Morton's Neuroma

Morton's neuroma is a pathological thickening of the plantar nerve in the foot. This condition is accompanied by pain in the area between the fourth and third finger (rarely between the third and second).

Neurotem Morton in the medical literature may have other names: perineural fibrosis, Morton's finger syndrome, Morton's disease and others.

More susceptible to the appearance of a woman's ailment. This is due to the frequent wearing of tight shoes with a high heel, heavily loading the forefoot area of the foot. In rare cases Morton's neuroma strikes both legs at once.

The most common cause of the development of the disease is excessive pressure on the nerve of the bones of the metatarsal. Such anomalous functioning can be triggered not only by the use of tight shoes in combination with excess weight or high heels, but also by transverse flatfoot.

Neurotem Morton at the beginning of development is characterized by numbness, burning or tingling between the fourth and third toes, aching pains. In close shoes, the sensations increase. Sometimes patients complain about the feeling of the presence of a foreign body between the fingers.

Periodically, the manifestations of the disease can be weakened or intensified. Acute tenderness is noted while walking. After removing the tight shoe, it passes.

In the absence of timely treatment, soreness becomes permanent. It can move to the fingertips. In this case, the type of footwear does not matter anymore.

The longer the perineural fibrosis develops without treatment, the more pronounced becomes the soreness between the fingers.

The main diagnostic factor of the disease is a narrow localization of sensations between the fourth and third fingers. An important point in detecting the disease is the increased tenderness in the transverse direction when the patient compresses the anterior region of the foot.

To clarify the diagnosis, inspection is necessary. Sometimes the expert reveals the areas of numbness manually. On examination, it is important to differentiate the diagnosis with other, similar in symptomatology, diseases (arthritis, fracture). An x-ray can be used for this purpose. In disputed or severe cases, MRI is used.

Preventive measures are aimed at reducing the load on the forefoot area of the foot. Mainly, this is the choice of rational and optimal footwear and, of course, the prevention of transverse flatfoot.

Morton's Neuroma. Treatment

With the periodic nature of pain at the very beginning of the development of the disease, conservative therapy is very effective. This is due to the absence in this period of irreversible disturbances in the nerves of the sole. Patients are prescribed analgesics, injections of corticosteroids, physiotherapy procedures. It is also recommended to choose more comfortable shoes. From high heels, women have to give up. All these measures contribute to the unloading of the foot and the removal of the pain that accompanies the Morton's neuroma. Treatment with folk remedies is ineffective.

If flat foot (transverse) is detected, the therapeutic course will also include measures to eliminate it.

In the absence of the effect of conservative methods of treatment, surgical intervention is prescribed. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. The metatarsal canal is opened and the neuroma is dissected. After the intervention, there may be a small area of numbness between the fingers. The recovery period, as a rule, is several months. During the rehabilitation period, patients are advised to use rational footwear that does not exert a load on the forefoot area of the foot.