Neuroma Treatment & Symptom

Neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. Neuroma occurs in a nerve in your foot, often between your third and fourth toes. Symptoms of this condition include sharp pain, burning, and even a lack of feeling in the affected area. Neuroma may also cause numbness, tingling, or cramping in the forefoot. Neuroma usually develops between the third and fourth toes. Less commonly, it develops between the second and third toes. Other locations are rare. It also is rare for a neuroma to develop in both feet at the same time. The condition is much more common in women than men, probably as a result of wearing high-heeled, narrow-toed shoes. This style of shoe tends to shift the bones of the feet into an abnormal position, which increases the risk that a neuroma will form. Being overweight also increases the risk of a neuroma. Also called plantar neuroma or intermetatarsal neuroma, may occur in response to irritation, injury or pressure such as from wearing tightfitting shoes. But neuroma may also occur for unknown reasons. Treatments for neuroma commonly involve changing footwear, resting your foot, and using arch supports or pads to help take pressure off the area. In some cases, your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory drugs, a cortisone injection or even surgery if you have Neuroma.

Neuroma is any tumor of cells of the nervous system . Neuroma is not actually a tumor, but a thickening of the tissue that surrounds the digital nerve leading to the toes. Neuroma causes a sharp, burning pain in the ball of your foot. Your toes also may sting, burn or feel numb if you have neuroma. The thickening, or enlargement, of the nerve that defines a neuroma is the result of compression and irritation of the nerve. This compression creates swelling of the nerve, eventually leading to permanent nerve damage. The incidence of neuroma is 8 to 10 times greater in women than in men. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton's neuroma, which occurs at the base of the third and fourth toes. It is sometimes referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma. "Intermetatarsal" describes its location - in the ball of the foot between the metatarsal bones (the bones extending from the toes to the midfoot). Neuromas may also occur in other locations in the foot.

Causes of Neuroma

Common Causes of Neuroma :

• An injury in your foot can lead to cause Neuroma.
• The most common cause of Neuroma is wearing high-heeled shoes or shoes that are tight or ill-fitting, including those that box in your feet and place pressure on your toes.
• People with certain foot deformities such as bunions, hammertoes, flatfeet or more flexible feet are at higher risk for developing a neuroma.
• Other potential causes are activities that involve repetitive irritation to the ball of the foot.

Symptoms of Neuroma

Some common Symptoms of Neuroma :

• Pain.
• Tingling, burning, or numbness.
• Ringing in the ears, called tinnitus.
• Sharp or dull pain between the third and fourth toes.
• Burning pain in the ball of foot .

Treatment of Neuroma

• Avoid high heels or tight shoes, and wear wider shoes with lower heels and a soft sole.
• Simple treatments such as resting the foot, better fitting shoes, anti-inflammation medications, and ice packs.
• If there is no significant improvement after initial treatment, injection therapy may be tried.
• Steroids are medications that reduce inflammation. An injection of a corticosteroid medication in the area of the neuroma may reduce pain. However, overuse of injected steroids can lead to a number of side effects, including weight gain and high blood pressure
• Your may be prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or sulindac to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Placing an icepack on the affected area helps reduce swelling.