To anyone who has not had the condition, Morton's Neuroma is not likely to be a name that they are familiar with. It refers to the conditions that result when the tissue surrounding the nerves to the toes becomes thickened. This thickening results in a pinching of the nerve that can cause a burning pain which radiates between the third toe and fourth toe of the foot. The condition, which falls into the orthopedic category, can be caused by:
- wearing too-tight shoes that squeeze the bones of the foot together.
- wearing tight or poor-fitting high heels that compress the bones
- performing high-impact athletic activity
The biggest complaints of people who have Morton's Neuroma are pain and numbness that can often be relieved by removing your shoe and massaging the foot. The word "neuroma" means "tumor of the nerve" but many professionals argue that it is not a true tumor. Instead, they believe it is a perineural fibroma, a fibrous mass that forms around the nerve. A large percentage of the people who develop the condition are women who wear either high-heeled shoes or those that are exceptionally narrow.
While some people get relief from their symptoms when they change their footwear or receive steroid injections in the area, others require surgery from an orthopedic surgeon to remove the nerve causing the pain or to relieve the pressure on the nerve. While many patients have reported feeling a "ball of fire" in their feet as a result of the condition, many have hadneuromas detected using an MRI without ever having realized they had the condition.
Diagnosing Morton's Neuroma
While a general practitioner can diagnose the condition based on their pain, intensity of the pain and their ability to obtain relief, an orthopedic surgeon may be needed when symptoms do not subside. Only when relief cannot be obtained using other therapies will surgery be considered as an option. The potential for surgery to cause permanent numbness makes many doctors hesitant to suggest it.
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