» Morton's Neuroma - Just a Pinched Nerve?
Morton’s neuroma is a condition where the nerve that runs between two toes becomes pinched resulting in swelling and pain of the affected area. If one or two of your toes is in pain, swollen or numb then these might be symptoms of mortons neuroma. Read on for more information or see the mortons neuroma treatment options on the right.
» Morton's Neuroma - Diagnosis
In general, there is a good chance that you have Morton's Neuroma if one or two of your toes are numb, painful or swollen. The common nerve that runs between the toes becomes pinched and enlarged. Morton’s Neuroma was named after the first doctor to diagnose and treat it and it is not a tumor as the word 'neuroma' may suggest.
» Morton's Neuroma - Symptoms
The first symptoms that you may notice with Morton’s Neuroma is the pain that it causes. This localized pain is most often noticed in the space between the 3rd and 4th toes (The big toe is the 1st toe and the little toe is the 5th toe). At first the pain may be mild but then, as Mortons Neuroma progresses, the pain can become bad enough to keep you off your feet. The symptoms are most noticeable when engaging in activities such as walking or running. You might also experience a tingling or burning sensation on the balls of your feet. You might also notice that the pain is eased when you take off your shoes and rest your feet or when you give them a light massage.
» Morton's Neuroma - Treatments
As with most conditions of the feet, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to Morton's Neuroma. You should wear shoes that are well balanced and especially pay attention to how much room you have in the toe box of your shoes. You need to have a wide toe box so that the nerve does not become pinched. If you already have mortons neuroma then you can massage the affected area in order to provide some temporary relief. The use of treatments such as metatarsal pads will help to separate the foot bones and keep the nerves from getting pinched. Shoe insoles and supportive footwear are also recommended. In some cases, surgery may be required. You might want to talk to your podiatrist if you think that you may have Morton's Neuroma.