Beth was scrolling through Instagram this summer, getting more and more annoyed. Besides the fascination everyone has with photographing their dinner plates, one of the more ubiquitous photos circulating on social media is a photo of freshly manicured feet overlooking a swimming pool!
“Okay, okay,” Beth grumbled to herself. “I get it! You’re enjoying your vacation! Whatever.”
It’s not that Beth is a grumpy person or that vacation photos annoy her. It was that Beth always hid her feet because of unsightly bunions. So, the constant reminders of well-shaped, healthy feet annoyed Beth to no end.
Not only was Beth embarrassed by bunion disfiguration, but she was also in pain from the displaced toe joint. She couldn’t wear the cute shoes her friends did. She looked like a grandma in her boxy-toed shoes. In fact, Beth looked exactly like her grandmother because they wore the very same shoes!
Bunions ran in the family, it seemed.
Bunions are a bony protuberance on the side of the great toe (or sometimes the pinky toe). They appear when the top of the toe pulls in towards the other toes, causing the base of the joint to move out of place and jut out.
Complications can include swelling, redness, pain, corns and decreased mobility.
All in all, bunions are no fun.
Luckily, Beth had a friend who “passed on the good news of homeopathy.”
Her friend informed Beth that bunions are a chronic condition and are not something that homeopathy can resolve quickly. In fact, a bunion can take a long, looooooong time to make a difference. However, conventional surgical treatment generally requires months of recovery — and even then, it is not always guaranteed.
So, Beth thought, “Why not give homeopathy a try?” She had nothing to lose — except her bunion.
As with most conditions, a conventional diagnosis is advisable. For example, pain in the great toe can be indicative of a bunion, gout or arthritis. But given the diagnosis of a bunion, in my practice, I’ve successfully relied on Silicea 200, every other day.
Suppose more acute symptoms are present, such as the joint worsening on first movement or a flare-up from overuse. In that case, we may also justify adding Rhus toxicodendron 30 twice daily until very much better.
Rhus tox is especially warranted if there is known arthritis in the toe joint or other joints of the body, concomitantly.
As I’ve mentioned, bunions occasionally may cause extreme pain. A little pain is to be expected. But considerable pain — burning, shooting pains in the joint with an acidic, “crunchy” sensation — may require Hypericum perforatum 200, twice daily until that heightened pain is diminished.
Beth has only just begun her schedule of Silicea 200, but she already feels some improvement in the joint. And the blisters that the bunion had caused are easing. These are all good signs!
She’s not quite ready to take her own ubiquitous “feet by the swimming pool” photo. But Beth is very hopeful that (thanks to her friend) she’ll be annoying everyone with her own great vacation shots next summer!
See why it’s so important to pass on the good news of homeopathy? You never know who you might help!
Warmly,
P.S. Nothing can turbocharge your homeopathic knowledge better than joining a Gateway to Homeopathy study group. Studying with others can equip you to lay a stronger foundation in homeopathy than any other learning method. They say, “Two heads are better than one,” right? So, imagine ten heads! Or twenty! Learning alongside others exposes you to a broader array of health concerns and solutions.
Plus, learning in a study group reinforces your ability to discover answers to questions others might have — questions you may not have even thought about without them. With the information you’ll learn, you’ll experience the joy of self-reliance as you care for your family’s needs. And you’ll also be able to pass on the good news of homeopathy to others in your community.
It’s how I learned and how I suggest all of my readers become students. Even if you already know about homeopathy, a Gateway to Homeopathy study group is the perfect place to refresh and organize your knowledge. Almost 10,000 study group members have benefitted from my curriculum. Join their ranks today — develop the confidence and competence you need to care for your family.
Will this actually, eventually, change the deformity? Depending of course, on how long the bunion has been present and the severity?
I would LOVE for my mother to use this. Her bunions have gotten rather severe and she has been told that surgery is her next option. She has had enough medical interventions and doesn’t need another surgery.
But she would benefit from some hope that the actual deformity may be reduced, as opposed to just mere pain relief.
Thanks!
Thank you for this informative article. Does Silica has to be in 200? Would it work in cell salt as well?
Silicea no matter the potency still falls in homeopathy under the subcategory of cell salts whether it is a 3x-10M, etc. . Therefore, I believe you are referring to a 6x potency and it is best to go with the potency prescribed if you want the results that Joette is describing.
Hope this helps.
Bunions this are not but it is HALUX VALGUS.
Love homeopathy! Barefoot shoes will also help! There are many brands and stylish ones to choose from. Anya’s Reviews is a great place to start finding out more info on foot-shaped shoes vs. shoe-shaped feet.
Okay, I’m going to ask it again for everyone (sorry if this is a “broken record”): doesn’t Silicea at high potency risk messing up tooth fillings, prosthetic joints, etc? Thanks!
In my experience, I’ve not witnessed that.
Thank you for such interesting information on bunions. I have had one brewing for over 5 years now and am grateful you published the information. My primary said it was gout and not sure about that as my mom has the same foot with a bunion. I however am getting joints in my fingers getting stiff and was thinking about Rhus tox as well. Will keep you informed as to my progress.
what if it’s not a bunion but there is crunching or cramping in the toe joint? Would Rhus tox be a good choice?
Does the remedy silica 200c shrink the bunion and move the bones back to their previous position?
For some, homeopathy helps keep the condition from progressing, simply subdues the pain for others, and does nothing at all for still others. I don’t make predicitions.
What if a person can’t take silicea because of surgical screws in place from a broken jaw? Silicea causes pain in the surgical area.
There are always other choices. If you take a look in your repertory, you’ll find that there are many.
Are there some instances where Silica cannot be used?
Most certainly.
Thank you. I’ve got bunions. Looking forward to the healing.
I integrate meridian theory with homeopathy. The takeoff for the spleen meridian is the great toe. Lycopodium works well. Also atrophy at the heel and the lateral portion of the foot seems to benefit from cal carb. It strengthens and rebalances the heel.
Does this correct the toe’s position? If so, would silica help severely pronated arches (particularly in children) or flat feet?
Pronated arches are a different matter altogether and I’ve not written on this subject. Having said this, I teach how to determine remedy choices and arrange a schedule of use in my Academy of Practical Homeopathy.
Meanwhile, can you steer me toward other articles you’ve put out or courses you offer that address not only pronated arches, but other bone growth issues in children such as scoliosis? Thanks!
What if you’ve always had bunions? Could this actually correct the bones?
In homeopathy, it matters not how old a condition is. IF the medicine is to act, it will act. If it’s not going to act, it won’t.
My daughter has bunions. Is it safe to take Silica 200 daily for this If she has had breast implants? Had read to avoid Silica if you had any type of implants.
I’m interested in knowing who is putting out this information. Pls. direct me.
I’ve never had a single case of such and have worked with women who have breast implants, etc. for years.
Joette, they say it at the bottom of this article: https://arcanum.ca/2012/04/02/homeopathic-constitutional-types-silicea-terra/ It concerned me about ever using it as I have dental implants.
Oh this is great!
So I regularly take Silicea 200 for minor throat phlem typically from eating too much dairy but sometimes from slight allergies. Been doing this for a couple of years and probably at least 3 times a week consistently. And my bunions ARE less painful now! WOOT!
Thank you! Great timing as my dancer teen just had hers flair up. I ordered the little brace thing but will be adding the pellets too!
I wanted to share with anyone suffering from a bunion that I’ve had great success with something called Correct Toes. I was at a point of pain where I was ready for surgery, but oddly was told I wasn’t a candidate, which actually turned out to be a blessing. She recommended orthotic shoes, and I saw the connection for the first time between footwear and what was happening to my feet. I researched how to reverse a bunion and discovered it’s not excess bone growth, it’s a dislocation done over years. I’ve been wearing Correct Toes 24/7 for the past 2 years, switched to wider and flat minimalist footwear, doing massage (there are helpful videos by Dr. Ray McClanahan on stretching and massage), and getting noticeable results in actually straightening out my big toe! His practice is natural foot care, without surgery, and makes sense just like Joette’s approach using homeopathy. I used to be in extreme pain by the end of the day, and used Topricin on my bunion – which is homeopathic, but I didn’t know it at the time. I’m going to add Silicea 200, and have had great results with Rhus Tox as well. I love homeopathy!
If I’m taking Silicea 6x twice a day for under skin bruising and bleeding would I still take Silicea 200 every other day for bunions?
It’s generally not advisable to use two potencies of the same medicine. We like to see that the potency chosen for the most sobering condition takes on more than one condition simultaneously.
I started using Silicea 200 several months ago, hoping to reduce the size of my bunions, or at least stop them from getting worse. Unfortunately, my second toe has now moved toward my big toe, which looks weird and has made it painful to walk. This has happened on both feet, though one is worse than the other. Is it possible the Silicea caused degeneration of tissue/bone/muscle in my foot, which in turn caused my second toe to move out of place? I’ve never had any pain from my bunions before, they were just ugly.
Any time someone sees a condition worsen after using a medicine whether homeopathic or conventional it would be adviasable to halt its use.
Thanks for information, this was a very helpful post. I don’t want surgery but my bunions are getting severe. Thrilled my friend Tracey sent me this website. I want to try all the ideals. I have used splints, had minimal results. It bothers my 2 year old granddaughter to look at them. She is afraid they hurt. I recently saw poor people with chronic bunions wearing open toe shoes in emergency room. Making me even more wanting to get them corrected and wanting the same for them.