A neuroma is a nerve tumor that causes swelling on the nerves and is extremely painful. Although there are different types of neuromas, Morton’s neuroma is the most common.
Morton’s Neuroma affects the nerves of your feet. It gives you a similar feeling to having stones in your shoes. It attacks the balls of your feet and makes it hard for you to walk.
Morton’s Neuroma can be very painful, so if you feel a sharp pain in the ball of your foot and find it difficult to walk, speak to a doctor at Neuroma Wappingers Falls for a diagnosis and treatment. Below are some symptoms of neuroma you should look out for.
Symptoms of Morton’s neuroma
You may experience:
- Popping sensations in your foot when you walk
- Burning pain between your toes
- Sharp pain that worsens with any kind of activity that requires you to stand or walk
- Numbness in your toes
- Swelling
- Feeling like you have a stone in your shoe
It is best not to avoid these signs of Morton’s neuroma. You should call a doctor if your pain persists for days and does not improve even after trying at-home methods.
How can you treat Morton’s neuroma?
You can ease the pain by changing your lifestyle, but several treatments are available to help you relieve your symptoms.
- Changing your footwear
Avoid wearing tight shoes or high heels because they put pressure on your toes. Instead, wear shoes with wider toe boxes that can help shift the pressure off the swollen nerve.
- Icing
Ice the affected area to help relieve the pain and swelling a little until you can get ahold of your doctor.
- Using pads for shoes
There are shoe pads on the market that you can buy. They help lift pressure off the swollen nerves because of the soft padding around the affected area.
- Taking pain relievers
Since neuromas can be quite painful, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen to help you cope with the pain.
- Using orthotic devices
These shoe inserts help keep your toes in their appropriate position. There are over-the-counter shoe inserts for you to buy. Otherwise, you may get them customized to avoid size issues.
Here are some common medicinal treatments for neuroma:
- Corticosteroid injections help reduce swelling of the nerves.
- SNRIs (Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) change your brain’s way of processing pain. Venlafaxine and duloxetine are some SNRI drugs. They can also relieve nerve pain.
- Tricyclic antidepressants help with the burning sensation, and like SNRI drugs, they also cause the central nervous system to process pain differently.