Morton's Neuroma: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Morton's neuroma is not a cancerous tumor but a thickening and fibrosis of the tissue surrounding one of the small nerves that pass between the bones of the forefoot, often affecting the nerve between the third and fourth toes. It occurs from repeated irritation and pressure on the nerve that thickens its sheath.

The most distinctive feature of this condition is a burning or sharp pain in the forefoot, with a feeling as if there is a pebble or a fold in the sock under the foot when walking, possibly with numbness or tingling in the two adjacent toes. Symptoms increase with walking, standing, and wearing tight, high-heeled, or pointed-front shoes, and ease when removing the shoe and massaging the foot. The condition is therefore closely linked to the type of shoe and is more common in women.

Managing Morton's neuroma depends on symptom severity and always begins with conservative measures that reduce pressure on the nerve: changing shoes to a wide-fronted, low-heeled type, using padding, spacers, and orthotic supports, reducing foot-straining activities, and pain relievers. When there is no response, the doctor may resort to local injections to ease inflammation and pain. Surgery to remove or release the nerve is reserved for severe resistant cases. Early detection and footwear modification ease symptoms and prevent them from worsening.

• Burning or sharp pain in the forefoot.
• A feeling of a pebble under the foot when walking.
• Numbness or tingling in the two adjacent toes.
• Symptoms increase with tight shoes and ease when removing them.

• Repeated irritation and pressure on the nerve between the forefoot bones.
• Tight, pointed, or high-heeled shoes.
• Foot deformities and some foot-straining sports.

• Clinical examination of the foot and pressing the area to provoke pain.
• Ultrasound or MRI to confirm the diagnosis when needed.

Conservative measures

• Wide-fronted, low-heeled shoes.
• Padding, spacers, and orthotic supports that reduce pressure.
• Pain relievers and reducing straining activities.

Interventions

• Local injections to ease inflammation and pain when there is no response.
• Surgery to remove or release the nerve in severe resistant cases.

This content is educational and does not replace consulting an orthopedic specialist.

• Chronic pain affecting walking and activity.
• Altered gait to avoid pain and the resulting other problems.
• Permanent numbness in rare cases after surgery.

• Wearing comfortable, wide-fronted shoes and avoiding pointed high heels.
• Using supportive padding when needed.
• Avoiding repeated straining activities of the forefoot.