Two respected sources answer this question, and they do not use the same words. Reading both side by side shows where the real limit sits.
The first answer: surgery is the only way
The NHS states: "Surgery is the only way to get rid of them, but there are things you can do to ease any pain they cause."
The sentence has two halves. The first half covers getting rid of a bunion. The second half covers easing pain, which is a smaller goal.
The second answer: most are treated without it
AAOS OrthoInfo says: "In most cases, bunions can be treated without surgery."
Reconciling the two
The sources are answering different questions. "Get rid of" asks whether the bunion disappears. "Treated" asks whether the problem is managed. Going by the NHS wording, a bunion does not go away without surgery. Going by the AAOS wording, most bunions do not require surgery to be treated. Both can be true for the same foot.
Further reading on how clinicians discuss the condition is in the UK National Hallux Valgus Think Tank report on PubMed Central and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital patient guide to bunions.
What to confirm, and with whom
Ask a foot doctor near Itasca which goal applies to you: removing the bunion, or easing what it does. The answer decides whether surgery enters the conversation at all.
The clause readers skip
"In most cases" is not "in every case." It leaves room for feet that do need an operation, and only an exam can say whether yours is one of them.