AIBU to want to talk to you about CORNS?!

[GammonAndEgg]

Ouch! On both little toes.
I've never had them before but years of ill fitting beautiful shoes have taken their toll!

What to do, oh vipers?

You also need to review your footwear, as corns are caused by I'll fitting shoes and will keep coming back if you don't address the cause of the issue.

Sorry that should read "ill fitting"

Corns can also be caused by an injury (I damaged my tailbone) and my corn grew in between my little toe and the next one due to my gait now.

There are no shoes on earth that wouldn't eventually give me corns. My feet are the shape of shoe boxes rather than shoes

Hermione, I'm afraid that's a less easy question to answer without actually seeing you and your foot. It could be that orthotics could be used to make the most of the limited motion you have in the joint, this may help. Or wearing stiff soled shoes that don't bend at the ball of the foot may effectively splint the joint (see, two solutions that seem the opposite of each other!). Steroid injections into the joint can be useful, surgery may be recommended. There's stuff that can be done, so it's worth making an appointment. Anyone you see will likely recommend you avoid wearing heels.

Ooh yes agree quangle. I have a hard skin bump on the joints one of my smaller toes as I claw my skinny feet to keep shoes on. That needs doing.

Morning yes second everything vegemite says hermione x

Thanks ladies. I don't know how to find a good podiatrist. My GP won't refer me - any tips?

Ok chiropodists, what's the best thing to do for plantar fasciitis?
I've had it for months now:-(((

Find a podiatrist Podiatrists/chiropodists MUST be registered with the Health Professions Council if they're not tell one of us and we'll go kick some arse Tell them that you've arthritis in your big toe and want some advice on that. Some of us love looking at joints that don't move in the right way, and some Pods don't so much they don't know what they're missing out on

Plantar fasciitis. Ah, it can be a bugger. We see it a lot. It takes a long time to go, any treatment will need to be done for quite possibly weeks before you see an improvement. Treatments include 1) stretch, stretch, stretch and then stretch some more. And then come back and do it again. Your calf muscles are probably tight, and that puts strain on your plantar fascia. Try stretching your p fascia itself - bend your toe back. Maybe by standing near a wall with your toe on the skirting board and pushing down. 2) ice and massage. Preferably both together. Fill up a bottle and put it in the freezer. Roll it under your heel and arch. Or use a golf ball or tennis ball. Get a good bit of pressure on it, it shouldn't feel fun. Do this lots. 3) supportive shoes. Interestingly, you might find a heel helps (it's to do with the tight calf muscle thing) but don't over do that! 4) orthotics. You could try some from the chemist, they can help, or see a podiatrist to make sure you get something that suits. 5) weight loss. Makes a difference. 6) steroid injections. Very much after everything else has failed, hated by many podiatrists as they often get offered as a first line treatment.

Also note - londonrach and I haven't actually seen your feet, and this advice is very general advice. Really, it's best to seek a proper opinion, we're just nameless people on the internet. And the rule if thumb is you can't sue people if you've had advice for free ;)

Thanking you Happy

Hermione Wesley.

My daughter has exactly the same problem, she was in almost constant pain .

She got amazing relief from attending the podiatrist. She could even wear a 'proper' heeled shoe as a bridesmaid at her sisters wedding. She intended changing to flats after the photos but she was fine the whole day 1pm- 1 am .
It isn't a cure, but by going every 6 -8 weeks it is manageable.
Hope you get the same relief.

I had one each on the sides of my feet at the base of the little toe last spring. They bloody hurt.
I tried Dr Scholl's corn plasters, which didn't do anything, they didn't stay put either and then Boots own brand corn plasters and within a week they had softened to the point that I could just pick out the little hard ball of skin at the centre of the corn with my fingers. I haven't had a problem with corns since.

Gross.

Why do people disrespect their feet so much that they end up with these horrible disorders.
I am in my 50s and thanks to always putting my foot health first still have feet like a child. My sister has worn high heels all her life and now looks as if she has had chinese foot binding done- bunions, malformations, callouses and corns. Horrible.

Take a look here- only for the brave:

silver-fish.hubpages.com/hub/The-Cost-of-Killer-Heels

that's very judgy bigbluestars i have feet not much different from your sisters sadly. but the problems started in childhood and for whatever reason my parents didn't get it treated. i am still suffering till today and have never had nice feet. But it's not because I chose to wear Madonna shoes every day

I attend a podiatrist as I get very bad build up of hard skin on the balls of my feet. My feet are in agony some days with it. I use a foot file myself in between times and I should really do itore regularly rather than letting it build up. I get hard skin to on the edge of my big toe and also down on the edge of the bone of the big toe where you get bunions iykwim. I used to go at them with a callous knife years ago until I cut myself one night. I don't really understand why I get all these problems as I wear good quality shoes and seldom wear high heels. My podiatrist says in the summer it's from flip flops.

Thanks for the advice!

Any advice on incipient bunions? I wear no shoes (at home) or trainers, but I have very wide toes (and narrow heels - shoe shopping isn't fun) and recently the sticky out bits of bone just before my little toes have been throbbing and feeling sore.

Is this incipient bunions and is there anything I can do? I could take a pic, if that would help.

Googleyeyes its all about finding shoes that accommodate your feet for yourself to stop the pain and throbbing. Might be a good idea to open a cereal box, stand on it looking straight ahead and get someone else to draw around your feet. Cut these templates out and slip them into each of your shoes. If the template bends alot that shoe isnt big enough for your foot shape. Reduce use of those shoes. Warning you find most of your shoes dont fit. Other option is surgery (gp referral) but i really dont recommend that unless you in alot of pain. Google you need the german made shoes like ecco etc or trainers as i find the Chinese shoes are designed for chinese feet not english feet. Again very difficult for happy and me without seeing the feet.

I've had corns before, just picked and picked at them until they fell off.

Didn't need to see anyone, thank god as I would kick anyone if they tried to touch my feet!

This is fascinating! Who knew?!

I had a painful lump between two toes. It developed after having kids, probably because my feet got wider. Eventually I got fed up with it and attacked it with a pumice stone and that did the job.

Hermione, I've got arthritis in both my big toe joints too. Your GP should refer you to an orthopaedic foot specialist if it's getting worse & you're in pain walking etc. I'm guessing you've had an x-ray to see how bad it is? As someone said upthread, steroid injections or even surgery are possibilities.

A shortish course of NSAIDs can also calm things down if the joint capsule has become inflamed - the consultant I saw said that even osteo-arthritis has an inflammatory element. He said that some of his patients find fish oil & glucosamine supplements alleviate things, although there's little scientific evidence they help with toe arthritis.

Personally I've found conservative measures, especially wearing stiff soled shoes / boots, very helpful. I love fitflop soles in particular & wear a pair of fitflop sandals instead of slippers round the house. I rarely wear heels above a couple of inches & avoid thin-soled, flexible shoes - ballet pumps etc. - like the plague.

Thanks Loon. Ive asked a couple of different GPs at my practice about a referral and been told it's not bad enough, so no x rays or anything diagnostic.

I don't wear heels much and love my fit flops, so good the hear they're ok.

Can I butt in and ask is this photo a corn? It's on dds toe and she's just told me she's had it for years, though got bigger recently and is sometimes painful. Does she need a chiropodist?