A to Z Diseases

One of the most common conditions affecting our feet is corns.  What are these corns?  Corns and calluses are hard, thickened skin which can occur anywhere in the body but mainly occurs in areas prone to more friction and pressure like on foot, toes, fingers etc.

Corns are usually more localized and well defined, round/conical in shape with hard centre. They usually develop on non weight bearing part of the foot like on the top, sides and between the toes. They can be hard (heloma durum) or soft corns (heloma molle) and can turn painful when inflamed. While calluses are more diffused and usually develop at the heels or balls of the foot, palms, etc.

Calluses

What are the causes for developing them? 

Corns or calluses are formed generally as a protective reaction of the skin against friction and pressure. The causes for developing corns are:

• Wearing ill fitted shoes, either too loose or too tight,
• Walking bare foot,
• Standing for too long,
• Prolonged use of hard instruments like knife, musical instruments, gardening tools, etc.
• Having less fat tissue in foot either because of old age or any other cause
• Foot deformities like bunion (bony bump at the first metatarsophalangeal joint of great toe), hammer toe (in which toes curl downwards) , calcaneal spur etc. can also act as risk factors.
• Women are more prone to corns or calluses as compared to men

What are the symptoms?

Usually corns or calluses are not harmful though they may cause some pain or discomfort but sometimes they can get infected especially in diabetics, peripheral artery disease and can lead to foot ulcers. The signs and symptoms which are noticed usually are:

• A part of the skin is harder compared to the neighboring area and may appear discolored or slight yellowish
• Pain and tenderness at the spot, especially on application of pressure

Homeopathy Treatment and Management:

Management of corns can be done by taking few simple precautions like wearing proper fitted shoes with socks, wearing pads to protect heels, wear gloves while working if possible.

Homeopathy offers good solution to cure corns and avoid surgery or other painful procedures without any side effects. It’s simple but dynamic medications are selected based on patients symptoms. Given below are few important homeopathic medications for corns.

• Antimonium Crudum: One of the most popular remedy for corns and calluses. There is a marked tendency for corns, warts, bad nails and bad hair. Hard horny excrescences grow under the nails and are extremely painful. The slightest pressure will produce callosity or a sore place, and working men will have an unusual tendency for thickening of skin under soles. Large, horny corns on feet, very sensitive while walking.
• Lycopodium: It is a predominantly right sided remedy. The skin becomes thick and indurated. Corns have a tendency to ulcerate. Sore spots ameliorated by warm applications.
• Ferrum Pic : Corns with yellowish discoloration. Warts and corns on hands. Pain more severe in night, while sitting or lying down.
• Rananculus Bulb: Corns extremely sensitive to touch. Burning and stinging type of pain. Pains worse from cold and motion.
• Silicea: An important remedy for soft corns. Corns between toes. Prone to offensive and excessive foot sweat.
• Sulphur: Burning sensation especially feet, skin looks unhealthy.  Sensitive skin, if a shoe presses anywhere on skin a bunion or corn develops.
• Nitric acid: corns in the foot are having stinging pain. Corns are thick, hardened, on the feet with pressing, tearing, aching, drawing type of pain.