Morton’s Neuroma: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Prevention

Did you know women are 8 to 10 times more likely to develop Morton’s Neuroma than men?

Feeling sharp or burning pain between the toes while standing or walking is one of the tell-tale signs of Morton’s Neuroma. This piece talks about Morton’s Neuroma, its symptoms, causes, and other details.

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Morton’s Neuroma, also known as intermetatarsal neuroma, is a benign but painful condition affecting the ball of an individual’s feet, mostly the area between the fourth and third toes. Morton’s Neuroma is a non-cancerous inflammation of nerve tissue that occurs in middle-aged people, especially middle-aged women.

When this condition develops in feet, individuals feel like they are standing on a fold of the sock or on a pebble in a shoe.

This disease is common among women and is highly noticed when they use certain things or engage themselves in certain activities. These are as follows:

1. Shoe Choice

High heels (whose height is above 2 inches) can increase the risk of developing Morton’s Neuroma. Further, if women choose to wear tight-fitting, narrow, pointed toe-shoes for a long time on a daily basis, it can lead to this disease. These types of shoes put excessive pressure on the ball of feet and restrict toe movement.

2. Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions such as bunions or hammertoes can increase the risk of developing Morton’s Neuroma.

3. Foot Deformities

Individuals born with flat feet, toes in the incorrect position or high arches usually have lesser stability around toe joints. This can lead to Morton’s Neuroma.

4. Sports

Participating in high-impact activities, such as tennis, running or racquet sports, results in intense pressure on balls of the foot. Here, athletes can injure their feet frequently, thus can develop Morton’s Neuroma. In addition, sports, where athletes have to wear tight shoes such as snow skiing or rock climbing, can lead to this condition as well.

Now that individuals know what the risk factors of Morton’s Neuroma are, let’s learn about other important details!

There are outward noticeable signs of Morton’s Neuroma. However, individuals can feel pain at the initial phase of this disease. The pain can worsen over time.

Following are some of the common symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma,

• Sharp, stinging, or pain between the toes while standing or walking (as stated in the introductory paragraph).
• Tingling sensation and numbness in the foot.
• Feeling of a small rock or bunched-up sock under the ball of the foot.
• Swelling between the toes.
• Pain that worsens while wearing high-heeled shoes or standing on the balls of feet.

The risk factors mentioned above can result in Morton’s Neuroma. This happens in response to the extreme pain, compression or injury to one of the nerves leading to toes. Compression between the toes can cause irritation or inflammation.

Treatment for Morton’s Neuroma depends on the level of intensity of this disease. Doctors usually start with conservative treatment and then slowly move to more aggressive treatment.

1. Conservative Treatment

Doctors prescribe to use arch supports or foot pads which aids in relieving pressure on injured/affected nerves. They may prescribe over-the-counter inserts or custom made for your feet. In addition, they may suggest over-the-counter painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin or ibuprofen.

Some of the most common conservative treatment includes,

• Stretching exercises 
• Physical therapy
• Exercises that strengthen your ankles and toes
• Resting your foot
• Massaging the ball of your foot
• Using ice at sore areas

2. Injections

If conservative treatment fails to relieve pain, doctors may try injections. Here, they will use injections of corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory drugs at the site of pain. They may inject a local anaesthetic injection to numb the injured nerve. Injections will help to relieve pain for some time. In certain cases, doctors may use alcohol sclerosing injections, which provide short-term relief.

3. Surgery

When the above-mentioned treatments fail to provide relief and the pain persists, doctors may recommend surgery. Depending on the severity of Morton’s Neuroma, doctors can pick from any of the surgical options mentioned below,

• Neurectomy: Here, doctors remove part of the nerve tissue, 
• Decompression Surgery: This process involves incising ligaments and other structures around the nerve and releasing pressure accumulating on it, 
• Cryogenic Surgery/Cryogenic Neuroablation: In this surgery, doctors use extremely cold temperatures and kill nerves and the myelin sheath covering them.

Individuals, especially women, can prevent such painful procedures if they follow preventive measures. The following section discusses these in detail!

Here is a list of preventive measures one must follow to prevent Morton’s Neuroma,

• Avoid wearing tight or high-heeled shoes for hours on end.
• Try to wear shoes that come with a wide toe box. It will help you, so your toes are not forcefully cramped.
• Focus on maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can put extra pressure on your foot.
• While engaged in a high-impact activity, individuals must wear athletic shoes that have more padding to cushion the balls of their feet.
• Athletes must talk to their coach or trainer regarding tweaking activities for less pressure on the foot.

Pay attention to the symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma, visit doctors early and follow preventive measures to reduce the chances of developing this disease.