The wart can be removed by cutting it out, by curetting after softening by special ointments, by burning with electric diathermy or by freezing with liquid nitrogen.

Ingrown toenails are painful. This involves the big toenail on either or both sides. The nail should be cut straight across and not rounded as this may encourage the edge to dip in, and grow, cutting into the tissue at the side.

In the acute state, the offending piece of nail may be cut away by the sufferer, the doctor or the podiatrist.

Persistent or recurrent ingrown toenails do well with operation. This is done under local anaesthetic and usually involves wedge resection. The edge of the nail and the nail bed are removed and the wound allowed to heal.

If both sides are involved, a wedge resection on each side of the nail is possible, resulting in a nail narrower than before. When both sides are involved, the nail may be totally removed, along with the nail bed, so it cannot regrow.

Flat feet are often blamed for causing pain. The sole is flat at birth and the arch does not develop until the child begins to walk.

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