That feeling of a pebble in your shoe, or a burning, tingling pain in the ball of your foot is often a Morton’s neuroma. It’s a common, very treatable nerve condition, and the specialists at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle offer everything from conservative relief to definitive surgical treatment.
What is Morton's neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of tissue around a nerve between the toes, most often between the third and fourth toes. The irritated nerve causes pain, burning, numbness, or the sensation of standing on a small lump in the ball of the foot.
Symptoms and causes
Symptoms include sharp or burning pain in the ball of the foot, tingling or numbness in the toes, and a “pebble in the shoe” feeling that eases when you remove your shoe and rub your foot. Tight or high-heeled shoes, high-impact activities, and foot deformities like bunions and hammertoes all raise the risk.
Treatment options
We usually begin conservatively with roomier footwear, metatarsal pads or custom orthotics to relieve pressure on the nerve, activity modification, and anti-inflammatory care or injections. MLS Robotic Laser Therapy can help calm nerve irritation. When pain persists despite these measures, a minor surgical procedure can relieve the nerve compression for good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Morton’s neuroma go away on its own?
It usually doesn’t resolve without treatment, but conservative care relieves symptoms for many patients. Catching it early often means avoiding surgery.
What makes Morton’s neuroma worse?
Tight, narrow, or high-heeled shoes and high-impact activities tend to aggravate it. Switching to wider footwear and adding padding or orthotics often helps.
Don’t let foot or ankle pain keep you from the things you love. Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle has board-certified podiatrists in Murray, Draper, and Tooele serving patients across the Salt Lake City area. Call 801-261-1391 or request an appointment online. We get you in quickly, and same week appointments are usually available.
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