Corns are caused by pressure points, for example, between (too tight) shoes and toes. The skin thickens at the pressure points and forms cornifications. If a hard core develops in the middle of this cornification, it is called a corn. This can be very painful. Corn patches are then often used for treatment. However, they contain acids that also attack the surrounding healthy skin tissue. As an alternative, there are a number of home remedies that have been used successfully for generations.
What helps against corns?
A fresh juice of celandine can be used as an alternative remedy for corns. Treatments are most effective for corns that have just appeared and do not yet cause much pain. It is best to massage the callused pressure area with lanolin. This softens the corn and makes it less sensitive to pressure. Basically, those who suffer from corns should make sure to keep their feet dry. Moisture and foot perspiration – especially in closed shoes – promote the development of corns. Affected areas caused by friction between the toes can be dusted with baby powder or cornmeal to reduce moisture. To relieve the pain of toes rubbing together, a toe separator made of natural material, such as sheep’s wool, is recommended. Short-term relief is also provided by a warm foot bath with Epsom salt, which temporarily reduces the size of the bursa. If a corn is very swollen and causes so much pain that wearing shoes becomes torture, the swelling can be treated using ice cubes. Wrap the ice cube in a cotton cloth (such as a handkerchief) and place it on the swelling.
Quick help
The much-maligned nettle has proven itself in many ways in the treatment of corns. Inwardly, the herb is used as a tea. For a tea, a heaping teaspoon of nettle per cup is brewed with hot water and, after it has steeped for about a minute, strained. Drink up to four cups of this tea per day. For external use, a nettle foot bath is suitable, which can also be used in the treatment of calluses. Fresh nettles (leaves and stems) are soaked in a bucket of five liters of cold water for twelve hours. This cold mixture is then gently warmed. The herbs remain in the water. To soften the corns, the lukewarm foot bath should last about twenty minutes. Regular dabbing of the affected areas with stinging nettle essence is another proven way to get rid of the annoying corns. After careful cleaning, stinging nettle roots dug in spring or fall are cut into small pieces, filled into a light-colored glass bottle and doused with 38-40 percent grain brandy. The bottle is then left in a warm, sunny place for about two weeks. Soak a cotton pad or cotton swab with the finished essence and dab the corns with it several times a day.
Alternative remedies
Alternatively, corns can be treated with a fresh juice of celandine, which is applied undiluted – also several times a day. To prepare the juice of celandine, fresh leaves, stems and flowers of the herb must be washed and juiced in a kitchen centrifuge. Good results have also been obtained with “Little Swedish bitters“, preferably homemade: Before going to bed, sprinkle a cotton pad with the tincture, put the pad on the affected area and put on socks made of natural fibers. Leave the concentrate to act overnight. If you treat a corn with this tincture, it is important to keep the painful area moist at all times. Another treatment option is legwort ointment. For this, heat 250g of pure pork fat in a Teflon-coated pan. Four to six fresh and washed comfrey roots are added in small pieces. Let the recipe foam once, stir vigorously and remove from heat. Cover the mixture and leave to cool overnight. The next day, after the mixture has been slightly warmed in a pan, it is passed through a clean sheet and the herbs are squeezed out. The resulting ointment is filled into sealable jars and stored in the refrigerator. Apply the ointment to the corn daily.