The pain of Morton’s neuroma is sharp in the area of the neuroma, but you can also experience a burning pain near the ball of your foot. Your toes may also be affected by feeling numb or burning.
Morton’s Neuroma Symptoms and Signs
There are usually no signs that you have the neuroma. The diagnosis is based on the type and quality of pain you are experiencing. As mentioned, it may feel like a small rock in your shoe is associated with burning in the ball of the foot that travels to your toes. Your toes may be numb or tingly because the nerve is affected.
Cause of Morton’s Neuroma
Women tend to get this problem more often than men because they wear high heels that put pressure on the nerves travelling to the toes. Women tend to wear shoes that are too tight, which causes pinching of the nerves.
You can also get Morton’s neuroma foot condition if you are a jogger or runner and repeatedly strike your foot against the pavement. Any sport involving tight shoes, like rock climbing or skiing, can put extra pressure on the nerves. Those who already have foot problems like hammer toes, bunions, flat feet or high arches are at a greater risk of developing Morton’s neuroma.
Diagnosing Morton’s Neuroma
The diagnosis can be made clinically by pushing on your foot and looking for a lump or tender area. Sometimes, the doctor will use the back of a pencil and push the tissue between the toes, feeling for areas of tenderness.
Things like X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI scans can be used to diagnose the disorder. X-rays are mainly used to ensure nothing else is happening, like a stress fracture of one of your metatarsal bones. An ultrasound can be used on the foot to highlight the actual neuroma within the tissues. MRI scans are also good tests for soft tissue problems. It uses a strong magnet and radio waves to give two and three-dimensional images of the foot. This is an expensive test, so it isn’t used much to diagnose Morton’s neuroma. Often, the physical examination is all that is necessary.
Management of Morton’s Neuroma
The management of Morton’s neuroma varies according to how severe your symptoms are. The doctor may prescribe supports for the arch of the foot or special pads you wear inside the shoe to take the pressure off the nerve. You will be asked not to wear high heels and should wear shoes that give the foot plenty of room. Custom-made moulds of the foot may be made to support the foot and decrease pain.
If these things don’t help, the doctor may inject the neuroma with corticosteroids to relieve the inflammation surrounding the nerve bundle. If required, our clinic can refer you for a surgical procedure to remove tissue that puts excess pressure on the neuroma. This spreads out the bones and keeps them from pushing on the neuroma. In severe cases, the neuroma can be cut out using surgery. This will relieve the pain, but because it involves cutting the nerve, there can be indefinite numbness in the toes.
If you’re experiencing pain when wearing your shoes, you may have Morton’s Neuroma or another musculoskeletal condition. Make an appointment with our experienced podiatrist to evaluate and assess your condition.
