Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s Neuroma is a painful condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly the area between your third and fourth toes.  Sometimes, one of the nerves on the bottom of the foot that supply sensation to the toes becomes enlarged. When this happens, pain, burning, and cramping will occur.  The enlarged nerve is actually a benign nerve tumor.  It is often referred to as a Morton’s Neuroma.  Usually, the initial symptoms are mild and infrequent, but as the nerve tumor enlarges, the pain becomes more intense and more frequent.

Tingly and Painful Neuromas

Morton’s Neuroma Symptoms

1. A feeling like you had a sock bunched up under your toes.
2. A burning or tingling sensation on the bottom of your foot that extends into your toes
3. A stabbing sensation that radiates into your toes
4. The need to take your shoe off and massage your foot to make a cramping sensation go away.

Often, symptoms like these are related to a problem with one of the nerves on the bottom of the foot.  Sometimes, one of these nerves that supply sensation to the toes becomes enlarged. When this happens, pain, burning and cramping will occur.

The enlarged nerve is actually a benign nerve tumor. It is often referred to as a Morton’s Neuroma. Usually, the initial symptoms are mild and infrequent, but as the nerve tumor enlarges, the pain becomes more intense and more frequent.

Help Control Your Symptoms

If you start to develop symptoms of a neuroma, make sure you are wearing shoes with a wide enough toe box.  Women should keep heel height to one inch or lower.  Being careful with shoes may be enough to control the symptoms in the early stages of this problem.

Morton’s Neuroma Treatment

• Cortisone Injection.  Cortisone can often substantially reduce or eliminate the pain of a neuroma.
• Orthotic Devices.  Sometimes, reducing pressure on the neuroma can stop the pain. Wearing appropriate shoes is important. In some cases, a custom shoe insert known as an orthotic device is effective at reducing pressure on the neuroma and controlling the pain.
• Neurolysis.  For some patients suffering with neuroma pain, a treatment known as neurolysis can eliminate the problem. This is a series of injections into the nerve that can destroy the damaged tissue.
• Surgery.  The only way to truly eliminate a neuroma is to remove it surgically.  Surgery is advised when more conservative treatment options have failed to eliminate the pain.

We Can Help

If you have pain, burning, tingling, or cramping in your foot, call us at (317) 573-4250.  Our doctors will help you find the best methods to return you to a pain free lifestyle.