Ask The Experts
Why do my plantar warts hurt?
Thank you for contacting IPFH. Plantar warts are aggravating, and can be painful, which may be due to the fact that the warts tend to grow toward the inside of the foot. Because there are lots of nerves in the foot, pressure directly on a plantar wart tends to cause this pain. In fact, a wart is usually distinguished from a simple callus by the pain – calluses typically are not painful. You can learn more about plantar warts by going to our plantar warts foot conditions page. One way to help reduce the pain is to protect the wart with padding. A padded sock can help, as can other types of cushioned dressings. Plantar warts typically are not a serious threat to your health, but since yours is causing you pain, we would suggest that you consult with your primary care physician, a foot health professional or a dermatologist to see if it would be desirable to have the wart removed. We hope you will soon get some relief for your pain.