Morton’s Neuroma is a painful condition that affects your feet, and if you’re experiencing discomfort at the balls of your feet and around your toes, you might want to consider these 10 signs you may have Morton’s Neuroma. It is characterized by the thickening of nerves due to irritation or compression, which can become quite uncomfortable. While it is manageable with lifestyle changes and certain adaptations, untreated Morton’s Neuroma may eventually require surgical interventions for relief. This condition is particularly common among middle-aged individuals, especially women. Although the term “neuroma” refers to noncancerous tumors that grow on nerves, in the case of Morton’s neuroma, it is the existing nerves that thicken and cause discomfort.
Top 10 Signs You May Have Morton’s Neuroma
These are the 10 signs you may have Morton’s Neuroma.

- The major sign of Morton’s neuroma is pain itself. The pain is often described as either a burning sensation or it feels like you are standing on a tiny pebble or something sharp.
- If your toes feel a bit numb or in pain followed by a tingling sensation.
- You might experience difficulties walking
- You might feel more pain when you are wearing high heels or standing on the balls of your foot.
- Swelling between your toes
- Clicking sensation when walking
- Burning sensation in the ball of your foot, commonly between your fourth and fifth toes
- Pain that intensifies with activity
- Difficulty wiggling toes that are close to the painful area
- Cramps that tend to soothe with massages
In some cases, you might have no signs or symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma at all.
Mortons Neuroma: Understanding the Causes and Risk Factors
Mortons Neuroma is often caused due to ill-fitted shoes that irritate your nerves. These compressed or irritated nerves thicken and as time passes it becomes more painful due to the pressure. The major risk factor for this foot condition is high heels. Uncomfortable shoes that have really high heels, and pointy and narrow fronts can really take a toll on the nerves and put extra stress on the balls of your foot.
Foot or gait abnormalities can also be another reason for this issue. Especially for those who have flat feet, high arches, bunions, and hammer toes. These factors contribute to instability and added pressure on the nerves in your foot. Other than that Morton’s neuroma is also associated with repetitive sports activities like running that may cause added pressure to the ball of your feet. Sports that require tight shoes like ballet or skiing might also cause this. In some cases, an injury to the foot may also be the reason for Morton’s neuroma. This condition is pretty much treatable and might not pose a great threat when treated properly. But if neglected it may cause serious nerve damage.
Diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma
Of course, to make a proper diagnosis you will have to consult with your medical advisor. A podiatrist will examine your feet. To make things easier, explain the problems you face. They might ask you to walk or move around and examine your toes. They will put pressure on the balls of your feet and move your toes around to properly locate the pain. Doctors will be able to detect the condition by physical examinations and discussing the symptoms. However, in some cases, medical tests might be recommended to rule out the possibility of other conditions like arthritis or stress fracture. The likely tests are X-ray, ultrasound images, or MRI. Besides this, your medical advisor may also ask to do electromyography if they suspect any other nerve abnormality.
Treatment Options for Morton’s Neuroma
There are several treatment options suggested to treat your condition best and relieve you from the pain. Some of them are:
- Arch supports or foot pads may help relieve the pain and provide comfort.
- Common medications included OTC painkillers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Physical therapy, exercise, massaging
- Corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory drug injections
- Surgery is another option. However, most people will not need to undergo surgery. Doctors might only suggest it if other treatments are not working well enough for you. Common surgical techniques include:
- Neurectomy: A procedure where the surgeon removes the affected part of the nerve.
- Cryogenic neuro ablation: The problematic nerves are killed off using extremely cold temperatures.
- Decompression surgery: Cutting off ligaments and other nerve structures around and thus relieving the pain.
Living with Morton’s Neuroma: Lifestyle Adaptations
You can consider some adjustments to cope with this condition. Take a look at the possible lifestyle adaptations.
- Switching your footwear: Wearing wide, deep-toe boxes can relieve the pressure experienced in the affected area. Heels taller than 2 inches may aggravate the nerve pain, plus the pointy or narrow fit in the front can squeeze your toes making it more uncomfortable. Go for professional foot-fitting shoes that suit your feet and feel comfortable to walk in.
- Shoe pads or orthotic devices: You may get OTC shoe pads to properly support the area and relieve the pain. Also, consider using orthotic devices for more support and correct positioning of your toes.
- Exercise choices: Some sports and exercises exert a lot of pressure on the balls of your feet. This might cause more pain and discomfort. So opt for low-impact exercises especially when the symptoms are getting more painful. Also, make sure that you are using shoes that properly support and cushion your feet.
Prevention Strategies for Morton’s Neuroma
Mortons Neuroma can be really painful, so it is best to not wait for treatment options rather go for prevention strategies that help to keep this painful condition at bay as prevention is better than cure. Let us go over some strategies to prevent Morton’s Neuroma.
- Stop using tight, high heels and pointy shoes for long periods
- For additional support wear padded shoes that provide adequate comfort
- Wear shoes with more than enough room for you to wiggle and spread your toes
- If you are engaging in any demanding sports then make sure that you are wearing shoes that provide adequate comfort
- If your jobs demand you to stand for longer hours, then invest in antifatigue mats. They can provide relief to your feet.
Conclusion
Morton’s Neuroma can be a really painful if not debilitating condition making it extremely difficult to even walk. So if you feel like you are exercising foot pain and other associated symptoms then waste no time and discuss the symptoms with your doctor. Mortons Neuroma is very much treatable but if left unattended for a long time then it might cause some serious complications like permanent nerve damage. So ensure that you are not wearing uncomfortable shoes for longer periods and take good care of your feet.
FAQs
Other conditions like arthritis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, stress factor, hammertoes, radiculopathy, etc mimic the symptoms of Morton’s neuroma and hence are mistaken for this condition.
The classic symptom of this foot condition is persistent pain in the balls of your feet and discomfort similar to standing on a pebble.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that may cause Morton’s neuroma.
There are many treatment options for this condition. However, to choose the one that is most apt for you make sure that you are approaching a feet specialist.
You might not want to ignore this foot condition for a long time as it might result in permanent nerve damage.