Best Treatment Options for Plantar Warts

When you develop a painful growth on the bottom of your foot, finding the root cause of pain becomes your number one priority. It’s likely you’ll also want immediate solutions for quick pain relief.

In many cases, it’s a plantar wart that’s causing that intense foot pain. The experienced podiatry team at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers specialize in quick relief of plantar wart pain through in-office diagnostic evaluations and customized treatment plans.

To prevent limitations in your mobility and a worsening of your pain, you shouldn’t delay a diagnostic evaluation of a suspected plantar wart. 

Why you have a plantar wart

Plantar warts refer to small growths on the surface of the skin on the bottom of your foot. The growth occurs because of an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus enters your foot through small cuts or an open wound in the skin, most often on the sole of your foot.

Most people come into contact with HPV when they walk barefoot in public places, especially gyms, swimming pools, and restrooms. You can also develop a wart after touching an infected object with your foot.

In general, the infection can cause the growth of a single wart or you may develop a cluster of growths, known as mosaic warts, in one area of your foot.

While not cancerous, plantar warts can be painful and contagious. Receiving prompt treatment for plantar warts is important for easing pain and preventing the spread of HPV to other people.

The root cause of plantar wart pain

One of the biggest reasons plantar warts are so painful is because of their location. As growths form on the sole of your foot, you add pressure to the wart every time you walk, stand, or engage in physical activity. This pressure can force the wart deeper into your foot and continued pressure makes the pain increase over time.

Many people deal with the pain because they don’t realize it relates to a plantar wart. Warts are often ignored because they closely resemble a harmless callus and look just like an area of thick skin.

When pain on the sole of your foot intensifies, it’s important that you seek a diagnostic evaluation with the team at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers to prevent spreading HPV to others.

What you can do about plantar warts

For some, plantar warts aren’t painful and will go away on their own without medical intervention. When you have pain or concerns about spreading HPV, the team at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers can treat the wart through a combination of in-office treatments and at-home foot hygiene recommendations.

To soften the wart, you may need to apply a prescription salicylic acid. Acid treatments take time to work through the tough area of skin, but can help ease pain.

If the plantar wart is interfering with your mobility, you may be a candidate for treatment with freezing technology that destroys the wart and relieves pain. If freezing doesn’t work, you may need a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the wart.

Preventive care is also vital for reducing your risk for new plantar warts. Make sure you wear shoes that are well-ventilated, especially when you’re in public showers or pools. You should also regularly check your feet to identify calluses and other new issues that affect your foot health.

If you need effective solutions to quickly relieve pain from a plantar wart, schedule a consultation with the experts at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers by calling the office or by requesting an appointment online now.