The importance of your feet cannot be overstated, as they sustain your whole body and take you wherever you want. Thus, if your feet are sensitive and uncomfortable, it could be difficult to get through your day. This concern is particularly true if you are battling with Morton’s neuroma. A Fort Worth neuroma is a noncancerous thickening of one of the digital nerves that travel between the foot’s metatarsals (long bones). Neuromas typically damage the nerve between the third and fourth metatarsals, but they could affect any of the foot’s digital nerves. Continue reading to learn more.
What Are The Common Causes Of Neuroma?
While the precise reason remains unknown, neuromas appear to develop because of irritation, damage, or pressure to a digital nerve. These elements might contribute to the formation of a neuroma:
- Foot Deformities: Individuals with foot abnormalities, like bunions, hammertoes, or high and low-arched feet, are more likely to acquire a neuroma.
- Footwear: Footwear with inadequate breadth in the forefoot (toe-box) will compress the metatarsals together and squeeze the digital nerves. Additionally, high heel shoes place great tension on the foot’s ball (and thus the digital nerves).
- Sporting Activities: High-impact sports like running and jogging cause repetitive stress to the forefoot. Although sports such as rock climbing and snow skiing require shoes with a snug fit that might compress the nerves in the toes, loose-fitting footwear is preferable.
- Injury: Damage to your digital nerves caused by foot trauma could lead to nerve swelling or inflammation.
What Are The Warning Signs Of Neuroma?
Most neuroma patients experience a stinging, tingling, stabbing, or burning feeling in the foot’s ball that can extend into the toes.
Some patients additionally report feeling something hard or a stone beneath the ball of their afflicted foot. Rarely, the affected area could be painful to touch or swollen.
Typically, symptoms occur while wearing shoes, intensify with activity, and improve with rest. Running and leaping sports and other high-impact activities will further exacerbate symptoms. As the problem worsens, pain (and other symptoms) could be evident throughout rest periods; thus, you should get a correct neuroma diagnosis as soon as feasible.
What To Do If You Identify These Symptoms?
These concerns are not exclusive to the neuroma, but you could be on your road to a neuroma diagnosis if you exhibit multiple symptoms. Early detection may prevent the need for surgery.
Your doctor can diagnose your concern through a comprehensive physical examination, an assessment of your symptoms, and an analysis of diagnostic images like X-rays. Potential therapies include orthotics, steroid injections, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, footwear changes, and decompression surgery.
Besides these care alternatives, ensure that your footwear is not aggravating your nerves. Select footwear with a roomy toe box that will not crowd your toes. Heels must be level (or not more than two inches). Cold compresses and massage provide further relief to your feet if you spend long periods on your feet.
You should never dismiss any foot issue. Otherwise, you risk further complications and a huge disruption to your regular schedule. Traumatic neuromas are benign nerve cell growths that could produce pain, tingling, and numbness. These growths are not harmful, but they can create annoying symptoms. Fortunately, some neuromas disappear by themselves. If not, there are numerous effective therapy choices. In most cases, conservative therapy can alleviate pain. Occasionally, therapy is as simple as purchasing more comfortable shoes. If not, talk to your podiatrist about your concerns and explore more aggressive treatments.
