If you have thickening of the tissue on the ball of your foot or between your toes that causes pain and irritation, it could be a neuroma. At Pinnacle Foot and Ankle Clinic in Westminster, Colorado, Katherine Parodi, DPM, and Jacob Stuart, DPM, diagnose and offer treatment for the pain and tingling of neuromas so you can return to comfortable movement. Call the office or use this website to book an appointment online to get your foot evaluated.

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What is a neuroma?

A neuroma, sometimes known as a Morton’s neuroma or intermetatarsal neuroma, usually occurs between the third and fourth toes. It feels like you’re walking on a marble and happens when the tissue surrounding the nerve leading to your toes thickens.

A neuroma develops in response to irritation or excessive pressure. Women are far more likely to develop neuromas compared with men.

What are the symptoms of a neuroma?

In many cases, you’ll just notice a lump at the bottom of your foot, but no pain or symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you’ll feel:

  • Burning pain in the ball of the foot
  • Pain that intensifies when you wear shoes, walk, or run
  • Numbness or tingling in the toes

When a runner starts their stride, pain from the neuroma intensifies. Women who wear high heels or tight, narrow shoes also notice pain. You might feel like something is annoyingly stuck inside your shoe.

Symptoms usually start mildly but progress with time. If you don’t get treatment, a neuroma can lead to permanent nerve damage.

Why did I develop a neuroma?

A neuroma usually develops in response to compression and irritation. A major cause is wearing shoes with high heels or a tapered toe box. When you compress the toes, it makes a neuroma more likely to form.

Other foot problems, like flatfoot, hammertoes, and bunions, also put you at a greater risk of developing a neuroma.

Athletes, like runners, tennis players, or basketball players, irritate their feet in a way that can lead to a neuroma, too.

How do you treat neuromas?

In the early stages, padding or icing can help ease the symptoms of a neuroma. The team at Pinnacle Foot and Ankle Clinic may offer customized orthotic devices to optimize your foot mechanics in your shoes during activity.

You should also rest from activities that put pressure on the neuroma until the symptoms improve. Quit wearing high heels and shoes with a tapered toe box until your symptoms subside.

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications ease immediate pain symptoms. You may also benefit from corticosteroid injections to ease inflammation of a neuroma, too. If you don’t respond to these more conservative treatments, surgery may be required.

If you’re suffering symptoms that suggest a neuroma, contact the team at Pinnacle Foot and Ankle Clinic to set up an evaluation today. Call the office or use this website to book your appointment online.