What Are the Treatments and Diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma?

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s normal for the occasional pain or ache to rear its ugly head, especially as we age. But if just walking around on your feet makes the day difficult or causes great pain and discomfort, you may be suffering from a common condition known as Morton’s Neuroma.

Morton’s Neuroma is a condition that causes great amounts of shooting, radiating pain in the ball of the foot and can make simple physical activities a major problem – that’s where podiatrists like Daniel L. Wiernik, D.P.M., of Orlando Orthopaedic Center come in.

“A Morton’s Neuroma is basically a pinched nerve in the foot,” says Dr. Wiernik. “As the nerve gets  pinched it gets swollen, so the swollen, pinched nerve which creates pain, burning, and numbness, is what we refer to as a neuroma.”

The condition is most commonly reported by middle-aged women and is often brought on by wearing uncomfortable, narrow shoes for extended periods of time. What happens during the condition is that nerves within the foot, through excessive pressure or trauma, thicken and cause great amounts of swelling resulting in painful tissue growth.

Though foot pain may seem like a vague symptom, Dr. Wiernik says that through early recognition and   examination by a knowledgable general practitioner or podiatrist, spotting Morton’s Neuroma is fairly simple.

What Are Dr. Wiernik’ Insights on Morton’s Neuroma?

“The early signs include burning and radiating pain into the toes, usually between either the third or the fourth toe or the second and third toe. Other symptoms include a feeling of cramping in the foot and a shooting pain that radiates up the foot,” said Dr. Wiernik. “It’s also common to have significant discomfort walking barefoot on hard floors such as tile.”

Dr.Daniel-Wiernik-Mortons-Neuroma-Orlando-Orthopaedic-Center

Daniel L. Wiernik, D.P.M.

But despite the pain that afflicts individuals with Morton’s Neuroma, many go years without treating the condition and as a result, can suffer the consequences of the untreated condition.

“My son got married in November and I couldn’t even wear shoes,” says Kathleen, a recent Morton’s Neuroma surgery patient of Dr. Wiernik. “I had to wear a dressy sandal and got by. Even dancing in the little sandal was just excruciating by the end of the night. I was popping Aleve all the time. That was another point when I said I really need to have something done. I can’t go the rest of my life without wearing shoes.”

After surgery, Kathleen says that the improvement in her quality of life is immediately evident.

“Dr. Wiernik said it would take about six weeks for me to be walking – actually in three weeks time I was walking with a shoe,” says Kathleen. “At five weeks I went to Epcot and walked for 14 hours in the shoes that I couldn’t wear in December.”

While surgery can offer a permanent solution for those dealing with Morton’s Neuroma, Dr. Wiernik urges individuals to be proactive about treating their condition with non-surgical methods first before turning to operation.

“A candidate for a surgery on a Morton’s Neuroma is somebody who has a failed a conservative course of action by their doctor,” says Dr. Wiernik. “Those  type of treatments might be oral anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone or steroid injections, orthotic inserts, different types of shoes, and sometimes a modification in their activities or their exercises. Several attempts are made to resolve a patient’s symptoms before surgery is undertaken or suggested.”

Ultimately, the key to overcoming Morton’s Neuroma is spotting it early, getting checked out by your physician, following a plan of treatment, and if necessary, finding surgical specialists knowledgeable in podiatry. “I wish I had done it sooner and not put up with all the pain for three years,” says Kathleen.