Neuromas

Neuromas are a common and painful condition on the ball of your foot that gets worse without proper treatment. While far more common in women, they can happen to men as well. Fortunately, today’s podiatrists have a wide range of treatments available to cure your condition and allow you return to your previous level of activity without pain. Dr. Velimir Petkov leads an expert team at Premier Podiatry in Passaic County, New Jersey. They can provide you with the neuroma treatment you need.

A painful condition, neuromas result from a pinched nerve or even a nerve tumor. Usually resulting from a trauma or direct hit, neuromas can appear anywhere on your body, including in your ears. But they’re most commonly found after an injury to your foot, causing ball of foot pain.

A thickening of either the nerve or the tissue surrounding it causes a sharp and burning pain on the ball of your foot. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent nerve damage. When a neuroma appears between your third and fourth toe, it’s known as Morton’s neuroma. Morton’s neuroma feels like you have a small stone in your shoe when you’re standing.

Although painful, neuromas respond well to non-invasive procedures if caught early enough. Otherwise, you may need acoustic neuroma treatment or Morton’s neuroma surgery. All neuromas require timely treatment by a qualified specialist such as Dr. Velimir Petkov and his skilled team of professionals at Premier Podiatry in Clifton, New Jersey, just a half hour from New York City.

Neuroma Causes

Usually attributed to improper shoes or a foot injury, a nerve between the third and fourth toe gets pinched and radiates pain into your toes. Despite rigorous scientific research, scientists have yet to determine the precise cause for Morton’s neuroma. But doctors can trace the condition to nerve compression or irritation.

Anything that causes significant pressure or stress on the nerves that stretch to your toes may lead to neuromas. Some of the most significant risk factors associated with neuroma development include:

• Gender. Women develop Morton’s neuroma eight to 10 times more frequently than men.
  Shoes. High heels place additional pressure on the ball of your foot. Pointed toes or overly tight shoes crunch your foot bones and nerves.
• Sports. High impact activities, such as jogging or racket sports, can irritate and damage foot nerves. The tight shoes required for skiing or rock climbing compress your feet and toes.
• Foot deformities. Neuromas happen more frequently to those with abnormal foot conditions such as hammer toes, flat feet, high arches and bunions.
• Disease. Rheumatoid arthritis and gout sufferers are more at risk for developing neuromas.
• Pregnancy. Expectant mothers may develop Morton’s neuroma along with over-pronation and edema.

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Neuroma Symptoms

While Morton’s neuromas feel like a lump in your foot, you won’t be able to find the lump; it’s not normally visible. Instead, the painful sensation determines its condition. Other common symptoms include:

• Your toes tingle or feel numb.
• It seems like your sock is balled up in your shoe.
• The ball of your foot radiates pain.
• You feel the pain after running.
• Removing your shoes relieves the pain.
• Your toes swell.
• Foot bones seem to click while walking.

Morton’s neuroma symptoms progress gradually. At first, they may only appear when you’re wearing uncomfortable shoes. The pain dissipates after taking off your shoes or massaging your feet. Eventually, the condition grows worse as the nerves suffer permanent damage.

Neuroma Treatment

Once your New Jersey podiatrist has determined the severity of your neuroma through state-of the art diagnostics such as digital x-rays, a diagnostic ultrasound or an MRI, he develops a custom neuroma treatment plan for you. For minor to moderate cases, conservative techniques of Morton’s neuroma treatment are usually effective. They include:

• Ice. Applying ice to the ball of your foot reduces swelling and relieves pain.
• Behavior modification. You must temporarily avoid activities that put excessive pressure on your feet.
• Changing shoes. Wear footwear with a wide toe box. Avoid high heels and pointed-toe shoes.
• Added padding. Specialized padding placed under the ball of your foot relieves your symptoms.
• Orthotics. Your podiatrist can prescribe custom shoe inserts to provide support and relieve pressure.
• Medication. Anti-inflammatory medicine, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, can relieve pain and swelling.

If your condition is so severe that it doesn’t respond to conservative therapies, your podiatrist may suggest more aggressive forms of Morton’s neuroma treatment, such as:

• Injections.Corticosteroids or local anesthetics help reduce inflammation and acute pain.
• Morton’s neuroma surgery. Your podiatrist has a couple of options to surgically treat your condition:
  • Decompression. Dr. Petkov relieves the pressure by severing the ligaments that are binding the bones together in the ball of your foot. This procedure removes the pressure that’s pinching your nerve.
  • Nerve removal. Surgical removal of the nerve and the damaged tissue surrounding it is another effective neuroma treatment.

Neuroma surgery only takes about 30 minutes and is performed with just a local anesthetic. Plan to spend about three hours at the practice in Clifton, NJ, including the time for preparation and recovery. Someone else must drive you home.

Morton’s neuromas are a degenerative condition. Early detection gives you the best prognosis for a successful recovery. If you’re suffering from some of the symptoms, get Morton’s neuroma treatment from a trained and respected podiatrist. Contact Premier Podiatry today for an evaluation and proper treatment.

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