Bunions buinions Most often found on the inner foot near the big toe but sometimes located on the fifth toe, bunions are a painful yet common condition caused by inflammation of the bursa. Bursa resides in the connective tissues of the bodies and is essentially a small fluid filled sac. The inflammation and thickening of these sacs creates a problematic bone formation that forces the toe out of alignment and causes great discomfort. If you are suffering from bunions, you are most likely familiar with the symptoms.