One thing that is for sure, everyone loves their shoes. Although perhaps women more than men, you’d be surprised how not being able to wear stylish shoes effects both sexes. In our podiatry practice, Morton’s Neuroma is a common occurance that causes pain, numbness, and burning in the ball of the foot. This pain can be so intense in shoes that it would cause you to take them off and carry them while going barefoot.

Morton’s neuroma is an enlarged nerve that usually occurs in the third interspace, which is between and just before the third and fourth toes. The reason the nerve enlarges is not always so obvious. Flat feet can cause the nerve to be pulled toward the middle more than normal, which can cause irritation and possibly enlargement of the nerve. A Morton’s Neuroma is more common in women than men, possibly because women wear confining shoes more often. High heels cause more weight to be transferred to the front of the foot and tight toe boxes create lateral compression. As a result, there is more force being applied in the area and the nerve compartment is squeezed on all sides. Under such conditions, even a minimal enlargement in the nerve can elicit pain.

Treatments commonly involve changing shoegear, resting your feet, and using orthotics with metatarsal support to help take pressure off the area. In some cases, your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medication or injection therapy. There even is a new shockwave therapy that has proven effective to treat pain from the Morton’s Neuroma. If pain persists, however, surgery may be indicated.

If you have continuous pain in the ball of your foot and find it difficult to wear your favorite shoes, visit Claremore Podiatry to schedule an immediate appointment.