Morton's Neuroma in foot, anyone?

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A friend has been diagnosed this after a long time of being told she had arthritis in her foot. She has now been told it's a morton's neuroma. Does anyone have any experience of this? Thanks

I have one, diagnosed 15 years ago. I decided to do nothing about it as it's only really a problem if I'm doing serious walking or if I've got new shoes on. I've just learned to live with it.

My mum has just been diagnosed and she is having the op in a few weeks to take it out.

Yup, my mum has one. She had to keep a pain diary and then they gave her a steriod injection in her foot and then she did another pain diary

The injection worked but its not long term so she has to keep going back for jabs

Didn't even know it could be removed!

I had one, but as I have arthritis it took a while to diagnose. Mine is completely cleared up (despite having trouble with it for 2 years) after 6 months of wearing ugly, flat, wide shoes - particularly MBTs as you don't have to bend foot so much either. The podiatrist I saw did way more harm than good with the insoles (squishing the foot is the worst thing you can do) but I was just given a short lecture on footwear (and stupid insoles) by an orthopaedic surgeon and it started improving.

Have climbed 3 mountains so far this year without even a niggle, so I'm pretty sure it is fixed and not just waiting to recur.

I had one diagnosed about 15 years ago, in my early 20s, and subsequently had surgery to remove it. It was bad enough that I couldn't run, and it hurt to walk after more than a short walk (very annoying pain - it's a growth on a nerve, so it's like toothache, or the 'jarring' pain you get after stepping heavily onto one foot).

I was wondering whether to live with it, or have surgery - so they did a nerve block, where they inject anaesthetic into the affected nerve. It's only a temporary painkiller, but gave me a pain free 24 hours or so, which was a relief, and so I went for the surgery. (I'd been limping for a while, and this was starting to give me back and hip problems, was another reason to have surgery).

Very quick op, done under local, but it does take a while to recover. I couldn't walk on the foot at all for a few days, and it took a while before I could walk normally. The nerve gets bruised and tugged around, so I had a lot of numbness and odd sensation in my foot for a few months afterwards (I wish they'd warned me about that a bit more, as it was a bit alarming, but there we go!).

Now I have numbness between 2 of my middle toes, and in a small patch on the ball of my foot (and a small scar on the top of my foot). But I have no pain, and the numbness doesn't bother me.

Re non surgery - the insoles that help are one that encourage your feet to 'spread'. If you wear tight shoes, or socks, you squeeze your metatarsal bones together, and this squishes the nerves between them. Which is bad, as HippyGalore says. If you put something like a squash ball underneath your foot and gently press your foot down on it, you can feel how you're opening up the space between your metatarsals. Special insoles which have a mild 'bump' pushing the middle of your foot up a little can help a lot, by reducing the 'pinching' that aggravates the neuroma.

(Celebrity sufferers include Wales rugby captain Ryan Jones, who's got such big feet, he has to have boots specially made for him... www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/06/08/how-ace-put-the-spring-back-into-ryan-s-step-91466- 23811427/)

ive had one operated on between big toe and next toe. it was sending electric shocks across my foot. Im afraid the op has made a real mess of my foot coupled with a bunion op.I have a feeling of a dental injection type numness on big toe and next 2 toes which they didnt warn me about and occasionally my toes lock out,like cramp.
The neuroma is caused by the bones squashing the nerve and cusing it to become inflamed and then it just gets bigger as the nerve becomes compromised. it is incredibly painful.You can got silicone gel soles from the hospital orthopaedic dept to see if they will help. My hospital gave me 2 pairs and they are 25 quid a pair. I also had orthotics made with a raised area just behind the neuroma.

also had a depomedrone steroid injection which helped but it took the melanin skin colour out of that area and it now burns in the sun in a patch about 1 and 1/2 inches round.

I have one. Birkenstocks whenever possible are the best answer imo.

i found the Merrell shoes were the most comfortable

Another vote for Birkenstocks from me - they are excellent for 'spreading' and supporting feet, which is what you want to stop aggravating a neuroma.

chucked out all cheap shoes. now i only wear danskos that i buy off ebay in the US. best thing ever. sometimes get some neuroma pads that i can stick in my shoes. much less pain but not all gone. to scared to go for op at this stage.

I have this in both feet. I was told by the podiatrist that surgery was the best answer, but it was only available privately and he was recommending his friend to do the surgery .

I was in the midst of having babies at the time and so being immobile after surgery wasn't an option. I've learned to live with it and it's ok as long as you wear the right footwear as others have said.

I've fancied some Birkenstocks for a while, so will def splash out for summer now!

niggle you can get the steroid injections on the NHS.

Thanks aly. Will try the sandals first though .

Thanks everyone I will pass this on to my friend x

Interesting discussion. I am booked in for the op in September. Been told no local anaesthetic, though, only general, which I can't have, so I have to have a spinal (like epidural).

Pain has got worse over 2 years, really bad in the last 6 months. I was referred for a bunion but the surgeon said the bunion wasn't big enough to cause such pain. Had an ultrasound and found the neuroma about a month ago.

I can only wear men's work boots now. I spent a fortune on Ecco and Noat (like Merrel in the US) shoes, but I can really only wear men's shoes now. I am hoping to at least be able to wear ladie's flat shoes after the op, like the ones I just mentioned.

Good luck.

Just reading about MN and wondered if anyone had come across anyone with 2 on the same foot? yes I have to be greedy. They are between 2&3 and 3&4 toes. Been advised by a consultant that couldn't give me 5 minutes of his time to have an operation, but I'm not sure if this would make things worse. Would be pleased to hear if anyone has had 2 neuromas on one foot.

I think the following informational sites are worth looking at.
www.mortonsneuroma.co.uk
www.mortonsneuroma.net

The NHS information page is:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/mortonsneuroma/Pages/treatmentpage.aspx

good luck

Thanks problemsolver. will have a look at these sites.

Hello it's me again - has anyone heard of acupunture to help treat the neuroma instead of going straight for a surgical option? My friend had been wearing birkenstocks and does find relief with them, it lets her walk around for a longer period of time without discomfort. Thanks everyone

Hi i had surgery to remove my nuroma last week .so far so good so glad i have as the pain is realy bad .anything youd like to no i will try my best to answer.

Hi I found fitflops were fantastic as they have thick soles and absorb all shock to the soles,they also do non posted ones now as well .They realy were a life saver to me ,Post op i bought some orthopedic Crocs these are fantastis after surgery,