Ayurvedic treatment for painful corns

Painful corns and its management in Ayurveda

Corns and callus are one of the most common problems seen by Podiatrists. They can occur on any part of the foot or sometimes on palms and vary in symptoms from a mild hardness under the foot, to an infected ulcer that can develop under a corn on a toe.

Corns and callus are caused by one thing – TOO MUCH PRESSURE, usually in combination with some friction. There is no other way to get them – the pressure stimulates the skin to thicken to protect itself, but as the stimulation of the pressure continues, it becomes painful.

Too much pressure can be from causes such as:
• footwear that is too tight
• toe deformities, such as hammer toes
• bony prominences
• walking abnormalities that cause pressure under different areas of the bottom (plantar) surface of the foot

Corns are made of thick layers of dead skin cells, are usually white or yellow in color, and appear tough and thick. Corns and calluses may also look flaky, or seem like really dry skin. A corn tends to be small and round, with a very painful spot in the middle and yellowish skin surrounding it. Calluses, on the other hand, are usually larger and may be a little painful.

The symptoms of corns and calluses can include:
• Thickened patch of hard skin on the foot.
• Hard, small bump of skin that may have a central painful spot
• White and rubbery spots of skin (‘soft’ corns, in between the toes).
• Pain when pressure or friction is applied to the area

Anyone can develop corns or calluses, but some groups are particularly at risk, including:
• Elderly people – because ageing skin loses elasticity and fatty tissue.
• People who spend a lot of time standing .
• People with flat feet.
• A person with foot complaints (such as a hammer toe, bunions or arthritis) – because a bony prominence can rub against the shoe or neighbouring toes.
• People who regularly wear shoes that are narrow, tight, ill-fitting or high-heeled .

Calluses probably don’t need a doctor’s treatment, because they’re not that uncomfortable and will eventually go away on their own. A very painful corn, however, may need a doctor’s care.

When picking out shoes, consider your feet for a moment. Thick, rough calluses and painful corns are a steep price to pay for fashion. Treat your feet to soft and comfortable shoes, and thus protect them from corns and calluses.

Remedies such as corn paints or corn cap plasters contain acid that are supposed to ‘eat away’ the corn, but the chemical can not tell what is corn and what is normal – it will eat what ever you put it on.

While this can be risky in healthy people, it can be very dangerous and very risky in those with poor circulation and/or diabetes. The use of “corn plasters” in those who are at risk or have frail skin are very likely to cause an ulcer (a breakdown of the skin) which could become easily infected as well.

If you have corns or calluses, treatment options include :
Investigation and treatment of the possible causes – for example, treatment for bunions.
Professional reduction of the callus or corn to relieve pain.
Customised padding on various areas of the foot to temporarily redistribute pressure, for example, you may need to wear little foam wedges between your toes.
If needed, permanent inserts to wear inside your shoes (orthoses) to offer long term pressure relief.
Advice on appropriate footwear.
Advice on appropriate foot care, such as applying moisturiser daily.

Generally, when the patients have tried out all possible self management methods and failed, they visit the surgeon. The available treatment is surgical excision or removal of the corn. The results are varied. This surgery is associated with significant rates of recurrence and during its removal a deep wound is formed which needs regular and adequate dressings and post-surgery patient is not able to walk normally for a considerable period of time.

So when surgery is associated with recurrence and the requirement of prolonged dressings and post-operative painful walking for a few weeks, it is quite natural for the patients to look for an alternate successful treatment.

In the field of Ayurvedic Surgery (Shalyatantra) we have a successful treatment for corns in the form of a therapeutic procedure called “Agnikarma”.

Agnikarma as the word indicates means a procedure done with the help of fire. This procedure involves the therapeutic burning of the corn tissue with the help of fire. For this purpose various ayurvedic instruments and materials are used.

This procedure is simple, cost-effective, does not require hospitalization or prolonged dressings, does not involve any form of complications and the patient is able to walk home immediately after the procedure. Recurrence rates are almost nil in this procedure.

Thus Agnikarma is a scientifically proven, effective alternate to surgical excision of the corns or callosity.