Why does a wart hurt and what to do?

The presence of warts on the human body is not only unaesthetic, but often uncomfortable. It happens that the wart hurts, itches, rubs against clothes, and even bleeds. Can such symptoms be called characteristic of a benign growth? Or should you sound the alarm and run to the doctor? Let's try to figure this out together.

Can a wart hurt?

What exactly is a wart? It is a benign growth caused by the proliferation of the epidermis, which in turn occurs as a result of exposure to an active viral infection (namely, the papillomavirus). You can become infected with the virus through contact and household means, since the microorganism easily penetrates through mucous and skin tissues.

A wart can "settle" in any area of the human body, and its appearance does not depend on the age and gender of the patient. The shape, size and color of the growth can also be different: from small flat light warts to multiple dark growths (for example, on the genitals).

A wart does not always hurt. The appearance of painful sensations depends on many factors. For example, if the formation grows deep into the tissue, it can damage the nerve endings, which leads to the occurrence of pain. No less painful are those warts that are located on areas of the body that are constantly exposed to mechanical stress: for example, warts often hurt on the plantar surface of the foot, in places where clothing rubs, etc. Also, periodic pain can be associated with regular injury to growths.

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Causes wart pain

A wart hurts for various reasons and under the influence of various factors. Such factors can be dangerous and not so much, but all doctors insist that any discomfort from such formations is a reason for their removal.

If a wart hurts when pressed, this is not always a dangerous symptom. As a rule, this happens when the formation grows deep, when it affects the nerve structures in the underlying layers of the skin. It is preferable to remove such a wart to prevent further deepening of the process.

If a wart hurts after cauterization, it may be due to improper adherence or failure to follow the doctor's recommendations for wound care. For example, after a procedure using liquid nitrogen, a small amount of clear liquid may be released from the wound. If this liquid is constantly wiped off by touching the damaged tissue, pain may occur. The wound should be treated with light blotting, using a weak solution of potassium permanganate or 2% salicylic alcohol. As a rule, the pain in the wart goes away within a week.

If a wart on the leg, hand, finger hurts, then it can be assumed that it is mechanically damaged, because it is in these places that there is the greatest probability of injury to the growth. As a result of injury, an inflammatory process can begin, which leads to the appearance of pain. For example, a wart on the hand can hurt after contact with aggressive detergents and cleaning agents.

If a plantar wart hurts, you should not immediately sound the alarm. Pain in such a neoplasm is not uncommon, since it experiences constant pressure from walking and even standing on the feet. The friction of the growth against shoes also adds discomfort. In such a situation, you will need the help of a doctor who will remove the painful wart.

When a wart in the scalp area hurts a lot, remember: maybe you injured it while combing or washing your hair? It is very difficult to notice a wart under the hair, so it is often subject to mechanical impact. This can cause not only pain, but also infection, so it is better to get rid of this problem by removing it.

When a wart grows and hurts, it can be a rather dangerous symptom, indicating excessive activity of the papillomavirus, or malignant transformation of the neoplasm. If a wart is rapidly growing, you should see a doctor without delay. It would be ideal to remove such growth, even if after diagnosis it turns out to be absolutely safe.

When a wart is swollen and painful, you should think: this happens when the formation constantly rubs against clothing elements. This is a particularly common cause if the clothing worn is mainly synthetic, dense, not allowing the body to breathe. No less often, this happens with increased sweating or constant wearing of dirty underwear. If there are no contraindications, then any disturbing wart should be removed.

When a wart becomes inflamed and hurts, it means that an infection has entered its tissue from the outside, for example, due to an injury. Dust, sweat, dirt can get into microcracks on the wart, which will lead to redness, swelling and pain. To make sure that this particular complication has developed, you need to undergo a preliminary diagnosis, after which the doctor will be able to give recommendations for removing the neoplasm.

If the wart turns black and hurts after using cauterizing agents, then this is one of the normal variants, indicating the formation of a scab (crust) on the neoplasm. However, if such blackening began on its own, then a visit to a specialist cannot be postponed. Any change in color, the appearance of dots or spots on the wart against the background of pain is a dangerous sign that may indicate the development of a malignant process.

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Diagnostics wart pain

Standard diagnostics only allow us to identify warts and ensure that there is no inflammatory process.

For example, clinical blood tests will not only indicate the presence of inflammation, but will also help to determine anemia. Urine tests for warts are uninformative. However, if the wart hurts, then the main task for the doctor is not just to identify the neoplasm, but to find the cause of the pain. To determine this cause, instrumental diagnostics are used:

• Dermatoscopy helps to assess the borders, depth and growth rate over time without damaging the wart.
• Computer epiluminescent dermatoscopy and videodermatoscopy allow for a thorough examination of the structure of the neoplasm, as well as a conclusion about the degree of probability of its malignant transformation.
• Histological examination helps to make a final diagnosis and determine subsequent treatment tactics. Using a microscope, the doctor evaluates the type of cells in the growth, determines their maturity level, and the depth of their growth.

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Differential diagnosis

If the wart hurts, then differential diagnostics is carried out, first of all, regarding the malignancy of the process. In this case, videodermatoscopy becomes the advanced diagnostic method, as well as histological examination.

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Treatment wart pain

When a wart hurts, only a doctor should treat it. There is no general therapeutic scheme for warts, because each case should be considered separately. In this case, most often, in the absence of contraindications, the wart is simply removed.

Additional treatment may be prescribed:

• if there are a lot of warts or they appear frequently;
• if the patient has increased activity of the papillomavirus;
• if the patient is diagnosed with an immunodeficiency condition.

As we have already indicated, the main direction of treatment in most cases is considered to be complete surgical removal of the problematic formation. The wart can also be treated with various medications. Thus, the doctor may recommend the use of cauterizing and keratolytic agents, which we will describe in more detail in the following table.

Medicines

	Method of administration and dosage	Side effects	Special instructions
Solcoderm	A drop of the solution is applied locally to the wart. After 4-5 minutes, the area of application should change color to gray or yellowish. If coloring does not occur, the procedure is repeated.	Sometimes – formation of a scar or burn.	After the procedure, a scab will gradually form on the site of the wart, which will eventually fall off on its own. Do not tear off or damage the scab.
Condyline (Podophyllotoxin)	A drop of the solution is applied to the wart, avoiding contact with healthy tissue. The application is repeated in the morning and evening for three days. Then a break of 4 days is taken, after which (if necessary) the treatment is repeated.	If it gets on healthy tissue – redness, pain, ulceration, swelling.	You can treat several warts on the body, but no more than five dozen at a time.
Oxolinic ointment	Apply 3% ointment to the wart three times a day for 14-60 days in a row.	Transient burning sensation.	It is permissible to apply the ointment to healthy skin.
Panavir gel	Apply directly to the wart five times a day: lightly, without intensive rubbing. Treatment period: up to one month.	Rarely – allergic reactions.	The gel can be used if the wart hurts on the mucous membranes of the genitals, as well as in any other part of the body.
5-Fluorouracil ointment (Flonida 5%)	The ointment is applied to the wart area once every three days for 2-6 weeks.	Dry skin, itching, burning.	When using the ointment on exposed areas of the body, avoid exposure to sunlight.
Vartocid cream	Apply to the wart once a day before bed, daily, until the growth completely disappears (but no more than 4 months).	Itching, redness at the site of application.	Used when warts are localized on the mucous membrane of the genitals.
Bonafton ointment 0.5%	Apply to affected areas 2-4 times a day for 2 weeks.	Temporary signs of skin irritation.	For the treatment of children, 0.25% ointment is used.

Physical destruction of growths is carried out using liquid nitrogen, electrocoagulation, etc. Chemical destruction can be carried out using Feresol, acids (salicylic, trichloroacetic, etc.), sodium hydroxide solution, sodium silver.

Among other things, medications are prescribed to support the immune system (echinacea preparations, multivitamins), anti-inflammatory medications (category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Folk remedies

Folk recipes have always been especially popular for any diseases. But in some cases, such treatment should be carried out with caution. For example, when a wart hurts, you must first make sure that there is no malignant degeneration of the process, and only then begin treatment.

The most popular recipes among patients are:

• Treat the wart with a cut clove of garlic, twice daily.
• A cube of frozen melted water is wrapped in a napkin and applied to the wart that hurts. Keep it on the body as long as it is possible to endure. The procedure is carried out daily.
• A slice of onion is soaked in vinegar during the day, and at night it is applied to the wart, fixed with a plaster. The procedure is repeated until the condition is completely normalized.
• Mix 50 g of crushed garlic and 50 g of melted butter. Lubricate the wart that hurts with the mixture 2-3 times a day.
• Treat the affected areas with fresh potato juice, many times a day.
• Mix a spoonful of honey with 4 spoonfuls of hemp oil. Treat the wart with the mixture up to 3 times a day.

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Herbal treatment

If a wart hurts, many people often turn to medicinal plants for help. Indeed, many herbs have antiviral properties and can help solve the problem. Usually, such herbal treatment lasts 7-14 days, provided that the necessary procedures are carried out daily.

• Apply crushed rosehip petals to the painful wart three times a day.
• Burn the stems of the quinoa and rub the troubling wart with the ashes.
• Apply fresh crushed Kalanchoe leaves daily under the bandage.
• Three tablespoons of wormwood are poured with 500 ml of boiling water and infused for two hours. Use for daily compresses until the problem disappears completely.
• Treat the wart that hurts with celandine juice at least twice a day. Duration of treatment is seven days or more, depending on the condition.

Homeopathy

If the wart hurts and does not simply spoil the appearance of the skin, then it is imperative to conduct diagnostics and find out the causes of the unpleasant sensations. For pain associated with damage to nerve endings during the growth of the neoplasm, homeopathic remedies can be used: they are free of side effects, safe and effective.

• Antimonium crudum is prescribed for painful, hard, keratinized warts.
• Arsenicum album can be used for seborrheic senile warts.
• Calcarea carbonica is used if the wart hurts, itches, oozes, burns. It is especially recommended for flat juvenile warts.
• Causticum is prescribed for frequent trauma to warts, and especially if they hurt, bleed, or become inflamed.
• Natrium carbonicum is suitable for the treatment of large, bleeding and painful warts.
• Sepia is used for senile warts that hurt, itch, and change color.

The dosage of homeopathic preparations is strictly individual. It is impossible to prescribe such a drug "in absentia": the doctor determines the dose and frequency of taking the drug only during a personal meeting with the patient.

Surgical treatment

When a wart hurts, the best way to get rid of the problem is to remove it completely. Removal can be done in several ways - for example, simply cauterize the growth with acid (lactic or salicylic acid is used). This method can be called relatively safe, because the doctor cannot clearly predict the depth of penetration of the product into the tissue. In order not to damage healthy tissue, progressive removal is often used, when the acid is applied little by little, several times. Frequent consequences of such treatment are swelling, scar formation.

More precise methods of removal are considered to be surgical methods, in particular:

• Electrocoagulation - involves the use of high-frequency current, which neutralizes the virus and destroys the neoplasm. If the wart hurts, then local anesthesia is additionally used. Removal occurs quickly, but a small scar may remain afterwards.
• Cryodestruction is a method of freezing a wart using liquid nitrogen or dry ice. It is worth noting that this procedure is not considered painless.
• Surgical removal involves the use of a scalpel and local anesthesia. This method is used mainly not only when the wart hurts, but also when it is quite large. After removal, the surgeon applies stitches, and after healing, a small scar is formed.
• Laser removal is currently the most optimal way to get rid of a bothersome wart. The procedure is painless, effective and safe, as there is no damage to healthy tissues and nearby vessels.

Prevention

To prevent a wart from hurting, you can try to prevent its further development and growth. To do this, you just need to remember the following recommendations:

• avoid friction of clothing or accessories against the surface of the neoplasm;
• avoid damage or injury to the wart;
• establish a healthy diet that helps strengthen the immune system;
• avoid exposure of the area of the body affected by warts to active solar radiation;
• if we are talking about a plantar wart, then it is necessary to choose the right shoes, use orthopedic inserts, foot correctors to reduce the load on the damaged area;
• If your skin is excessively dry and prone to microcracks, you need to take good care of it and use moisturizing and nourishing products.

All of the above tips are very important, but all doctors agree: if a wart hurts or causes any other discomfort, it should be removed.

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Forecast

The prognosis is favorable for most patients. However, given the viral origin of warts, it is impossible to guarantee 100% that the neoplasm will stop growing or will not reappear, even after its complete removal. Such growths are prone to reappearance - on the same or any other part of the body.

If a wart hurts, it is impossible to accurately predict the likelihood of adverse effects without knowing the cause of the pain syndrome. In any case, it is better to remove such a painful growth.

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