Mortons Neuroma

[Rightfoot]

Recently I have had the sensation that I have a pea in the toe box of my shoe. Its painful and I finally went to the doctor. I was told that I have a Mortons Neuroma and should add a metutursal pad to my shoe. This has not helped and the next step is cortisone shots in the ball of my foot and between the toes. Does anyone have any experience with these type of neuromas?

Regards

[Not Sunshine]

My mother had one that was successfully treated with a series of alcohol injections to kill the nerve. You mentioned you went to the "doctor" but I hope you meant you went to the "foot doctor" - they really are the experts - and I wouldn't trust anyone else to stick a needle in my foot - especially with such a specific foot problem. Another friend of mine had such a large neuroma, she had to have it surgically removed (she used crutches for 2 weeks while it healed, and wasn't able to get back to walking for a month). But she's been good since. Good luck.

[moof53]

Have had the problem for over a year on my left foot and it is very slowly getting better. Went to a podiatrist who applied a pad near (proximal) the ball of the foot to spread the toes apart when you step down thus relieving the nerve. However, the pad didn't last very long. The doctor didn't tell me but I discovered I could buy metatarsal pads over the net (Cheap) so I didn't need to see the doctor to get pads (expensive). I found myfootshop.com where you can purchase pads and who has a good video about applying the pad as well as different pads to use. Here is the url of the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTBavviVU6w I use pad #729 a felt metatarsal pad.

I have found that placing the pad directly on the foot, as opposed to putting it on the insole was better for me. The pads last about two days before needing replacement. I normally purchase a 1/2 size larger for boots but because of the problem I went up a full size in boots to give more room in the toe box. It seems to be slowly getting better.

Hope this helps.

[BrianLe]

I too think that a series (3?) of alcohol shots is your next logical step, at least based on my own ("I'm not a doctor and I don't even play one on TV") experience. For me, it ultimately resulted in surgery to remove about an inch of nerve. Pathology confirmed the nerve was damaged, never going to heal. Hopefully that's not the case for you, and easier methods can vanquish this (I was going to say "defeat", but didn't like the pun-like connotation! :-)).

[doheir]

Try very wide shoes and double insoles, say Spenco Polysorb insoles & Spenco standard insoles. The combination will take considerable pressure off the neuroma. In time, the swelling should lessen, and the neuroma possibly become asymptomatic. Good luck

[joniyy]

Morton's neuroma (also known as Morton's metatarsalgia, Morton's neuralgia, plantar neuroma and intermetatarsal neuroma) is a benign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign) neuroma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroma) of an intermetatarsal plantar nerve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_nerve), most commonly of the third and fourth intermetatarsal spaces.
This problem is characterised by pain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain) and/or numbness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbness), sometimes relieved by removingfootwear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footwear).
Despite the name, the condition was first correctly described by a chiropodist named Durlacher,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton's_neuroma#cite_note-0) and although it is labeled a "neuroma", many sources do not consider it a truetumor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor), but rather a perineural fibroma (fibrous tissue formation around nerve tissue).

[Whack-a-mole]

I have one of these going on right now. I got the cortizone injection, and had immediate relief for several days, then the pain came back to 50% of what it was before the injection. It stayed that way for about a week but now it is slowly getting better. The injection will help it, but it is a slow process that is killing me. No running, hiking biking etc... I will try some better insoles in my shoes. I should have allready done it, but I've been busy.

[McPick]

I've suffered from a Morton's Neuroma in my right foot since I was a kid using stiff, narrow leather ski boots. Here's my fix... Wide shoes and boots. Also, while hiking, I put an ear plug between the toes to keep the nerve from pinching. What a relief! This worked for one of the '06 Lady Brits as well.

[Adriana]

This looks interesting: http://www.bayviewrx.com/podiatry-compounding/mortons-neuroma
this compounded ointment contains gabbapentin which has been a lifesaver for me in getting sciatic nerve pain under control.