Which condition presents as a bony bump at the base of the big toe, causing the joint to protrude and may be painful, swollen, or red?

Which condition presents as a bony bump at the base of the big toe, causing the joint to protrude and may be painful, swollen, or red?

• A. Gout
• B. Corn
• C. Hammer Toe
• D. Bunion

Answer: (D)

A bunion is a deformity at the base of the big toe where the first metatarsophalangeal joint sticks out as a bony bump. The big toe often drifts toward the second toe (hallux valgus), causing the joint to protrude and can be painful, swollen, or red, especially with tight footwear. This differs from gout, which causes sudden, intense joint inflammation and redness but isn’t characterized by a persistent bump at the base of the toe. A corn is a thickened patch of skin over a pressure point, not a true joint deformity. Hammer toe is a deformity of the toe joints themselves, not a bony bump at the base of the big toe. So the described condition is a bunion.

A bunion is a deformity at the base of the big toe where the first metatarsophalangeal joint sticks out as a bony bump. The big toe often drifts toward the second toe (hallux valgus), causing the joint to protrude and can be painful, swollen, or red, especially with tight footwear. This differs from gout, which causes sudden, intense joint inflammation and redness but isn’t characterized by a persistent bump at the base of the toe. A corn is a thickened patch of skin over a pressure point, not a true joint deformity. Hammer toe is a deformity of the toe joints themselves, not a bony bump at the base of the big toe. So the described condition is a bunion.