How can you effectively treat plantar warts and manage the associated foot pain? Discover the best treatment options, from over-the-counter remedies to professional procedures, in this comprehensive guide.

Understanding Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are a common skin condition that affects the soles of the feet. These warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be a source of significant discomfort, especially when walking or standing for extended periods. Plantar warts often resemble a callus or small cauliflower-like growth, and they may develop black dots in the center, which are small clotted blood vessels.

Causes and Risk Factors of Plantar Warts

The primary cause of plantar warts is the human papillomavirus (HPV), a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted through direct contact or by sharing personal items. Certain factors can increase the risk of developing plantar warts, including:

• Weakened immune system
• Exposure to moist environments, such as public showers or swimming pools
• Cuts or breaks in the skin on the feet
• Frequent walking barefoot

Symptoms of Plantar Warts

The most common symptoms of plantar warts include:

• Rough, grainy growth on the bottom of the foot
• Pain or discomfort when walking or standing
• Thickened, calloused skin around the wart
• Black dots or tiny blood vessels visible in the wart

Over-the-Counter Treatments for Plantar Warts

For mild cases of plantar warts, over-the-counter (OTC) treatments can be an effective first line of defense. Some commonly used OTC options include:

1. Salicylic Acid: This topical treatment helps to gradually break down and remove the wart tissue.
2. Duct Tape: Covering the wart with duct tape can help to soften the skin and facilitate the removal of the wart.
3. Cryotherapy: At-home cryotherapy kits that use freezing temperatures to remove the wart are available over the counter.

Professional Treatment Options for Plantar Warts

If over-the-counter treatments are not effective or the wart is particularly stubborn, your doctor may recommend more advanced treatment options, such as:

• Cryotherapy: A healthcare provider can use liquid nitrogen to freeze and remove the wart.
• Curettage: This involves surgically removing the wart by scraping or cutting it out.
• Laser Treatment: High-intensity laser therapy can be used to destroy the wart tissue.
• Immunotherapy: Injections or topical treatments that stimulate the immune system to fight the HPV virus and clear the wart.

Managing Pain and Discomfort from Plantar Warts

Plantar warts can be a source of significant discomfort, especially when walking or standing. To help manage the pain, you can try the following:

1. Wear Comfortable Shoes: Choose shoes that provide ample cushioning and support to the affected foot, reducing pressure on the wart.
2. Use Padding or Inserts: Applying doughnut-shaped felt pads or moleskin patches around the wart can help to relieve pressure and friction.
3. Take Over-the-Counter Pain Medication: Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help to alleviate pain and inflammation associated with the wart.

Preventing the Spread of Plantar Warts

To prevent the spread of plantar warts, it’s important to take the following precautions:

• Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, socks, or shoes, with others.
• Wear protective footwear in public areas, such as locker rooms, showers, and swimming pools.
• Maintain good foot hygiene by washing and drying the feet thoroughly.
• Avoid picking or scratching at the wart, as this can lead to the virus spreading to other areas of the body.

By understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for plantar warts, as well as effective pain management strategies, you can take steps to address this common foot condition and find relief. Remember to consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or the wart persists despite home treatment efforts.

Plantar Warts in Children: Care Instructions

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Overview

A plantar wart is a harmless skin growth. Plantar warts occur on the bottom of the feet and may be painful when your child walks. A virus makes the top layer of skin grow quickly, causing a wart. Warts usually go away on their own in months or years.

Warts are spread easily. Your child can be infected again by touching the wart and then touching another part of the body. Others can also be infected by sharing towels or other personal items.

Most plantar warts do not need treatment. But if warts cause your child pain or spread, your doctor may recommend that you use an over-the-counter treatment. These include salicylic acid or duct tape. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger medicine to put on warts or may inject them with medicine. Your doctor also can remove warts through surgery or by freezing them.

Follow-up care is a key part of your child’s treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if your child is having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your child’s test results and keep a list of the medicines your child takes.

How can you care for your child at home?

• Use salicylic acid or duct tape as your doctor directs. You put the medicine or the tape on a wart for a while and then file down the dead skin on the wart. You use the salicylic acid treatment for 2 to 3 months or the tape for 1 to 2 months.
• If your doctor prescribes medicine to put on warts, use it exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think your child is having a problem with a medicine.
• Give your child comfortable shoes and socks to wear. Avoid shoes that put a lot of pressure on the foot.
• Pad the wart with doughnut-shaped felt or a moleskin patch. You can buy these at a drugstore. Put the pad around the plantar wart so that it relieves pressure on the wart. You also can place pads or cushions in your child’s shoes to make walking more comfortable.
• Give your child an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) if your child has pain. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.
• Do not give a child two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• Your child has signs of infection, such as:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
  • Red streaks leading from a wart.
  • Pus draining from a wart.
  • A fever.

Watch closely for changes in your child’s health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

• Your child does not get better as expected.

Where can you learn more?

Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd

Enter L744 in the search box to learn more about “Plantar Warts in Children: Care Instructions”.

Managing Pain from Foot Warts

Warts are small growths on your body that are rough in texture. They can appear anywhere on your body at any time. They can be very painful and sometimes unappealing to look at.Foot warts often look like a blister or a small cauliflower with black dots. They are common and can usually be treated and managed at home.

What Causes Foot Warts?

Warts are skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (also referred to as HPV). There are more than 60 strains of HPV and a few of them cause warts. HPV is also the most common virus of the skin. Warts are caused through direct contact with HPV as it is contagious. It can be through person-to person contact or through the use of an object that was used by a person with the virus. HPV stimulates your cell’s growth on the outer layer of your skin, and it can grow very quickly.

There are two main types of warts that most people get at some point in their lifetime and they are the plantar and flat warts. Both types generally appear on one’s hands or feet. Plantar warts are the more painful type and they often found on the bottom of your foot.

Wart Treatments and Pain Management

Planter warts can be treated in a number of ways depending on the severity. Some also may go away on their own but this is rare. Below you will find some of the treatment options for removing your wart.

• Salicylic Acid: This is a topical liquid that you can get at most convenience stores. It essentially burns off the wart, but it is not painful.
• Liquid Nitrogen: This is administered by a medical professional and freezes off the wart. This is often turned to if the wart is large or if at-home remedies didn’t work.
• Curettage: This involves cutting off the wart and is also done by a medical professional. This is not something that should be tried at home as it can cause much more damage and possible infection.

Pain management during treatment is necessary so you can continue with your regular daily activities. Below you will find some tips to help manage your pain as you treat the wart in addition to tips for after the wart is removed.

• Over-the-Counter Pain Medication: If the pain is unbearable, try an over-the-counter pain medication to help ease your pain. Be sure not to overuse the pain medication and also to drink lots of water to support your kidney’s health. You can also use some pain reliever after your wart is removed if you are feeling any residual pain.
• Plantar Wart Pad: One of the options for removing a plantar wart is the pad (or cushion). There is a space in the middle on the inside portion that attaches to your foot. The cushion can help ease some of the pressure when you are walking around.
• Topical Anesthetic: While the over-the-counter versions don’t last very long, you can talk to your doctor to see what they could prescribe you for the pain. If you have an event or your job requires a lot of standing, discuss this with your medical provider to see what they can do.
• Stay Off Your Feet: If you have had your wart removed by your doctor, stay off your foot for a day if possible. Keep the area covered and avoid putting any pressure on the area. This will allow the wart to begin healing without any external forces interrupting it.

Avoiding Warts in the Future

While there is no way to prevent warts entirely, you can take steps to try and avoid them in the future. The virus that causes warts enjoys warm and humid environments. Below you will find some options to reduce your risk of getting a wart.

• Cover your feet in public places by at least wearing sandals. Public showers, pools, saunas, or even locker rooms are usually hotbeds for germs and viruses.
• Keep clothing and towels dry.
• If you come into contact with someone who has a wart, do not touch the wart, their clothing, or anything their wart has possibly come into contact with.

Wart Treatment in Venture and Oxnard

If you have tried over-the-counter medications or you just want a professional to take care of your wart, contact Foot & Ankle Concepts, Inc. We have a number of locations all over California, including Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Camarillo, Palmdale, and Westlake. We are skilled in wart removal and are happy to help you find the option that is right for you. Contact Foot & Ankle Concepts, Inc. today for an appointment!

Why doesn’t a dry cough go away for a long time? – reference book Omega-Kyiv

Dry cough is not an independent problem and disease. Cough is a reflex of the body that occurs due to the appearance of an allergic or bacterial pathogen. It is for this reason that cough is a concomitant symptom of more than 100 different diseases, from the usual SARS to oncology.

Types of dry cough:

• Acute. Such a cough begins abruptly, but with proper treatment quickly turns into a wet one and disappears after a few days;
• Drawstring. This type of cough is characterized by a rather slow course and can torment a person for more than three months;
• Chronic. Such a cough lasts more than three months and does not go away when taking medicines with an expectorant effect.

Diseases accompanied by dry cough:

• Acute respiratory viral infection. SARS and acute respiratory infections are the most common cause of cough. A cough can be wet or dry, pass quickly or accompany the human body for several weeks. The most effective way to deal with ARVI is to fight cough using inhalations from natural herbs;
• Pneumonia. This is a complication that occurs as a result of secondary infection after an acute respiratory viral infection;
• Whooping cough, measles. Children’s infectious diseases, which are characterized by a strong dry cough;
• Tuberculosis. A disease that affects the respiratory system and causes a prolonged dry cough. There are two forms of the disease: open and closed. The first is characterized by expectoration of sputum with blood, while the second is not accompanied by particularly striking signs;
• Chronic bronchitis.
• A disease in which there is indolent inflammation in the bronchi;
• Oncological disease of the respiratory system. Prolonged dry cough can be caused by oncological lesions of the lungs, bronchi, throat and trachea. Each of these types of cancer is accompanied by a hysterical cough that does not go away after taking expectorants. If a cough occurs that does not go away for more than two weeks, you must contact the clinic and undergo a comprehensive examination, conduct a bronchoscopy and be tested for tumor markers;
• Allergic cough. A prolonged cough can be caused by an allergic reaction to food, animal hair, mold in the apartment, etc.;
• Asthma. Bronchial asthma is one of the most common diseases of the respiratory system. With asthma, a dry cough occurs, accompanied by attacks of suffocation;
• Professional problems. People who work in difficult conditions (mines, sand and granite quarries) may experience a chronic dry cough due to regular irritation of the respiratory system;
• Environmental factors. Frequent use of household chemicals with a high content of chlorine or outdoor air polluted with exhaust gases become the causes of a prolonged dry cough. Regular chemical poisoning has an irritating effect on the organs of the respiratory system.

How to get rid of a cough?

To cure chronic dry cough, first of all it is necessary to know exactly the source of irritation or the cause of the occurrence. To do this, you should contact the medical center and undergo a comprehensive examination.

If the cough is due to a complication of influenza or SARS, you should re-examine and resume treatment. Sessions of inhalation and massage become the most effective.

How to quickly get rid of a cough: effective remedies for adults and children – December 14, 2022

We bet you have already visited the pharmacy more than once this season

Photo: Irina Sharova / 72.RU

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around whom you will not ask, everyone is sick. Kindergartens are closed for quarantine, and clinics are crowded, everyone wants to get an appointment with their next SARS. At this time, advice on how to recover quickly is especially relevant, because for many, a long sick leave is an unaffordable luxury. Our colleagues from Vokrug Sveta spoke with infectious disease specialist, executive director of the National Scientific Society of Infectious Diseases Denis Usenko .

Please note: doctors do not recommend self-treatment and, at the slightest sign of deterioration, they advise you to contact specialists.

— The common cold is not a diagnosis, but a common, “popular” name for all seasonal diseases of the upper respiratory tract, which can be both viral and bacterial in nature, which is very important in treatment, Denis Usenko explained.

The doctor notes that usually the body is able to cope with ARVI on its own, but in order for this process to be less painful, it is necessary to stop the symptoms correctly.

If you have a cough with sputum that is difficult to pass, the expert advises using mucolytics – they are also effective for persistent rhinitis and sinusitis. Choose drugs based on carbocysteine.

The action of mucolytics can be seen on the first or second day of administration. If you don’t get better, you should see a doctor. But it is undesirable to bring down the temperature below 38.5 degrees.

– Use paracetamol or ibuprofen-based antipyretics for high fever, but only when the temperature is above 38.5 degrees, unless some other chronic medical condition requires otherwise. By raising the temperature, the body fights the infection,” said Denis Usenko.

If you suffer from a sore throat, the expert recommends remedies based on lysozyme.

Lysozyme is an enzyme in the human body that has antimicrobial and antiviral effects, but retains normal microflora, and also helps to strengthen local immunity.

The doctor advises not to rely heavily on traditional medicine, especially when it comes to children. Onions, honey, tea, lemon, garlic, cranberries and other products are not a panacea for all ills, but various herbs and herbal products can cause an allergic reaction.

We recently prepared a step-by-step guide for those who got sick on the first day. We all know that sometimes a cold can go away just as suddenly as it started. Let’s see how we can help her.

Morning , the first day of illness. If you wake up with a reddened throat and stuffy nose, be sure to gargle to remove the buildup. Therapist Sergey Cheryomushkin advises to take a solution of propolis tincture and water half an hour before meals (1 tablespoon of infusion to 5 tablespoons of water). Next, rinse your nose with saline. For breakfast, drink tea with lemon and a tablespoon of rosehip syrup. Of the drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. Before leaving the house, put drops in your nose.

Sergey Cheryomushkin — Chief Therapist of the Central Directorate of Health — a branch of Russian Railways, Head of the Department, therapist of the highest qualification category, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases and Gastroenterology of the Moscow State Medical University.

If you feel unwell during the day at your workplace, don’t wait for the evening – start treatment right away.

– Ascorbic acid can provide first aid. But do not use tablets, but powder, which penetrates the blood faster and does no harm if taken on an empty stomach. When treating, you will need 1 gram of ascorbic acid: pour it into a teaspoon, eat it and drink it with tea, you can with lemon. If gargling at work is not possible, an inhalation spray will come in handy, for example, based on iodine with menthol, the expert advises.

The evening of is the time of the most active fight against a cold. Powdered aspirin can also be used. The doctor also suggests choosing a drink based on rosehip, blackcurrant, sea buckthorn, honey and lemon. Drink it in small sips, warm, throughout the evening.

Refrain from hot baths, with a cold, the patient needs only dry heat.

– Moisture promotes the growth of bacteria, and our task is to reduce their number as much as possible. But you can make a mustard foot bath. Dilute 2 tablespoons of dry mustard in hot water, lower your legs and hold for 15-20 minutes, carefully adding hot water from time to time. After the procedure, vigorously rub your feet with a towel, put on dry woolen socks, the therapist concludes. – Before going to bed, you can chop a few cloves of garlic in a plate, a head of onion and put next to the bed.

General practitioner Alexandra Myznikova reminds that today there is not a single antiviral “cold medicine” with proven effectiveness.

— The production of antibodies and the elimination of the virus from the body takes a certain time, the duration of which also does not depend on the amount of pepper, garlic, lemon and other miracle foods eaten. Therefore, the well-known aphorism that “a cold is treated with drugs for 7 days, and without drugs for a week” remains true today, she says.

It’s not a secret for anyone that you should not drink antiviral and antibiotics on your own in case of SARS. It is better to consult a doctor who will prescribe a competent treatment. But if there is no time at all and you don’t want to fall out of the usual rhythm of life for a long time, natural honey can be an excellent helper with a dry cough, relieve inflammation and strengthen the immune system. The main thing is to use it correctly.

The first thing to remember is that honey cannot stand high temperatures. When heated above 40 ºС, honey changes its structure, as a result, hydroxymethylfurfural is formed in it. And if you heat honey over 50 ºС, it will completely lose almost all useful properties.

— It is better to eat honey with hot tea or hot milk as a bite. If you want to mix it into a drink, you can only heat it up to 40 ºС in order to avoid the formation of harmful substances, – said Gennady Kovalev, chairman of the regional society of beekeepers “Ural bee”. – As for the storage of honey, the optimum temperature is +8 ºС. If you observe the temperature regime, honey can be stored for a very long time without losing its beneficial qualities.

It is worth noting that horror stories about the harmfulness of hydroxymethylfurfural in honey are greatly exaggerated if consumed in a reasonable amount. Oxymethylfurfural is formed by heating carbohydrate compounds, in this case, fructose, in an acidic environment. GOST limits the permissible content of hydroxymethylfurfural in 1 kilogram of honey to 25 milligrams. The content of hydroxymethylfurfural in fresh honey is close to zero, in overheated honey it is more than 80 mg/kg.

Back in 1975, the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences conducted studies that showed that the daily intake of hydroxymethylfurfural into the body with food in the amount of 2 milligrams per 1 kilogram of weight does not pose a danger to humans. Therefore, if you use even heated honey in a reasonable amount, there will be no harm to health. For example, in carbonated drinks, the content of hydroxymethylfurfural can even reach 300-350 mg / l.

— Honey is a recognized remedy in the treatment and prevention of colds. But it must be remembered that this is by no means a medicine, it is a product that comes in addition to the main doctor’s prescriptions. In the period of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, only natural honey and its products can have a positive effect on the body, accelerate its recovery, – said general practitioner Elena Shabunina . – For example, acacia honey is known as a good general tonic, linden honey has expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties in diseases of the throat and bronchi. Mustard honey has a good effect on inflammatory processes in the body, has a healing effect on the respiratory system. And May (early) honey has bactericidal and expectorant properties.

If, having fallen ill, you dared to call your mother or grandmother and tell about what is happening, then you are provided with an iodine net and socks with salt. Which of these will really help, and which is useless and dangerous – we figured out in a cold test.

Many people know that garlic can be used to prevent colds. It produces phytoncides – active substances that kill microbes. But people with gastritis and a sick stomach should be careful with garlic.

Gargling with salt and soda helps to relieve the well-being of infectious diseases of the throat. This solution can eliminate swelling and reduce the symptoms of tonsillitis, stomatitis, gingivitis and other diseases.

But making iodine mesh to relieve cough is not worth it. Iodine has a slight warming effect, but nothing more. And if you draw them on the throat and back, then it will easily enter the body. An excess of iodine can lead to unpleasant consequences, such as hyperthyroidism.

Hot potato inhalations against the common cold also do not leave the body without a trace, they are especially contraindicated for children. During such inhalation, it is difficult to control the temperature, and too hot steam can cause burns to the nasopharyngeal mucosa and damage to the vocal cords. In general, we have already talked about the benefits and harms of potatoes.

But what about rubbing the body with vinegar or vodka against the temperature of ? When a person has a fever and not all drugs can be given, rubdowns work well. But do not forget that before the procedure, the same vinegar must be diluted. If you start wiping yourself with essence, you will, of course, forget about the temperature, but only because you will get burns.

Doctors do not recommend dripping a solution with honey into the nose in case of a runny nose, because honey is an allergen. If you don’t know if you are allergic to this product or not, why take the risk? Moreover, due to washing the nose with honey, Quincke’s edema may begin.

Raspberry Jam really helps reduce fever. Raspberries are a good aspirin, and jam can be consumed if you feel unwell. Assuming you don’t have any allergies.

Doctors will not mind if you drink mulled wine to prevent colds. Just don’t go overboard with prevention. But when already sick, it will be useless.

Black radish juice and honey will save you from bronchitis. Together they turn into an effective expectorant, thanks to this combination, sputum is well discharged. But do not forget that radish is a highly irritating product, and not everyone can do it. For example, if you have gastritis or pancreatitis, expect problems.