You just bought these great pointy toe shoes that go great with you new spring outfits. They cost you the price of your weekly paycheck, but they look great and were definitely worth it, but are they really? If you are experiencing pain in the ball of your foot or between your 3rd and 4th toes, you might have to give up those great shoes! Beauty isn’t worth the pain of a Morton’s Neuroma.
A neuroma on the foot is called a Morton’s Neuroma. It usually occurs between the 3rd and 4th toes and it is a thickening or enlargement of the nerve.
A Morton’s Neuroma is the result of compression and irritation of the nerve. One of the most common cause of a neuroma is wearing shoes that are too tight. Shoes with tapered toe boxes or pointy high heels can also cause a Morton’s Neuroma.
People who have the following foot deformities have a higher incidence of developing a Morton’s Neuroma:
- Bunions
- Hammertoes
- Flatfeet
- Flexible Feet
Potential causes are activities that involve repetitive irritation to the ball of the foot. Some examples of this would be running or court sports.
Morton’s Neuroma Symptoms Include:
- Tingling, burning or numbness
- Sharp pain
- A feeling that something is inside of the ball of the foot
- Feeling like your sock is bunched up in your shoe
How Does A Morton’s Neuroma Progress
At first you may feel pain when you are wearing narrow shoes . When you take off the shoes your symptoms might go away. Over time if you continue to wear shoes that are too narrow the pain will get worse over the next several weeks. The pain will become more intense as the neuroma enlarges. If you still ignore these symptoms the nerve could become permanently damaged.
The earlier you take care of this, the easier it is to treat without surgery.
How To Treat A Morton’s Neuroma
- Padding for the metatarsal arch can help lessen the pressure on the nerve
- Icing the area helps reduce swelling
- Custom Orthotics can reduce the pressure and compression on the nerve
- Sports that involve repetitive activities on the foot should be avoided until your foot is feeling better
- Wear shoes that have a wide toe box
- Taking oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory will help with the pain and inflammation
If it is really painful after trying conservative treatment you may need injection therapy such as a steroid, or alcohol injection to deaden the nerve.
Will I Need Surgery for Morton’s Neuroma?
After you have tried all of the non-surgical treatment above with no relief you may be a candidate for surgery. The surgery involves removing the inflamed area of the nerve.
If you think you may have a Morton’s Neuroma give our office a call at (845) 298-9074 and Dr. Schlam will explain the treatment that would be best for you.
By David Schlam
