When you’re suffering from foot pain, you want to find the best and fastest method of relief possible – but in some cases, you may have to seek surgery for lasting relief.
Today, we’re discussing surgery for Morton’s neuroma, what the process is, and whether or not it’s right for you.
WHAT IS MORTON'S NEUROMA?
Morton’s neuroma, also known as interdigital neuritis, is a painful foot condition caused by the compression of the nerves located at the start of the toes - generally near the webspace, causing mild to severe pain in the forefoot. The pain can feel like a stone wedged into the ball of the foot, or you may experience a numb, tingling, stinging, or painful sensation in the toes and forefoot. Most people feel this pain on the bottom of the foot, but some feel it on top.
This can be exacerbated by wearing tight footwear or high heels, trauma, or simple genetic conditions. Pain medication, resting the feet, and wearing shoes with plenty of space at the forefoot can reduce further irritation of the condition. To learn more about how you may be making your Morton’s neuroma worse, read our blog below.
READ MORE: How Can You Prevent Morton’s Neuroma?
WHAT IS MORTON'S NEUROMA SURGERY?
Always consult with your physician to find the reason for your foot pain. Morton’s neuroma shares many similarities to other painful foot conditions. A professional evaluation can help determine if Morton’s neuroma is indeed the cause of your pain and then help you choose the best treatment methods.
In some circumstances, simple at-home methods can alleviate pain, especially when paired with proper footwear and even physical therapy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and more severe cases of Morton’s neuroma may require surgical intervention.
There are a few invasive or surgical methods of relief that you may seek for lasting relief:
- Steroid Injections
This is your most minimally-invasive option. Your doctor will inject corticosteroids into the neuroma location to fight off the inflammation that may be compressing the nerve. This can be an effective treatment method, though not always a lasting one – so these steroid injections are sometimes done multiple times during the year.
However, there are significant side effects of steroid injections. They cause tissue damage generally and can cause severe atrophy of the skin and connective tissue at the toe region.
- Nerve Decompression Surgery
With this surgery, an orthopedic surgeon cuts the ligaments surrounding and compresses the neuroma to alleviate some of the nerves’ pressure.
The surgeon creates an incision between the metatarsal heads near the neuroma to access the deep, transverse intermetatarsal ligament. The ligament is then cut or separated to take away the force placed on the nerve.
- Nerve Removal Surgery
A neurectomy involves removing the nerve or affected tissue altogether. Your doctor will access the connective tissue located near the affected metatarsal head.
The nerve affected by the neuroma will be cut and removed, and the ligament surrounding the neuroma if needed. This can provide last pain relief but can also result in temporary numbness of the toes.
Usually, collateral nerve growth occurs to restore and loss of sensation of the lesser toes.
Work with your doctor to determine the best course of action for your relief and recovery. Don’t jump to surgery as your first course of action, but know that you have several options on the table to help you find relief and success.
SAY NO TO SURGERY. SAY YES TO RELIEF!
With The Healing Sole, you can find relief from Morton’s neuroma, heel pain, and general foot pain with surgeon-designed technology – no surgery required.
Choose our Palmer flip flop for pain relief and muscle strengthening that works with every step you take. This flip flop is designed with a rocker bottom sole, metatarsal bar, raised arch support, and compressible inner heel that takes the pressure off of the foot’s crucial points while providing support to the arch and protection for impact. The absence of the raised toe, seen on our original flip flop, takes unnecessary pressure and irritation on the forefoot. The metatarsal bar acts to offload the most painful areas of Morton’s neuroma.
In addition to our footwear, we carry a variety of creams and supplements that can help you find both immediate relief as well as put preventative measures in place for fighting off foot pain.
Our Foot Pain Relief Cream is formulated with lidocaine, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), menthol crystals, and curated essentials to deliver cooling, calming, and relieving results with a simple application.
Our Essential Multivitamin with PEA supports healthy joints, connective tissue health, and inflammation reduction by combining the healing powers of palmitoylethanolamide, magnesium oxide, calcium citrate, vitamins D3 & C, and zinc gluconate.
These are just two of our Well Theory products that can assist in pain relief and inflammation control! Use these products individually, with each other, or paired with our pain-fighting footwear to make pain a thing of the past.
For those with Morton’s neuroma or other painful conditions, The Healing Sole and Well Theory can help you find the relief you need. Order today!
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