BUNIONS

HIGHLIGHT

Bunions are caused by a bone abnormality in your big toe that makes it lean towards your other toes. You may not have many symptoms when the bunion first forms, but over time you will begin to experience foot pain and other symptoms.

There are surgical and nonsurgical treatments for your bunion.

A bunion looks like a bump on the side of the big toe. This bump is actually the result of an abnormality of the foot bones in which your big toe leans toward your second toe instead of being straight. This angle produces the bump you see on your toe.

In some cases, the bump is painless. Over time, however, a bunion will cause the toes to crowd together. This can result in pain and the possibility of permanent deformity.

CAUSES OF BUNIONS
Bunions are generally thought to be genetic. They occur because of faulty foot structure, which is inherited. Some conditions that contribute to the development of bunions include flat feet, excessively flexible ligaments, and abnormal bone structure. Some experts believe shoes that don’t fit properly cause bunions, but others think shoes only worsen an existing structure problem.

Bunions usually become worse over time. They can be aggravated by:

• tight or too small shoes that cause your toes to crowd together and put pressure on your big toe
• shoes that have high heels or pointy toes — these styles force your toes together
• standing for long periods of time
• arthritis symptoms in your feet

SYMPTOMS OF BUNIONS

In addition to the bump, signs and symptoms of a bunion may include:

• red and inflamed skin on the side of your big toe
• your big toe turns toward your other toes
• thick skin on the underside of your big toe
• calluses on your second toe
• foot pain that may be persistent or come and go
• difficulty moving your big toe

The pain associated with a bunion might make it difficult to walk. Consult your doctor if you experience:

• persistent foot pain
• inability to find shoes that fit you comfortably
• decreased flexibility in your big toe
• a large lump on or near the joint on your big toe

DIAGNOSED OF BUNIONS
In most cases, a doctor can diagnose a bunion through visible inspection since many of the signs are outwardly present. During a physical exam, your doctor may ask you to move your toe back and forth to check for limited movement. Your doctor will order an X-ray if they suspect an injury or deformity. An X-ray can detail the severity of the bunion and pinpoint its cause. A blood test might also be necessary to rule out arthritis as a cause.

BUNIONS TREATMENT
There are surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for your bunion.

Nonsurgical

• wearing shoes that contain padded soles and include adequate wiggle room for your toes
• having your physician pad or tape your foot into a normal position, which reduces pressure on the bunion
• taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen
• wearing over-the-counter arch supports in your shoes

Surgeries

Surgery might be necessary if nonsurgical options can’t help you. Many surgical procedures are used to treat bunions. Your doctor will recommend the best procedure for your situation. However, most surgeries to correct bunions include a bunionectomy.

A bunionectomy involves:

• correcting the position of the big toe by removing some of the bone
• removing swollen tissue from the affected joint

Full recovery from a bunionectomy can take up to eight weeks. In most cases, you’ll be able to walk on your foot immediately following the procedure.

COMPLICATIONS FROM BUNIONS

An untreated bunion can cause irritation to the fluid-filled sac that cushions the joint, called the bursa. This causes the bursa to become inflamed and swollen, which causes pain and tenderness and may lead to limited movement of the other joints in the toe. This condition is called bursitis.

Other possible complications of bunions include:

• toe or foot deformity
• stiff toe
• chronic toe or foot pain

Consult your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms and also have diabetes or any signs of infection.

OUTLOOK AND PREVENTION
There are many surgical and nonsurgical treatments available for bunions. Consult your doctor if a bunion is making it difficult to walk or put your shoes on.

Wearing shoes that fit properly is an effective way to stop bunions from forming. A properly fitting shoe should have plenty of room around your toes and should conform to the shape of your foot.

HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!

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Please note that our Institute Jantung Negara (national Heart Institution) has recommended Malaysians not to over eat instant noodles as heart disease is mainly caused by the seasoning powder. If you can't do without it, reduce the powder by half and don't drink the soup after you finish the noodle.

CORRECT WAYOF COOKING NOODLES'

The correct way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and health:

Normally, how we cook the instant noodles is to put the noodles into a pot with water, throw in the powder and let it cook for around 3 minutes and then it's ready to eat.This is the WRONG method of cooking the instant noodles. By doing this, when we actually boil the ingredients in the powder, normally with MSG, it will change the molecular structure of the MSG, causing it to be toxic.

The other thing that you may or may not realize is that, the noodles are coated with wax and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete the wax after you have eaten the noodles.

CORRECT METHOD:

1. Boil the noodles in a pot of water.

2. Once the noodles are cooked, take out the noodles, and throw away the water which contains wax.

3. Boil another pot of water, add the cooked noodles into the hot boiling water and then turn off the stove.

4. Only at this stage when the stove is off, and while the water is very hot, add the flavouring powder into the water, to make noodle soup.

5. However, if you need dry noodles, remove the noodles and add the flavouring powder and toss it to get dry noodles.

Dietician's Note:

If you buy plain hakka noodles which you make, you initially need to boil in water and discard the water. This will soften the noodles but to prevent it from sticking we need to add a tbsp of oil and also the noodles are deep fried partially to make them crunchy and then dusted with flour to prevent them from sticking while boiling. Hence when you buy the noodles they are already made unhealthy and this is the type we use to make stir fry noodles and the regular Maggi too is made the same way, plus they add MSG / Ajinomoto and other chemical preservatives.

A large number of patients with ages ranging from 18-24 years are ending up with pancreatitis either as a swelling or infection of the pancreas - I AM SURE ABOUT THIS COMMENT THOUGH !

due to regular consumption of instant noodles...

If the frequency is more than 3 times a week, then it is very hazardous...

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What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.     -    Confucius

ACHIEVING THE GOAL SET BY YOU

1. Tell others about what you intend to do. Making others aware of your goal will force upon you even more urgency to complete it.

2. Take a few minutes for positive visualization of how terrific you are going to feel when you actually complete your goal.

3. Make sure you take at least one step each day towards achieving your goal.

4. Write down each step you take in order to achieve your goal. Make this your checklist and a tangible way to track your progress.

WORKING TOWARDS BEING A BETTER PERSON

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 Work towards being a better person

1. Have an open and curious mind. Ask a million questions (like a child would). Rigid beliefs and a closed mind spells doom.

2. Define your values & principles. What do you really want out of life? What's important? What gives you pleasure? Pain?

3. Be willing to change.

4. Love yourself, respect yourself.

5. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Your manners will define you wherever you go. Never forget it.

TURNING A DREAM INTO REALITY

1. Turn your dream into a reality by putting into words EXACTLY what you want to achieve. Focus on specifics and come up with a tangible goal. Write it all down!

2. Make sure that you are passionate enough about your goal so that you are willing to put in enough sacrifices and make enough compromises to achieving it.

3. Be ambitious in creating your goal, so that it is high enough to motivate you and inspire you to take action. However, do not be too ambitious as failure may easily set you back.