What is Morton’s Neuroma?
Morton's Neuroma is a condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly the area between your third and fourth toes. Morton's Neuroma involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to your toes.
What are the symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma?
Morton's Neuroma causes a sharp, burning pain in the ball of your foot. Your toes also may sting, burn or feel numb. Some describe it as if you are standing on a pebble in your shoe or on a fold in your sock.
What Causes Morton’s Neuroma?
While the the cause Morton's Neuroma is not known, it seems to occur in response to irritation, pressure or injury to one of the nerves that lead to your toes. The growth of thickened nerve tissue (neuroma) is part of your body's response to the irritation or injury.
What are the risk factors for Morton’s Neuroma?
Factors that appear to contribute to Morton's Neuroma include wearing high heels, or shoes that are tight that place pressure on your toes. Also certain sports that are high impact such as jogging or running may subject your feet to repetitive trauma.
Other sports that feature tight shoes, such as snow skiing or rock climbing, can put pressure on your toes. Finally, people who have bunions, hammertoes, flatfeet or excessive flexibility are at higher risk of developing Morton's neuroma.
How is Morton’s Neuroma Treated?
Common treatments for Morton's Neuroma include changing footwear or using arch supports such as orthotics. Additionally, regular ice massages and taking a break for several weeks of high foot impact activities will be helpful.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers, taken orally, like ibuprofen will help with pain and swelling. However, these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding ulcers. They should be used only occasionally unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.
Topical anti-inflammatory creams made with natural ingredients designed specifically for feet and legs (e.g. Zax’s Original Heel Spur Cream) target the affected areas and provides effective and safe relief right to the affected areas.
Sometimes corticosteroid injections or surgery may be necessary.