Title: Morton's Neuroma Foot Pain Symptoms and Treatment
Headings: Morton's Neuroma Foot Pain Symptoms and Treatment
Morton's Neuroma Foot Pain Symptoms and Treatment
Morton's Neuroma Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Content: 1 ﻿﻿
In basic terms, a neuroma is an enlargement or thickening of a nerve in the foot in the area between the toes, usually the third interspace between the third and fourth toes, followed by the second interspace between the second and third toes. Morton's neuromas can rarely affect the fourth and first interspaces. Kris Ubach and Quim Roser / Getty Images
It is also sometimes referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma, interdigital neuroma, Morton's metatarsalgia (pain in the metatarsal area), perineural fibrosis (scar tissue around a nerve) or entrapment neuropathy (abnormal nerve due to compression). If you have Morton's neuroma, there is a 15% chance you will develop it in both feet. Morton's Neuroma Symptoms
Initially, these symptoms may happen once in a while, but as the condition gets worse, the symptoms may happen all of the time: 2 ﻿﻿
Pain (sharp, stabbing, throbbing, shooting)
Numbness
Tingling or "pins & needles"
Burning
Cramping
A feeling that you are stepping on something or that something is in your shoe
It usually feels better by taking off your shoe and massaging your foot . Causes
A Morton's neuroma is thought to be caused by an injury to the nerve, but scientists are still not sure about the exact cause of the injury. The injury may be caused by damage to the metatarsal heads, the deep transverse intermetatarsal ligament (holds the metatarsal heads together) or an intermetatarsal bursa (fluid-filled sac). 1 ﻿
All of these structures can cause compression and injury to the nerve, initially causing swelling and damage to the nerve. Over time, if the compression/injury continues, the nerve repairs itself with very fibrous tissue that leads to enlargement and thickening of the nerve.