Today, we are going to be discussing corns on the foot. Corns are something that is likely to affect us all in our lifetimes at some point. Hopefully, this article on the subject of corns will help you if you ever have one. Below, we are going to explain what a corn is, how they are caused, the treatments and the preventions of corns on the foot. So, let’s get started.
What is a corn?
A corn is a small piece of thick circular skin that typically develops on the side and the top of the foot. Corns can also appear on the sole of your foot and in other areas as well.
How are corns caused?
Corns can be caused by a number of different reasons. The most common reasons, however, are due to wearing poorly fitting shoes that allow your feet to move inside and rub against the material. You can also get corns if a shoe design places excessive pressure on an area of the foot. A good example of this type of footwear is high-heeled shoes which can squeeze the toes.
Another common way a corn is caused is that they develop as a symptom of another condition. Corns often occur on the bony areas of the foot and so they can be a sign of hammer toe (where your toes are bent at the middle joint) or a bunion (the joint of the big toe sticks outwards and the big toe begins to point towards the other toes of the foot).
What treatments are available?
A corn on your foot will not get better if the cause of the pressure is not removed. If the cause isn’t removed, the skin will gradually become thicker and a lot more painful over time. In most cases, a corn is a symptom of an underlying problem. This issue must be seen to in order to stop the pain from the corn.
You should only ever treat a corn if you know what the underlying cause of it is. Basically, if you try and treat it without knowing this, the treatments won’t work. If you have a corn and don’t yet know what the underlying cause of it is, we recommend visiting a foot doctor. They will examine your foot, ask you some questions about your everyday life and any other issues with your feet you may have had in the past and from there, diagnose the underlying cause of the corn.
You can buy over-the-counter treatments for corns; these include corn plasters. However, they only treat the corn itself and can affect the thinner skin surrounding the corn. Corn plasters should also be avoided if you have fragile skin, diabetes or circulation problems.
How to prevent corns
There are a couple of ways in which you can prevent corns from occurring on your feet, some of these ways include:
- Drying your feet thoroughly
- Using a pumice stone regularly
- Wear comfortable footwear
The biggest way to prevent corns though, is not to put up with foot pain. If you think that you have a corn and you don’t know the underlying reason as to why you have it, go and see a specialist foot doctor who will be able to help find the cause and get you the treatment you need.