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“Write a Properly Referenced Essay on the Treatment and Management of a Patient with Corns.”

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Student No.: 12012403

Portfolio Task: Module 6
(526)
“Write a properly referenced essay on the treatment and management of a patient with corns.”

A corn is a thickened area of skin that can occur anywhere on the foot due to pressure. This thickening appears as a cone shaped mass pointing down into the skin. Hard corns (heloma durum) tend to be found on the outer surface of the little toe or on the upper surface of the other toes. Soft corns (heloma molle) occur between toes and are kept soft by moisture in this area.

Contrary to popular belief corns are a normal and natural way for the body to protect itself from areas of high pressure and friction. Corns that are not treated will become painful if the pressure that causes them …show more content…

”The presence of peripheral neuropathy, vascular insufficiency, impaired immune response or the effects of long-term steroid therapy on the healing will make the application of caustics or any medicaments with the ability to cause breakdown of tissue undesirable. However a mild exfoliant such as 10% salicylic acid in collodion can be used to facilitate enucleation, but the patient should be monitored closely.” (Neale’s, 2010, p401)

Management of corns should include a proper health assessment to determine the cause of the corn. This should include regular maintenance by a FHP to keep corns reduced. Surgical correction of bony prominences such as bunions as well as correction of abnormal gait could help in the management of the corns.

Because many foot problems are biomechanical in origin, or due to poorly fitting footwear, therapeutic use of padding and strapping in the short-term gives immediate relief from pain. “The long-term use of clinical padding is inefficient in terms of durability and hygiene and thus it must always be a short-term solution.” (Neale’s, 2010, p399). Orthotics is the best way to control and manage biomechanical disorders long-term, and an orthotic fitted insert or foot bed to a shoe or specially fitted orthotic footwear is good for distributing pressure so as to reduce recurrence of the corns.
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Student No.: 12012403

References:

Frowen, P., O’Donnell, M., Lorimer, D. and Burrow, G. (2010), Neal’s Disorders of the Foot,

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