists for treating toothache. If I had a bunion and capsaicin were unavailable or ineffective, I might try clove oil by placing a few drops on a cotton bandage and applying it directly to the bunion once or twice a day. If it irritates your skin, discontinue use.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). In addition to having some proteolytic activity, spicy ginger is also a pain-relieving anti-inflammatory that might help control the discomfort of bunions, according to Indian researchers. They gave three to seven grams (11Ž2 to 31Ž2 teaspoons) of powdered ginger a day to 28 people with painful and inflamed joints. More than 75 percent experienced noticeable relief from pain and swelling. After up to 30 months, none reported adverse effects from this dosage of ginger.

For bunions, I'd suggest drinking ginger tea made with one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger per cup of boiling water. I would drink this every day and apply grated ginger directly to the bunion once or twice a day as well.

Sundew (Drosera, various species). This herb has a long folk reputation as a treatment for bunions, corns and warts. About 15 years ago, scientists learned why: It has proteolytic activity. To use this herb, crush the fresh plant and apply it directly to the bunion once or twice a day for up to a week. The fresh herb is readily available in many parts of the country: I know places in peat bogs where it grows so abundantly that it's almost a weed. Elsewhere, however, it's of- ten listed as a locally endangered species, so you shouldn't pick it unless you've grown it on your own property.