What is a Neuroma?

A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton’s neuroma, which occurs at the base of the third and fourth toes.

Symptoms of a Morton’s Neuroma

If you have a Morton’s neuroma, you will probably have one or more of these symptoms where the nerve damage in occurring:

• Tingling, burning, or numbness
• Pain
• A feeling that something is inside the ball of the foot, or that there’s a rise in the shoe or a sock is bunched up

Treatment

First line therapy consists of wearing wider shoes, applying ice to the forefoot, and taking NSAIDS (ibuprofen or naproxen).  If this fails, a cortisone injection may resolve the inflammation of the nerve curing the condition. When the pain does not respond to the above measures, surgical excision is the next step.  This is a relatively simple outpatient procedure with a quick recovery.

The sooner your neuroma is treated, the less likely you will require surgery.

Incision revealing the inflamed nerve – neuroma.

Neuroma after excision.