Ever feel like there’s a pebble in your shoe, but there’s not? If so, you likely have Morton’s neuroma, a benign thickening of the tissue surrounding one of the nerves between the ball of your foot and a toe. Typically, the affected area is located between the third and fourth toe.
There’s no outward evidence of this condition, still symptoms can be severe, including burning pain in the ball of the foot, that may shoot down through the toes, numbness and tingling.
The exact cause of a Morton’s neuroma is unknown, but most podiatrists agree the culprit is a compressed, stretched or damaged nerve, that can be the result of: foot abnormalities, such as pronation, flat feet, high arches; ill-fitting or too tight shoes, high-heels or previous trauma to the foot.
Morton's neuroma is up to ten times more prevalent among women (those high heels again) than men, and among those who participate in certain sports that entail running (tennis, basketball), and can increase pressure on the ball of the foot.
Symptoms may come and go, depending on your shoes and how much time you’re on your feet. However, a Morton’s neuroma often doesn’t completely
go away on its own, and left untreated, can get worse.
So don’t suffer on your own. Make an appointment and let us here at Central Massachusetts Podiatry put the bounce back in your step. We offer a number of treatments that can effectively remedy the situation. These include:
• Custom orthotics, arch supports or foot pads that fit inside your shoe to reduce pressure on the nerve.
• Corticosteroid injections, to
• Sclerosing alcohol injections
• Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP), which involves injecting an enhanced healing substance derived from a patient’s own blood, into the affected area of the foot.
• Stem cell therapy, a regenerative treatment in which human amniotic membrane supplied in a powder or liquid form is injected into the affected area to stimulate the formation of new fibrous connective tissue.
• Morton’s neuroma Surgery, also known as neurectomy, involves removing the damaged nerve. Surgery is always the last resort, but if necessary, Morton’s neuroma surgery is a simple, office procedure that’s highly effective. At Central Massachusetts Podiatry, your feet are always in good hands.
