Best Treatment Options For Neuroma In Saratoga Springs

A neuroma is a nerve condition that affects the ball of your foot. They can happen when there’s too much pressure on nerves in between toes, and they’re often common among individuals who wear high heels or ill-fitting shoes. Getting treatment for this problem quickly will significantly improve outcomes — if left untreated, it could grow bigger over time until permanent damage to these vital nerves occurs.

What Is A Neuroma?

A neuroma, also called a nerve tumor, is a benign growth of nerve tissue found between the third and fourth toes. The condition often causes pain, a burning sensation, a tingling sensation, or numbness in the ball of the foot and between the toes.

The main symptom associated with a neuroma is a pain in the ball of the foot while walking. Individuals suffering from this symptom often find relief by rubbing the affected area, removing their shoes, or refraining from applying pressure on the foot. Usually, the patient will liken the pain to having a stone lodged inside the shoe.

Causes Of A Neuroma

There is no single cause of a neuroma; however, common causes include:

Trauma can cause nerve tissue damage, resulting in swelling or inflammation of the nerve tissue.
Repeated stress, which is common in many occupations, may aggravate or cause Morton’s neuroma.
Biochemical deformities such as flat feet or arched feet may cause the feet to become unstable, leading to the development of the condition.

A neuroma can be caused by several factors. Either way, you need to visit a doctor and seek medical advice as soon as possible to keep the problem at bay. At Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute, we handle all foot-related problems and get you comfortably walking on your feet in no time. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you get started on a journey toward complete wellness.

Symptoms Of A Neuroma

At first, you may feel some pain on your foot, which you can often improve by massaging your foot or taking your shoe off; however, symptoms of Morton’s neuroma worsen over time. Common symptoms associated with the condition include:

Pain around the balls of your feet when you stand or wear high heels.

Tingling and numbness in your foot.
Abnormal appearance of the foot.
Burning, stinging, or sharp pain between the toes when you walk or stand.
Feeling as though there is a pebble under the ball of your foot.

If you are in Saratoga Springs and are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. With Morton’s neuroma, podiatric medical care is the best route. At Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute, our podiatrist will help you alleviate foot pain and achieve optimal health. After examining your foot and making a diagnosis, our podiatrist will treat your condition and discuss lifestyle changes with you to help ensure an independent, active, and healthy life. Call us today to book an appointment.

Treatment Options For Foot And Ankle Neuroma

Treatment options for foot and ankle neuroma vary depending on the severity of each neuroma. When a neuroma is in its early stages, wearing thick-soled shoes that have a wide toe box is enough treatment to relieve symptoms. However, in serious cases, additional treatment or surgery may be warranted. The underlying goal of early treatment is to relieve pressure off affected areas. Your podiatric physician will examine and probably x-ray the affected areas and develop a treatment plan that is ideal for your case, including:

Orthotics

Orthotics shoe inserts customized by your podiatrist may control foot function and reduce the pain of Morton’s neuroma. A health care provider customizes orthotics according to the shape of your foot. You wear orthotics in your shoe to relieve pressure off your feet or the painful nerve.

Medication

After you discuss your problem with your doctor, your doctor may prescribe cortisone injections, local anesthetic injections, or anti-inflammatory drugs to ease inflammation and alleviate acute pain.

Taping and Padding

Special padding at the ball of the foot may relieve symptoms and correct abnormal foot function.

Surgical Procedures

When non-invasive treatments fail and Morton’s neuroma progresses beyond the threshold for such treatments, you may need to undergo podiatric surgery. Podiatric surgery removes part of the nerve tissue. Any pain experienced after the surgery can be treated with medications prescribed by your podiatrist. You cannot self-diagnose foot and ankle neuroma. You need to seek medical advice from an experienced doctor at Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute, who will find the root cause of the problem, provide a treatment plan, and discuss measures that you can take to eliminate the problem. If you reside in Saratoga Springs, feel free to contact us via phone or contact us directly on our website by filling the contact form to schedule an appointment.

Risk Factors Associated With A Neuroma

Shoe Choice: Wearing high heels (more than two inches high), narrow shoes, pointed shoes, and tight-fitting shoes can cause foot problems. All these shoes limit toe movement, apply pressure on the balls of your feet, and cause you to alter your step.

Certain Medical Conditions: There are foot conditions that develop as an individual grows older that can increase the risk of developing a neuroma. These include hammertoes and bunions.

Foot Shape: If you have flat feet, toes in unusual positions, or high arches, you may have instability around the toe joints, which can morph into a neuroma.

Sports: Some sports require you to apply more pressure on the balls of your feet. If you run downhill or on a banked track, this can cause inflammation in the nerves in your foot.

Prevention

You can prevent the development of the condition by:
Avoid wearing shoes that cramp your toes and increase pressure in the foot when taking a step.
Ensure that your workout shoes have ample room in the front part and that your toes are not compressed.
Do not close the top of your shoes too tightly.

Schedule An Appointment With Our Experienced Foot And Ankle Doctors In Saratoga Springs

The pain from Morton’s neuroma can be enervating and can physically and emotionally wear you down. However, there is good news! There are tens of treatment options you can explore at Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute. We have a team of reliable doctors who are ready to use non-invasive and invasive treatments to treat the root cause of the problem and help you achieve optimal health. We treat each patient as an individual and provide the highest level of care when addressing your foot problems. If you are experiencing foot pain that is not responding to at-home treatments or medications, request an appointment at our Saratoga Springs offices and let our doctors get you walking in no time.