A bump at side of your big toe at the joint which is bony in feeling is called a bunion. It is caused due to misalignment of the joint. The tip of the toe is pushed inwards towards other toes causing the base of the big toe to protrude out. This causes the overlying skin to become red, painful and may cause hindrance in joint movement and everyday routine. Causes of the condition include: inherited foot type, foot injuries or stress, birth deformities. Risk factors of the disease include: high heels or ill-fitting shoes and rheumatoid arthritis. The condition may get complicated into: bursitis, hammertoe, metatarsalgia. They are diagnosed clinically. A doctor may go for an x-ray to check for deformity. Bunions can be prevented by choosing the correct shoe type (leave space between your big toe and the front of the shoe. There are two management options: Non-surgical (symptom relief, changing shoes, padding and cold compresses) and surgical options (removes inflamed tissue around toe, straighten and re-align the joint).