[EMM]

I train horses and spend many hours with my feet in stirrup irons. In the past few months I have developed 3 points over my metatarsals or ball of my feet which are extremley painful. The pain is alleviated by anti inflamatories. I am seeing a podiatrist who is treating with silver nitrate and weekly scrapings. Is this the best way of treating?? We live in a very small mountain village so I dont have much choice. I am struggling to walk without considerable padding. Although they are quite small( only a few millimeters) they are very painful. Please explain how to tell the differance between a planters wart or neurovascular corn as I am not sure what I have.
Thanks.

[footankledoc]

A plantar's wart can occur anywhere on the foot and is caused by a virus. You usually pick them up at public areas like pools or gyms. They look like they have very tiny black dots in the middle of the lesion so if they look like that - you have warts. Corns are found on the tops of the toes and since they are on the bottom, they could be callouses or even plugged-up sweat glands both of which can be very painful. They look like callouses with a hard center. These need to be periodically shaved to prevent pain. Sometimes a short course of topical salicylic acid is able to get the core out which is the cause of the pain. Hope I shead some light on the subject.