Mortons Neuroma

Morton’s Neuroma is a benign thickening or enlargement of an intermetatarsal plantar nerve. The area of the foot known as “the ball of the foot” is made up of five large joints with very little room in the spaces between the joints. When these joints bump together, the nerve passing between them can become injured and over time will become more tuberous, or thickened. This is often described as a cord-like mass. Patients typically describe this condition as being painful, shooting, electrical and the most common description in my practice is that people say “it feels like there is a hot rock in my foot”.

Typically patients have more pain when weightbearing and wearing shoes and will often relay a history of taking off their shoes and rubbing their feet for relief. Morton’s neuroma can be diagnosed with advanced imaging techniques but is typically a diagnosis made clinically by a physician familiar with the condition.

Orthotics, pads, shoe modifications and corticosteroid injections are widely used to treat Morton’s neuroma. If such interventions fail, patients are commonly offered surgery known as neurectomy, which involves removing the affected piece of nerve tissue. Occassionally neurolytic injections are used to destroy the nerve without surgery.

PLEASE NOTE:

The information contained in this article is not intended to provide advice for individual problems, nor to substitute for professional advice or care from a physician. For answers to specific questions concerning your personal circumstances, you should consult your physician directly.