Thorns on the feet: causes and treatment methods

An acute sharp pain piercing the foot involuntarily suggests that a foreign object has gotten into the shoe. However, upon closer inspection, it turns out that there is no carnation there. Having carefully examined the sole, you discover spikes on the feet. This is a neoplasm that looks like a regular callus. But the reality is that the thorn is an insidious wart that occurs due to a violation of certain functions in the body. A person with such an illness becomes difficult to move and experiences severe pain while walking. To cure the pathology and find an effective treatment method, it is necessary to understand the nature of the spines on the feet.

What it is?

The disease in question is a deviation of the musculoskeletal system. Spine can be classified as a separate type of common wart. The process of its formation has not yet been thoroughly studied in medicine, but today it is believed that the human papillomavirus is the main activator of the pathology. Due to the penetration of this virus, the patient develops tumor-like neoplasms on the skin and mucous membranes. In some cases, the disease leads to cervical cancer.

According to experts, the virus that causes thorns on the feet is present in every person’s body, but it just doesn’t always manifest itself. Activation may be caused by weakened immunity, climate change, or physical damage. The most common reason is considered to be a stressful situation, due to which neoplasms are detected. Dangerous factors include cuts, scratches on the lower extremities, abrasions and calluses. Sweaty feet and walking in uncomfortable shoes also take their toll. It must be remembered that warts do not appear just like that; there are certain reasons for this.

How does infection occur?

Plantar wart is a viral disease that can be contracted through open wounds on the sole, through contact with a sick person, or through shared objects. Bacteria feel especially comfortable in a humid environment, so people with excessive sweating of the feet are prone to the appearance of horns. Very often, infection occurs after visiting swimming pools, showers, and gyms. To prevent the appearance of plantar warts, doctors recommend always having personal hygiene products and swimming shoes with you.

External manifestations

The appearance of a skin growth on the foot directly indicates the presence of certain problems in the patient’s body. If we talk about external features, it is worth noting that the spine looks like an ordinary wart or callus. In the initial stage, it is a small tubercle in which there is no fluid; the person also does not experience pain about this.

After about a month, the spine increases in size, becomes more convex and changes color to white-yellow. If you look closely, you can see black dots - these are clogged blood vessels. The peculiarity of this disease is that the plantar growth does not grow outward, but inward. While walking, a person presses on it with all his weight, as a result the thorn begins to hurt greatly. It is the constant pain that causes the question of how to treat the spine to become more relevant every day.

In most cases, warts on the sole form in groups, in which one clearly stands out from the others. According to statistics, if the uterus is removed, the daughter growths go away on their own. A splint on a child’s foot is a common occurrence. Parents are mistaken by not sending their child to the doctor. Only timely treatment will help both the child and the adult get rid of the disease forever.

Differences between a spine and a callus

It is very easy to distinguish a spine from a callus. This can be done after taking a hot bath or shower. Steamed skin at the location of the formation becomes “shaggy”. In the middle part of the wart there are one or more black dots. It is from these blackheads that a filamentous process extends into the skin. Unlike a callus, a wart constantly grows.

Photo: Spine on the foot

A callus is more uniform than a wart. The spine is heterogeneous, it resembles cauliflower. There is a depression in the center, and the entire surface structure is covered with small depressions.

Important : A thorn, like any wart, is a benign formation on the human body. The risks of its degeneration are quite high. Tissue damage, stress and weakened immunity can trigger the process of malignancy of the spinal tissue. Therefore, patients need to consult a doctor in a timely manner to combat the wart and its effective removal.

So the differences are as follows:

The callus has an even structure;
The callus does not cause pain;
It can be easily removed using a file and softening procedures;
The skin of the callus is very thick and convex, on the wart it is uneven, with indentations and villi.

Why do growths form?

The initial step in successfully combating pathology is determining the cause. Of course, after the formation of a plantar wart, all efforts must be devoted to treatment, and not to establishing the causes. However, it must be said that dealing with the consequences without this step is guaranteed to lead to a relapse, and more than once.

The inflammatory process, which is localized in the lower extremities, can occur due to rupture or severe tension of the tendons in the sole. A person constantly puts pressure on these parts of the body with his weight, so they are exposed to severe stress every day. Microtraumas are often detected, and it becomes almost impossible to cope with them without identifying the causes. The inflammatory process of the synovial bursa often leads to pathology.

The reasons for the appearance of thorns on the feet are as follows:

prolonged loads on the soles of the limbs;
flat feet;
wearing shoes with flat insoles for a long time;
excess weight, weakening of the muscle component of the foot;
chronic injuries of the sole or single ones, but caused by a serious illness, physical damage, etc.;
age-related changes in structure;
tight and uncomfortable shoes.

Plantar growth rarely occurs in one instance; the soles of both feet are often affected. How to treat a spine? In fact, there are many ways, but for each there is a general recommendation. To effectively cope with the disease, you need to consult an orthopedist. Only a specialist can help eliminate the tumor with minimal risks.

What is a spine and why does it appear?

The skin on the foot is often subject to damage and disease. Performing a supporting function for the body, the legs support body weight and provide movement. Calluses, corns, and cracks often appear on the feet. Sometimes fungal diseases occur. To quickly get rid of the disease, you must not confuse the spine with calluses or other types of warts.

An ordinary wart rises above the surface of the skin, and the spine appears almost flat in appearance. If you look at it under a microscope, you will see many small papillae. However, the part of education that we see is just the tip of the iceberg. The main part goes deep under the skin, so it is sometimes extremely difficult to remove the spine. They are often located in groups: one large wart in the center, with several small ones around it. Doctors say that it is enough to remove the “uterus” and all small warts will disappear on their own.

At the initial stages of development, the spine resembles an ordinary callus: the skin on the foot hardens and becomes yellow-white. However, an ordinary callus quickly appears and disappears just as quickly: a bubble with liquid forms, which can be pierced with a sterile needle or wait until the liquid drains out on its own. After this, the callus heals within 2-3 days. When a spine forms, fluid does not accumulate.

Features of the disease

A person begins to worry about his health only when a disease occurs. However, a few factors are enough to seriously think about the body. Swelling, redness of the skin, as well as severe pain directly indicate the presence of problems. A growth in the sole area is almost guaranteed to confirm the diagnosis of fasciitis. But if you do not take into account external manifestations, alarm bells arise in advance. Often the patient unknowingly changes his gait due to discomfort. Here you need to be more attentive to the patient’s loved ones, because the patient himself rarely notices this.

Unpleasant sensations in the sole area are the main symptom. Pain can be of different types: constant and periodic. It depends on what stage the inflammatory process is currently developing. The pain syndrome is localized not on the spur itself, but inside it. There are two main types of it: starting (when the patient feels discomfort immediately after waking up) and dynamic (unpleasant feelings occur with any more or less serious load on the sole).

Analgesics can alleviate the patient's condition. It is worth noting that without getting rid of the inflammatory process, you cannot stop taking these medications. The result in most such cases is negative; severe stress is created on the patient’s internal organs and systems. Spikes on the feet have a peculiarity - they can form over several months. Throughout this period, the person suffers when walking, feeling severe pain. Sometimes the inflammatory process continues for several days, you need to be prepared for this.

What does a spitz look like on the heel (photo)

You can look at the photo to see what a spike on the heel is, and we, in turn, will tell you in more detail both about it itself and about how this disease differs from others with similar symptoms. So how can you tell whether you have a thorn (spur), a knob or a callus on your heel?

By itself, a wart on the foot is very similar to a dry callus; it is also yellowish in color. But if you look closely, you can see black dots on it (a consequence of blockage of blood vessels caused by the disease).

Here you will find information on how to treat a callus on the heel, and also how to choose creams and ointments for cracked heels

In addition, a callus is essentially dead skin, but a heel wart is a living formation; if, for example, it is injured, it will bleed. Ignorant people sometimes confuse a wart on the heel with a spur. Here is their difference: a spine is an external formation that grows inward, it is visible on the heel, and a spur is a growth on the bone that may not show itself in any way externally, except for redness caused by inflammation. You can feel the spur tubercle only when the disease is in an advanced stage.

Treatment methods

How to remove a thorn on your foot? Each specific case is individual. The attending physician, depending on the situation, prescribes the most appropriate course of therapy. Despite the fact that the spine is a benign neoplasm, under certain conditions it can develop into a malignant one. To minimize this risk, you need to start fighting the pathology in a timely manner. However, self-medication in most cases only aggravates the situation; it is better to follow the doctor’s recommendations. After all, a qualified specialist, after assessing the situation, can give good advice. Next, he determines the method of treatment, which, in his opinion, is the most effective in the current situation.

Folk remedies for heel spikes

Treating heel spikes at home is quite acceptable and is often an excellent alternative to sometimes unpleasant medical treatments. So what can you do to forget about warts without leaving home?

A very interesting method involves the use of a material as far from medicine as fresh cement. You just need to apply it to the wart over and over again, as the previous layer dries.
Perhaps the main home remedy for getting rid of any warts in general is celandine. It is necessary to cauterize the formation with juice until it turns black.
In the summer, crushed nettle, which should be applied to the formation as a compress, will be an excellent, and most importantly, budget-friendly method of treatment.
A fairly harsh method of treatment is to cauterize the wart with vinegar essence. If you decide to carry out such treatment, you need to be extremely careful.
Compresses made from grated potatoes or onions soaked in table vinegar can be useful.
There are two more folk methods, the use of which is associated with a certain risk, despite the fact that such treatment is considered effective. So, the decision about the balance of harm and benefit is up to you. To treat the first method, clean the sulfur from the matches, sprinkle it on the problem area and set it on fire. Carefully ensure that the flammable substance does not extend beyond the formation. The second method is to cauterize the wart with a hot needle.

Surgical intervention

One of the most common methods is surgery. There are four types of surgical removal of spines on the feet:

Electrocoagulation. The wart is burned off using high frequency current. During the operation, living tissue is often destroyed. In this way, disinfection is carried out and the infectious process is stopped.
Laser removal of spines on feet. At present, a method has not yet been invented that would be considered better than a laser. The operation is easy and the patient usually does not feel any pain. Plus, unnecessary areas of skin are not affected.
A liquid nitrogen. This method has also proven itself to be effective. However, there is a serious drawback: it is very difficult to regulate the depth of penetration during the process, and this poses a danger to healthy tissue.
Scalpel. This is an older method that almost no one uses today. First, there is a high probability of relapse. Secondly, after a scalpel, scars remain on the skin that are almost impossible to remove.

What and how can you treat the spine, which doctor should you contact?

In order to get rid of unpleasant calluses, you need to completely destroy it, this is done by a dermatologist. It is worth contacting a specialist immediately with the first manifestations of a viral disease. Although the spine is considered not dangerous, the consequences of the disease can be disastrous if you do not attach importance to it.

The main medical methods to combat thorn are:

Excision with a scalpel. Used in the treatment of large warts. Not the most reliable, because... a relapse of the virus is possible. It may also leave a scar.
Laser spine removal. A more reliable option, for small warts, high temperature does not leave a single chance for the virus to reappear.
Electrocoagulation. This is a method of burning out surface growths with current. The virus does not spread after the procedure
Cryodestruction. Characterized by freezing with liquid nitrogen. The procedure is painful. Afterwards, there is a slight redness, but over time it disappears

Drug therapy

If surgery is not a necessary step, doctors prefer to use drug treatment. This takes longer, but the patient does not go under the knife. Before you start taking medications, you should consult your doctor. If there is a plantar growth, the most effective remedies are:

"Ibuprofen." The main task of this drug is to relieve pain, and it does this very well. Should be taken after meals three times a day. After a few days, the pain subsides.
"Verrukacid." It is not recommended to use this remedy for children with spines, because it is a very aggressive substance. It is better to let adults use the medicine. You need to apply two or three drops per spine, depending on the size of the growth.
"Indomethacin". Directions for use: three times a day, twenty-five milligrams after meals.
"Dimexide". This medicine is more effective in the form of compresses. The medication should be mixed with water, applied to the growths and covered with a band-aid on top. After fifteen minutes, feel free to remove the compress. The result is visible after the first session.

How to remove a splint on a foot? Therapy methods

There are several options for how to remove a spine. First of all, you should consult a doctor and get medical help. Doctors offer several instrumental methods for removing the spine.

Electrocoagulation

This method is very simple and not time-consuming. Typically, patients only need one procedure, during which the doctor can remove several small warts at once. Typically, one session of electrocoagulation takes only 1-1.5 minutes. The time required depends on the size of the warts and their total number. Local anesthesia is used to remove plantar warts.

Before the procedure begins, the doctor treats the skin with antiseptics. After this, an electrocoagulator loop is placed around the spine, due to which the device thermally treats the tissue and leads to the death of the wart. The temperature at which tissue is cauterized is 800 °C. This temperature also cauterizes blood vessels, which helps protect a person from bleeding. After the session, a crust forms on the skin, which falls off when the tissue is completely healed.

Photo: How to remove a splint on a foot

Laser removal of plantar warts

Before the procedure begins, patients must be examined. This allows you to understand how deep the wart is in the skin. In the absence of such an examination, removal may be ineffective. Doctors determine the depth of penetration of the antennae of the spine into the tissue and begin the procedure. Before starting the procedure, the doctor injects novocaine or lidocaine under the wart. After the patient feels that the painkiller has begun to take effect, the doctor puts on glasses and begins the session.

While working with a laser, the doctor removes pathological tissue layer by layer and at the same time cauterizes those vessels that feed the spine. Laser treatment is carried out until the root system of the wart is completely destroyed. After removing the spine with a laser, the patient is left with a small burn. This burn requires constant treatment with antiseptics. The wound itself must be covered with a dry gauze cloth and bandage. The duration of the removal session depends on the number of spines and their size.

Photo: Remove plantar wart with laser, nitrogen

Cryotherapy

This procedure involves removing the spine with liquid nitrogen. When removing spines using this method, antispasmodics are almost never used, the procedure is painless. In some cases (if the spine is large or the skin is thin), painkillers are still used. The procedure is carried out in two different ways - with a catheter or a cotton swab. The last option is used much more often.

The doctor wipes the skin with antiseptics, dips a cotton swab in liquid nitrogen and touches the spine with it. The effect on one wart should last about 5-30 seconds. The exposure time depends on the size of the wart. Longer exposure to nitrogen is required if the patient has a large and deep spine. In this case, nitrogen must penetrate all layers of the skin, right down to the root of the wart, and therefore, exposure to nitrogen can last 25-35 seconds. After the freezing process, the skin acquires a white-pink tint, which indicates the death of skin cells.

In almost 100% of cases, the day after the procedure, patients develop a medium-sized bubble. This skin reaction to low temperatures is quite normal and indicates the effectiveness of the session. Clear or reddish liquid may accumulate inside the bubble. You should not be afraid of this, since this process indicates that certain layers of the skin were affected during cryotherapy. The tip of the bladder is usually the spine itself.

Spine on the leg: surgical treatment

If no methods of removing the spine have helped, patients are advised to see a doctor to get rid of the disease and have the formation surgically removed. There are many advantages of the method:

High probability of complete removal.
Effective when removing especially deep spines.
Minimal likelihood of relapse.

Local anesthesia is also used during the procedure. During the session, the doctor removes all pathological tissue and stitches the wound. However, the procedure also has disadvantages:

After the session, scars remain.
The healing time is longer.
deep incisions may still hurt several days after surgery.

The choice of method by which the spine will be removed depends on the effect of past control methods. The doctor also relies on diagnostic results and general medical history.

Shock wave therapy

How to soften a thorn on your foot? This method is considered the most effective in this regard, because it eliminates salt deposits. After a few sessions, you can notice a colossal difference: the leg will look absolutely healthy. The essence of the procedure is as follows: using shock wave force, the impulse penetrates deep inside the body and loosens calcifications.

The main difference between the method and laser and ultrasound is that there are practically no contraindications. The only thing is that this treatment is not suitable for people with skin diseases, as well as for exacerbation of chronic pathologies. How to determine the required number of sessions? You do not need to count anything, your doctor will do this.

Routes of infection

You can become infected with the papilloma virus if:

Contact, incl. have unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
Visit shared bathrooms, showers, swimming pools, saunas without rubber slippers.
Use other people's bath accessories, shoes, clothes.
Not maintaining personal hygiene: sweating of the feet and pollution contribute to the fact that the skin begins to crack, and pathogenic microorganisms penetrate into the body through injuries.

Increased humidity and heat become a favorable environment for the pathogen.

How to treat pathology in children?

As already mentioned, it is not recommended to use it for children. The following drugs are more effective here: “Solcoderm” and “Cryopharma”. The first has a necrotizing effect aimed at eliminating growths. Before using the product, you need to wash your foot and soften the spine. Then, using the applicator, carefully apply it, just do not get it on a healthy area of skin. Within a few minutes the growth should change color. If this does not happen, you need to repeat the procedure after some time. In this case, complete healing occurs in a month or a month and a half.

"Cryopharma" is a fairly well-known medicine that has a freezing effect. The drug is equipped with an applicator; you need to press it directly onto the spine and wait about ten seconds. The growth should turn white and thicken. Within ten days after the procedure, the plantar wart becomes covered with a scab and then falls off.

How to deal with spine: medications

Medications help remove the spines on the soles of the feet quite well. Today in the pharmacy you can find a variety of medications that have non-cratizing properties, which allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of the problem.

If you suffer from the manifestations of spines and do not know how to remove them, then you should pay attention to reviews of such products:

Verrucacid is a cauterizing solution and contains two main active substances - metacresol and phenol. These components have toxic properties, which makes it possible to irreversibly destroy the cells of the spine. It should be borne in mind that the medicine can affect the human nervous system. Thus, the drug should be used only in accordance with the instructions.
CryoPharma is a popular medicinal treatment for thorns, which is affordable and has good effectiveness. It contains refrigerants that allow the substance to be used to treat people of virtually all age categories.
Lapis - is sold in the form of a special convenient medical pencil, which can get rid of the spine in the shortest possible time. The peculiarity of the product is that it contains silver nitrate. It is he who has a bactericidal effect on the affected tissues.
SuperClandestine is a budget product with aggressive and burning properties. Sold in pharmacies in the form of a concentrated solution. When removing a spine, you need to be careful and not accidentally apply the product to healthy tissue. If the liquid does get on the skin, it should be thoroughly washed with water and treated with citric or acetic acid (5%).
Vishnevsky ointment is a universal remedy with anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties. However, it should be remembered that when treating spines it is strictly forbidden to combine this medicine with other drugs.
Salipod is a special patch that is treated with salicylic acid. It softens the spines and helps to remove them smoothly. This patch cannot be used if a child or a pregnant woman has warts.

A thorn on the sole of the foot is a tissue disease that can bring significant pain and discomfort to a person in the future. Self-treatment with medications without first consulting a doctor is not recommended.

Ointment for thorns on feet

Creams are used to relieve pain. It is recommended to use warming ointments with a healing effect. In addition to helping relieve inflammation, the patient’s blood circulation will improve. Among the most popular medications of this type are Dolobene and hydrocortisone ointment.

The first remedy is used in the form of compresses or regular gel. The method of use is very simple: apply to the area of injury three to four times a day for ten days. The effect will not take long to appear, the painful sensations will subside after several procedures.

Hydrocortisone ointment is used several times a day. After all, only under this condition is the drug able to cope with pain. The course lasts from seven to ten days. During this time, the patient will feel relief.

There are also special patches for thorns on the feet. To solve the problem of growths, doctors recommend using a pepper patch. It has three functions at once: distracting, warming and locally irritating. If we talk about specific products, “Doctor Pepper” is very popular. It is quite simple to use: you need to wash the area of application, cut out a plate of the required size, remove the film and apply it to the growth. You can wear the patch for two to three days, periodically warming your leg.

Preventive measures

To avoid the appearance of spines on the foot, it is necessary to follow the rules of prevention. They are to:

Prevent the occurrence of calluses and corns, promptly heal wounds and scratches on the feet.
Avoid dry skin: regularly use moisturizing cosmetics, prepare soothing herbal foot baths, exfoliate your feet once a week.
Avoid unprotected sex.
Strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene: wash your hands regularly, take a shower daily, and in hot weather increase the number of water treatments.
Eliminate excessive sweating of the extremities.
Visit public bathrooms, showers, saunas and swimming pools only in rubber slippers.
Do not use other people's bath towels, shoes, or clothes.
Do not wear tight shoes made of non-natural materials or synthetic socks.
Start treatment of hidden pathologies (diabetes, etc.) in a timely manner.
Lead a healthy lifestyle: give up alcohol and smoking, exercise, exercise, walk in the fresh air, eat natural foods.
Prevent vitamin deficiencies, take vitamin complexes in the autumn-winter period as recommended by a doctor.

The formation of spines is associated with the entry of the papilloma virus into the blood, so treatment should be aimed at eliminating the original source of the disease. You should not self-medicate: only your doctor can correctly prescribe therapy in this case and tell you how to get rid of heel thorns forever.

ethnoscience

Many experts are skeptical about alternative medicine methods. However, it has long been proven that in addition to medicines, you can use recipes from the people. One of the most unpleasant problems is the appearance of thorns on the soles of the feet. Treatment with folk remedies is more supportive in nature, and in combination with medications gives a positive result.

The most effective means are:

Grated horseradish. It should be applied to steamed plantar warts. To enhance the effect, wrap the lower limb in cellophane and put on a warm sock on top. The procedure can be repeated until the growth completely disappears.
Raw grated potatoes. The essence does not change; it also needs to be applied. But potato pulp is used for half a month not only at night, but also in the morning.
Cement. Before use, you should steam your feet. Then take cement and grind the tenon. You need to wet your fingers with saliva and rub the solution into the plantar wart. Perform these movements until the cement dries. According to people, after several such procedures the problem will disappear.

Treating thorns at home

First, you need to undergo a diagnosis from a specialist to figure out how to treat the pathology. Afterwards, the doctor will prescribe a course of therapy to follow. Along with drug treatment, you can use home techniques.

One of the most effective ways is massage. Rubbing the lower extremities will relieve pain and help cope with deviation in the early stages. You can do the massage yourself or seek help from professionals. It’s worth saying right away that the procedure is quite painful, but the effect is felt after just a few sessions. For better results, doctors recommend using warming ointments and creams.

Orthopedic insoles can be purchased as an addition to the main course of therapy. This will significantly ease the condition of the lower limb by relieving the load. There are two types of insoles: silicone and leather. The attending physician will tell you which ones are necessary in a particular situation. This device corrects the foot, creating the correct shape, thereby removing the load from the sole. This method will not help completely get rid of the spine, but it will be an excellent option for prevention.