Why do bunions hurt?

Pressure on the bump: Bunions don't always hurt. They often become painful for several reasons. First, the prominence of the bump may rub against shoewear and can cause either acute (sudden) or chronic (longstanding) irritation. Second, in many cases the joint has shifted partway out of socket and that can cause pain. There is also a nerve that runs over the area that can become stretched because of the deformity.

Many are painless: Painless bunions require no treatment some cause pain from intermal shoe rubbing wide shoes can help.

Few reasons: Friction against shoes which could cause inflammation or blstering. Some kinds of bunions are arthritic in nature and block range of motion particularly when they are on the top as opposed to the side.

Shoes: Most bunions that hurt, do so because of pressure from shoes. Simply put, a bunion doesn't fit well in an off-the-shelf shoe. Over time, some bunions will also cause the joint to become arthritic as the great toe shifts and the cartilage of the two bones doesn't make proper contact.

Many possibilities: Possible causes that patients may experience pain due to a bunion include pressure from ill fitting shoes, joint arthritis, inflammation of the joint capsule or bursa, abnormality of joint alignment, and nerve damage.