Morton’s Neuroma Surgery

While Morton’s neuroma may not be life-threatening, the accompanying pain can seriously affect your lifestyle. The tough, thick skin near the base of your toes makes walking, running and even wearing shoes eventually unbearable. But you don’t need to suffer. Dr. Velimir Petkov has experience dealing with neuromas and offers a slew of treatment options, including Morton’s neuroma surgery, if necessary. Call Premier Podiatry in NJ today for an evaluation.

A neuroma is caused by a pinched nerve in your foot. Morton’s neuroma appears near your third and fourth toes. Usually, it’s a benign growth that’s characterized by thick, hard tissue surrounding your toes, putting pressure on the nerve there. It’s a painful, but treatable condition.

Pain in the ball of your foot that feels like you’re standing on a small marble or pebble may signal that you’ve developed Morton’s neuroma. When you have this condition, you may have a burning sensation in the ball of your foot and numbness or pain in your toes. Inside your foot, there’s often swelling or inflammation around the nerve at the base of the toe, and you feel pain commonly between your third and fourth toe.

Pain from this condition can be intense. Morton’s neuroma surgery may be necessary to treat this condition if more conservative treatment options fail. Symptoms of Morton’s neuroma usually appear unexpectedly, and they may get worse with time. When you feel persistent pain in the ball of the foot that goes on for more than a few days, have it evaluated by Dr. Velimir Petkov at Premier Podiatry. He’s an NJ foot doctor who has extensive experience treating foot neuromas.

Treatment Options for Morton’s Neuroma

Treatment for Morton’s neuroma depends on the severity of your symptoms. A conservative approach is usually recommended at first, but neuroma removal surgery is an option if other methods don’t give you enough relief. Always visit your top podiatry doctor for a firm diagnosis before trying any at-home relief treatments to ensure you don’t create further complications. Non-surgical treatment options that Dr. Petkov usually suggests first include:

• Changes in footwear. Avoid high heels and choose flat shoes that are comfortable, have a wide toe box and are appropriate for the activity you’re engaging in.
• Rest. Rest and elevate your foot as much as possible. Take a break from activities that put a lot of pressure on the painful area.
• Ice. Apply ice to the area after activity whenever you can. Rolling ice over the painful area often delivers temporary relief.
• Anti-inflammatory medication. Taking over-the-counter medication on your doctor’s advice, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, can help reduce inflammation.
• Custom orthotics. Orthotic inserts that are specially designed, based on the shape of your foot. They lift and separate the bones of your toes, which can relieve irritation and pressure on the nerve.

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An injection of corticosteroid medication may be recommended to reduce inflammation and swelling. If you can tolerate activity, stretching and strengthening exercises or physical therapy may help increase strength in your feet and reduce pain. Therapeutic massage may also help to reduce your pain level.

Neuroma Surgery

If you’re not experiencing significantly reduced pain after conservative treatment methods, your NJ podiatrist may discuss foot neuroma surgery with you. There are two types of surgery to address Morton’s neuroma:

• Minimally invasive surgery. This procedure to remove the neuroma reduces your pain and the risk that the condition will return. For this surgery, Dr. Petkov makes an incision in the top of your foot so he can remove the inflamed nerves in the ball of your foot.
• Decompression surgery. In this procedure, pressure on the nerve is relieved by cutting nearby ligaments. Local anesthesia is used so that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure, which is performed in the comfort of your podiatrist’s office.

Recovery from either Morton’s neuroma surgery usually takes between two to four weeks. You may have a cast or boot on your foot while you’re healing. Other factors may affect your recovery time, including any co-existing foot conditions, being overweight and the state of your general overall health. Dr. Petkov encourages you to slowly increase weight-bearing and other daily activities as you return for follow-up evaluations.

Get Expert Treatment of Morton’s Neuroma

If you’re experiencing any foot pain, toe pain or heel pain, don’t ignore it. Many foot conditions, including Morton’s neuroma, get worse if they aren’t correctly diagnosed and treated. Additionally, foot pain can impact your activity level and quality of life. And if you don’t have your condition treated, you may unconsciously change your gait to ease the discomfort, which can have lasting effects of your feet and even lead to leg and lower back pain.

When you have foot pain or discomfort, seek an evaluation from an expert in the field of podiatry. Contact Premier Podiatry to set up an appointment with Dr. Petkov. If you have Morton’s neuroma, he can thoroughly explain your treatment options.

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Premier Podiatry: Velimir Petkov, DPM

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