Pain serves as an alarm system for the body; a cut or a bruise from an accident signals harm that needs treatment. This type of pain is acute and typically lasts only as long as it takes the body to heal from it; however, it can become chronic if it’s due to an untreated problem.
Our nerves form the communication network that sends pain signals to our brain. Often, when we get hurt, whether from injury or disease, the nerves themselves become damaged.
A neuroma is a form of nerve pain, sometimes called a pinched nerve or a nerve tumor, that can occur in any part of your body. Morton’s neuroma is specific to your foot, specifically affecting nerves between your third and fourth toes.
A neuroma can affect you intermittently, so let’s examine the nerve problem further, including signs to look for, its causes, and why it occurs when it does.
Tarzana and Inglewood, California, residents looking for relief from neuroma pain can find help with Drs. Ashkan Soleymani, Michael Salih, Arash Jalil, Saman Tabari, and their dedicated staff at Cedars Foot and Ankle Center.
This nerve condition is frequently a benign but painful condition characterized by the abnormal growth of nerve tissue that thickens. It can cause your brain to interpret touch and pain in different ways, which happens in two types: allodynia and hyperalgesia. Allodynia is when you feel pain from stimuli that shouldn’t cause it, and hyperalgesia is when pain is more intense than it should be.
Morton’s neuroma affects the common plantar digital nerves of the foot and often develops around the age of 45-50. Both sexes experience it, but women tend to develop it more than men. It’s common enough that between one and three people are likely to struggle with it at some point in their lives.
There is still speculation about the overall cause of Morton’s neuroma, but pressure on the ball of your foot and the nerves between your toes is the most common reason it happens. Several factors contribute to the development of this neuroma, including wearing narrow shoes, high heels, playing sports that put pressure on the balls of your feet, and working on your balance on a regular basis.
With this foot condition, you will experience symptoms like:
The discomfort may feel like a pebble stuck in your shoe, under the ball of your foot. Other frequent pains include burning or stabbing sensations.
The frequency of the pain you feel varies with the cause or the severity of the condition. Symptoms may not show early on, or they may be mild or appear periodically. Wearing ill-fitting shoes or high heels, for example, can cause pain, but the symptoms will subside once your remove your shoes.
Chronic conditions that lead to Morton’s neuroma can increase the severity and duration of the pain. Foot deformities, such as flat feet or high arches, can cause intermittent or prolonged periods of pain unless you use orthotics (custom inserts to correct foot problems) or other means to correct the condition.
Neuroma is painful, but with the proper treatment, you can get it under control. Make an appointment with Drs. Soleymani, Salih, Jalil, Tabari, and their team at Cedars Foot and Ankle Center to relieve your neuroma pain.
