How to treat Morton's neuroma?

Hey everyone,

I recently started experiencing a sharp, burning pain in the ball of my foot, particularly between my third and fourth toes. It's been becoming more frequent and intense, especially after long walks or wearing tight shoes. 🙄 A friend of mine mentioned it might be Morton's neuroma, which I'd never heard of before. I'm really baffled and a bit worried about it. Has anyone else here dealt with this condition? What was your experience like, and how did you manage the pain? Any tips or advice on footwear or treatments would be super appreciated. Thanks! 😊

I’m sorry to hear you’re going through that; foot pain can be a real nightmare. I had a similar issue a couple of years back. Turns out it was indeed Morton's neuroma. The constant burning sensation drove me nuts! Initially, I tried switching to wider shoes with good arch support, and it made a significant difference. Also, I found that massaging the area and doing foot stretches helped alleviate the pain. Have you tried any of these?

Hi there,

I've never personally had Morton's neuroma, but my sister did. She’s a runner, and it started affecting her training. Her podiatrist recommended custom orthotics, which worked wonders for her. Also, she started incorporating more rest days into her routine. On a side note, she swore by ice packs after her runs. It might be worth a shot if you haven't tried it. How active are you? Do you think your doing too much on your feet might be contributing to the pain?

I dealt with Morton's neuroma a few years back. One thing that really helped was visiting a physical therapist. They taught me exercises and techniques to reduce the pressure on the nerve. Plus, they did some manual therapies that provided relief. I also found avoiding high heels and tight shoes was crucial. It’s interesting how different strategies work for different people. What’s type of footwear do you wear?

Hey everyone,

I’m coming at this from a slightly different angle. I’m a medical student, and we recently covered Morton's neuroma in class. It's essentially a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to your toes. While lifestyle changes and footwear adjustments are key, sometimes more direct interventions might be needed. For persistent cases, corticosteroid injections or even surgery can be considered. Of course, those are more drastic steps. It’s always best to start with conservative treatments. Lucy, have you seen a doctor about your symptoms yet?

Thank you all for the responses! 😊

I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but I’m definitely planning to make an appointment soon. In the meantime, I’ll try some of the suggestions you all have made. I’ve already stopped wearing my tighter shoes and will look into getting some with better arch support. I’m not super active, but I walk quite a bit for my daily commute. I’ll also try the ice packs and foot stretches. IanYoung, what kind of stretches did you find helpful? And Jamir, how often did you visit the physical therapist before noticing a difference?

For stretches, I mainly focused on calf stretches and toe flexing exercises. One that really helped was sitting down, placing a towel under my foot, and gently pulling it towards me to stretch the arch. I did these stretches a couple of times a day, and it definitely eased the pain over time. Consistency is key, though. Hope it helps!

I started noticing improvements after a few weeks of twice-weekly visits to the physical therapist. They worked on my foot and ankle mechanics, which helped redistribute pressure away from the neuroma. It was a combination of manual therapy and guided exercises. After the initial improvement, I cut back to once a week and then to occasional check-ins. Stick with it, and I’m sure you’ll see results too!

Just wanted to add that my sister also found it helpful to keep a pain diary. She tracked her activities, footwear, pain levels, and any treatments she tried. It helped her identify patterns and what worked best for her. Maybe give that a try while you wait for your doctor’s appointment. Good luck, and keep us posted on how you’re doing!

Oh, I totally feel your pain! I had something similar a few years back. It was so frustrating because I love hiking, and the pain was keeping me off the trails. 😢 My doctor diagnosed me with Morton's neuroma too. One thing that really made a huge difference for me was wearing a pair of gel insoles. I got these Morton's neuroma insoles from a brand called Nuovahealth. They provided amazing cushioning and support right where I needed it, and it helped distribute the pressure more evenly across my foot. Honestly, you should definitely give them a try...

Morton's Neuroma Insoles with Metatarsal support - Nuova Health

All the best!

Ugh, I totally feel you, Lucy! I had Morton’s neuroma a couple of years ago. In my case, wearing high heels was a major trigger, so I had to give those up for a while. I also tried cortisone injections, which provided temporary relief. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it helped me manage the pain. I ended up doing some shoe shopping too - finding the right footwear made a world of difference. I wud also suggest getting a pair of insoles like Clemy mentioned to support your feet better. Hang in there!