A neuroma refers to the irritation or inflammation of a nerve in your foot that produces a non-cancerous swelling. As the nerve swells, the tissue surrounding the nerve gets increasingly irritated.
A Morton’s neuroma is the most common type of neuroma and develops between the third and fourth toes. Neuromas can also develop in-between other toes or in the ball of the foot.
Neuromas don’t always exhibit consistent symptoms. They can be intermittent or continuous. Some of the most common symptoms of neuromas include:
In most cases, these symptoms manifest themselves when you’re wearing shoes, so you might notice that they go away once you take your shoes off or rub and flex your feet. However, symptoms of neuromas are known to come back the moment you walk or put your shoes back on.
The causes of neuromas are challenging to pinpoint. Nonetheless, your chances of developing a neuroma increase if you wear high heels or tight shoes frequently, as well as if you engage in high-impact exercises.
Neuromas can also develop as a result of any of the following issues.
Any of the above conditions add pressure to your nerves.
Podiatry is the leading branch of medicine to address neuromas in a time-efficient and painless manner. At specialists, your podiatrist can recommend any of the following treatments options.
Sometimes, these conservative treatments options aren’t enough to get rid of your pain. In this case, your podiatrist can recommend one of two more intensive procedures:
Minimally invasive surgery
To entirely remove the neuroma, your doctor can recommend a minimally invasive surgical procedure. During this procedure, your doctor either gets rid of the neuroma or portions of the tissue irritating your nerve. Minimally invasive surgeries of this nature come with a short recovery period.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation uses heat therapy to heat the fibers of your nerves to modify their ability to transmit pain signals. Radiofrequency ablation causes no damage to neighboring tissue.
If you think you might be suffering from a neuroma, get in touch with the expert team of podiatrists at specialists today by phone or through the online booking tool.