Mortons Neuroma

What is it?

Morton’s Neuroma is a common cause of forefoot pain.
It often feels like marble is stuck in the ball of the foot. You may get a burning sensation, tingling and pins and needles in the toes. A Morton’s Neuroma is an irritation of the nerve between two digits, typically between the 3rd and 4th digits. The nerve may be swollen or increased in size.

Causes

There are multiple contributors to the cause, including your foot shape, tight footwear and other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It’s more common in females over 35 years old.

Treatment options

Initial treatment options include offloading the area with orthotics, and reducing local inflammation through physical therapies such as dry needling and low level laser therapy.

The podiatrist will recommend appropriate footwear options. If there’s any biomechanical problem, the podiatrist will address this with their orthotic prescription or exercise prescription. Usually these options can provide significant relief.

Otherwise a cortisone injection may provide temporary pain relief, although this is not a cure. Long-term management for the non-resolving Morton’s Neuroma is ethanol ablation, radiofrequency ablation and neurectomy.