What Causes Mortons Neuroma

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Overview
A neuroma is an often painful enlargement of one of your body?s nerves. Morton?s neuroma is the name used to describe nerve enlargement in your foot, particularly enlargement of one of the nerves traveling to your toes in your forefoot. Morton?s neuromas most commonly develop in one of your intermetatarsal nerves, one of many nerve branches within your foot that originated in your spine. Morton?s neuroma is more likely to affect women than men.

Causes
The cause of this problem is often due to impingement of the plantar nerve fibres between the metatarsal heads and the intermetatarsal ligament. It is entirely a biomechanical phenomenon. Differential diagnoses include stress fracture, capsulitis, bursitis or ligament injury at the metatarsal-phalangeal joint, a tendon sheath ganglion, foreign-body reaction and nerve-sheath tumour.

Symptoms
You may initially experience a tingling sensation in the space between your toes, which gets worse over time. This leads to cramp in your toes and a sharp shooting or burning pain on the ball of your foot or at the base of your toes. The pain is often worse when walking or wearing shoes that press on the affected area. This is caused by irritation of the nerve between your toe bones (metatarsal bones). The tingling will eventually lead to pain, which can get worse over time. You may also experience cramping of your toes. The pain is usually felt as a sharp shooting or burning pain on the ball of the foot or at the base of the toes, which is often made worse when you're walking. Some people with Morton's neuroma feel anxious about walking or even placing their foot on the ground. The pain is likely to be more intense if you wear tight shoes, so wearing shoes that have more room in the toe area How can I increase my height after 18? help. Rubbing your foot may also lessen the pain.

Diagnosis
During the exam, your doctor will press on your foot to feel for a mass or tender spot. There may also be a feeling of "clicking" between the bones of your foot. Some imaging tests are more useful than others in the diagnosis of Morton's neuroma. Your doctor is likely to order X-rays of your foot, to rule out other causes of your pain such as a stress fracture. Ultrasound. This technology uses sound waves to create real-time images of internal structures. Ultrasound is particularly good at revealing soft tissue abnormalities, such as neuromas. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using radio waves and a strong magnetic field, an MRI also is good at visualizing soft tissues. But it's an expensive test and often indicates neuromas in people who have no symptoms.

Non Surgical Treatment
Initial therapies are nonsurgical and can involve one or more of the following treatments Changes in footwear. Avoid high heels or tight shoes, and wear wider shoes with lower heels and a soft sole. This enables the bones to spread out and may reduce pressure on the nerve, giving it time to heal. Custom shoe inserts and pads also help relieve irritation by lifting and separating the bones, reducing the pressure on the nerve. One or more injections of a corticosteroid medication can reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerve, bringing some relief. Massaging the affected area can provide some momentary relief. Several studies have shown that a combination of roomier, more comfortable shoes, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, custom foot orthoses and cortisone injections provide relief in over 80 percent of people with Morton?s Neuroma. If conservative treatment does not relieve your symptoms, your physician may discuss surgical treatment options with you.

Surgical Treatment
The ultimate success of a Morton?s neuroma treated surgically is somewhat unclear. This is likely due to the idea that in most instances a ?Morton?s neuroma? is actually more than just an isolated nerve problem but rather consitutes a metatarsalgia where other structures (such a as the MTP joints) are also problematic, not just the nerve. Therefore, addressing the nerve as well as the other components of a metatarsalgia may offer a better chance of surgical success. However, like many conditions in foot and ankle, it is ideal if this condition can be managed without surgery.