What you should know about Morton’s Neuroma
Morton’s Neuroma is a condition that affects your feet. The condition usually causes you to experience a sharp pain in the area that’s close to the balls of your feet. In fact, it makes you feel like the feet are resting on a sharp object or like your sock has a fold in it. Research shows that the condition is more prevalent among women than men. The pain tends to reduce at night when you are sleeping. In most cases, the pain normally affects the area that’s between the third and the fourth toe. The pain originates from an irritated nerve that leads to either of the toes.
There are No Visible Signs
Interestingly, Morton’s Neuroma doesn’t have an outward manifestation. However, the following symptoms can be felt:
· Tingling between the toes
· Sharp pain in the foot, around the ball and the base of the affected toes
· Pebble-like feeling in the foot. Toes also feel numb
· Pain increases when you walk in shoes
· Burning sensation in the toes
No Known causes of the Condition
Over the years, doctors have been trying to identify the causes of Neuroma in vain. However, certain situations are known for inducing the condition. They include:
· Wearing high heels- Women that like wearing high heeled shoes are more vulnerable to Neuroma. This is because the heels causes the nerves of the ball and toes to be strained. You should therefore consider switching to low heels if you have been suffering from this condition. Besides that, it’s recommended you insert an additional pad in your shoes to create a gentle resting place for your feet. You should also ditch shoes that are either too big or too small for your feet. This helps in protecting your ball and toes from pressure.
· Vigorous Exercises- Athletes are more likely to suffer from Neuroma because they are involved in vigorous activities that include running, jumping and making sudden turns.
· Deformed Feet- If you were born with foot deformities such as flat feet, exaggerated high arcs or hammer toes, you will obviously suffer from Neuroma more often than other people.
How the Condition is Diagnosed
Like earlier stated in the article, Morton’s Neuroma doesn’t have visible symptoms. When you go to a medical facility, the doctor will have to examine your feet by touching the areas below each individual toe. Most doctors are able to tell when a patient has Neuroma by feeling a click between the fingers. The doctor will then ask you how long the pain has persisted, the activities that you engage in and the shoes that you wear more often. These questions help in identifying the possible cause of Neuroma.
In addition to that, the doctor will request for x-rays or MRI. These images help in ensuring that you are not suffering from other conditions such as arthritis or fracture.
Treatment of Morton’s Neuroma
There are several ways of treating Morton’s Neuroma. For a start, you will have to stop wearing shoes that are not gentle on your feet. The doctor will also ask you to lose a few kilos because it helps in easing the pressure on your toes and ball. If the pain persists, the doctor will have to prescribe some medicine for calming the nerves in the feet. Cold and hot presses are also ideal for alleviating such pain. In case all the above options fail, you will have to go for a decompression surgery. During this procedure, surgeons will remove some tissues that are close to the affected nerve to prevent it from being pressed.