Corns are painful, hardened, cone-shaped areas of increased growth of the corneous layer of the skin. They occur mainly over the toe joints and between the toes on the foot.
Calluses, warts, localized injury and inflammation, infection, or poor circulation can all manifest symptoms similar to corns. Corns, when pared away with a sharp instrument, have a clearly outlined translucent core, which is how you can be sure if you suffer from them.
Corn symptoms may only hurt in response to pressure or they may hurt spontaneously for no apparent reason.
The hardest corns occur mainly on the toes, while softer corns occur mainly between the toes. Prevention is the most important and is accomplished by eliminating undue pressure at certain sites of the foot. Assessment by a podiatrist, osteopath, or chiropractor who can evaluate foot gait, the role of other joints such as the pelvis in foot pressure problems, shoes, and your possible need for orthotics, pad, mole-skins, etc., is very important in the prevention, as well as the treatment of corns.
Proper treatment also involves better fitting shoes, since corns can disappear when the inappropriate pressure is eliminated. Although podiatrists can pare the corn away, the underlying cause still needs to be determined and addressed. Patients with recurring corns and calluses need ongoing treatment by a podiatrist. Patients with poor circulation from serious diseases such as diabetes mellitus also require special and regular care.