A foot corn is a common podiatric condition – it’s a skin growth caused by excessive pressure and friction to a certain part of the foot. Corns are hardened, thickened areas of skin that can be, luckily, treated surgically. But will there be any pain after corn removal surgery? If this is the aspect of the procedure that worries you the most, keep reading to find out what to expect after corn removal and how you can manage the pain.
What Can Cause Pain After Corn Removal Procedure?
Every surgery comes with certain levels of pain, no matter how simple it is – and corn removal surgery is one of the safer procedures you can have. Although you shouldn’t expect any complications, pain will most likely be present in the days or weeks following the surgery. However, this is nothing to worry about – it’s a normal side effect that occurs due to several factors, such as surgical site inflammation, operated area sensitivity, and nerve irritation or temporal nerve damage.
Surgical Site Inflammation
When your surgeon cuts into your foot to remove the corn, they cause trauma to the soft tissue – it’s an inevitable aspect of every surgery. Due to this trauma, your body reacts in order to heal, and this reaction is actually inflammation. This is a natural process, but patients may worry due to the symptoms it comes with – redness, swelling, and, of course, pain.
Sensitivity of the Operated Area
After your surgery, the operated area of your foot will be sensitive – there will likely be tenderness to the touch in addition to the pain you’ll feel. However, this will go away swiftly as you recover – and considering the fact that corn removal is a minimally invasive procedure, you can be sure that the recovery period will go by fast.
Nerve Irritation or Temporary Nerve Damage
Sometimes, during surgery, doctors can maneuver the tissues in a way that causes temporary nerve damage. This doesn’t happen often, but it’s a possibility with this type of surgery. Nerve damage goes away after several months. In the meantime, patients can experience pain, numbness, loss of sensation, weakness, burning sensations, or loss of reflexes in the affected area of the foot.
Inflammation and temporary nerve damage are common causes of pain after surgery
Levels of Pain – What’s Normal vs. What’s Concerning?
Normal pain in this situation can be severe – but it can still be controlled with pain medication. However, if you notice that your pain levels are increasing over a few days, this may be a reason for concern – increased pain can point to an infection of the surgical site.
Additional signs that usually mean an infection include redness, warmth of the incision site, increased swelling, red streaks coming from the incision, and pus leaking from the wound. If you notice these signs, be sure to talk to your doctor – you’ll likely need a round of antibiotics to treat the infection.
How Can You Manage Pain After the Surgery?
Patients often worry about dealing with post-surgical pain, but the great news is that you’ll have plenty of methods to relieve it. Your doctor will tell you which pain medications are recommended after corn removal – usually some from the group of NSAIDs. In addition to that, it’s recommended to apply ice packs to the operated area.
However, keep in mind that you should never put ice directly on the skin – wrap it in a clean cloth and then place it on the foot. Never keep ice packs on the skin for longer than 15-20 minutes. To decrease swelling (which will consequently decrease pain), you can elevate the operated foot – and keep it above the level of your heart. You can do this several times a day.
Talk to Your Foot Doctor in Miami About Recovery Tips and Managing the Pain
It’s never easy to decide to have surgery – especially when you don’t know what to expect afterward. That’s why medical professionals often recommend talking to your foot doctor about recovery and pain management before you schedule the procedure.
If you’re in the Miami area, we recommend reaching out to Luxe Foot Surgery clinic and booking a consultation with them. They have a wonderful team of skilled podiatrists who would be more than happy to answer all your questions and take your worries away.
