Goodbye Painful Verruca! A Case Study and Discussion
Verrucas are very common in Podiatric practice. As a team, we see at least 5-10 patients every week with different types of verrucas. Management varies according to the history of the lesion, age, and medical history of each patient.
In most case, Swift Microwave Therapy is the preferred management method. In the past 14 months, we have had numerous people, who had their verruca successfully treated by Swift. One of them is Mrs B. This is her story!
Mrs B. initially came to Medipod Clinics in January 2022 complaining of a very painful, large verruca at the ball of her foot. The verruca was present for many years but now she was unable to walk on it. Over the years, she had tried various over the counter treatments, duct tape, freezing, various acids by other health care professionals, she even tried to cut it out herself. Absolutely nothing worked!
During the initial consultation, we carried out a thorough assessment of her feet and discussed extensively management options for her verruca. Mrs B opted for Swift Microwave Treatment and was very keen to start straight away.
January 22:
This is “the beast” verruca at the initial appointment.
The 1st blast of Swift was administered up to 2-3 seconds, 10 watts, 5 times.
Review 4-6 weeks later.
End of February 22:
“The beast” verruca after the 1st Swift session.
There was some discomfort in the first 24 hours but not any discomfort after that.
The 2nd blast of Swift was administered up to 2-3 seconds, 10 watts, 5 times. Review 4-6 weeks later.
April 22:
“The beast” verruca after the 2nd Swift session.
There was some discomfort in the first 48 hours but not any discomfort after that. Hard skin built up started to reduce.
The 3rd blast of Swift was administered up to 2-3 seconds, 10 watts, 5 times. Review 12 weeks later.
June 22:
“The beast” verruca after the 3rd Swift session.
It looks as if it got bigger! But it feels better! This is very weird!
Hard skin still builds up a lot and that makes it very uncomfortable. Discussion about having a 4th Swift session in the following 3-6 months. Review again in 6 weeks.
August 22, 4 months later…
“The beast” verruca after the 3rd Swift session.
Magic!!!!! It is going… going… almost gone! No pain from it!
A lot less hard skin built up and overall massive improvement! No need for a 4th session for sure! Review again in 8 weeks.
End of October 22, 6 months later…
“The beast” verruca after the 3rd Swift session.
IT IS DEFINITELY GONE! Goodbye Painful Verruca! MRS B WAS OVER THE MOON!
REMEMBER:
Every case is different. With a few exceptions, most people with verrucas and/or warts should be able to have this treatment and your Podiatrist will carry out an assessment prior to treatment and advise you accordingly.
As with many treatments for skin lesions some discomfort, even pain may be experienced during treatment. Sensation varies from person to person, but most people describe Swift as similar to a prick with a needle or stepping on a lego! Swift is applied for up to 3 seconds at a time and any discomfort usually lasts 1-2 seconds, then quickly subsides.
The procedure involves microwave energy delivered through a special probe applied to the skin to treat the affected tissue. Immediately after the treatment, there will be no change to the appearance of the wart/verruca, however, a change should start to be seen after a few days. Swift works by prompting an immune response and time is needed for the process to gather pace, which is why there is a gap of at least three weeks between treatments.
One of the great things about Swift Treatment is there is no broken skin and no dressings are needed, so you can carry on your life as normal. Problems following this procedure are rare and studies into the success rate of Swift Treatment in healing verruca/warts report a success rate of 84% to 95%, which is comparable or in excess of other recognised treatments.
Goodbye Painful Verruca!
As regression is established the verruca/wart will shrink from the edges at the same time as reducing in thickness. The dermal ridges or “fingerprint” of the underlying tissue will gradually re-establish itself as the verruca/wart resolves. Although Swift has been very successful at Medipod Clinics, there can never be a guarantee that you won’t catch another at some point in the future.
If you are experiencing any discomfort in your feet, we are more than happy to help. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs.
We also offer treatments for fungal nails, hard skin, ingrown toenails, and advice for people with Diabetes. With our expertise and experience, you will have full peace of mind when it comes to your foot health.
For more information about our range of treatments, please contact us on 01455 246100. We would love to help you with any foot health issues you may have.
Thank you for reading – Goodbye Painful Verruca! A Case Study and Discussion.
Faye Vogiatzoglou
Clinical Director