Neuromas

A neuroma is a pinched nerve or tumor. This painful condition usually starts out as a benign nerve tissue outgrowth that's located between the third and fourth toes. If it worsens or gets aggravated, it can cause a nub, burning, tingling, and generally painful sensation on your toes and the balls of your feet. Call your podiatrist immediately if you suspect you're suffering from neuromas.

It has one characteristic symptom: Painful toes when weight is put on them. Neuroma sufferers tend to find comfort and relief when they stop moving about or walking. Relief can also be found from foot massages or shoe removals. It's like having a stone stuck inside your shoe, but there's no stone. Women are the most likely neuroma patients thanks to their high heels and tight shoes.

Though an exact cause remains unknown, the following causes neuroma:

• A neuroma can form from biomechanical deformities like flat feet or high-arched feet.
• Unstable joints from deformed feet can lead to pinched nerve development.
• Damaged, traumatized nerves can swell or inflame into nerve tumors.
• High-heeled, ill-fitting shoes with narrow toe boxes or using the wrong shoes for the wrong activity (e.g., leather shoes for running) can cause neuromas.
• Shoes with three-inch heels and above can cause or worsen a pinched nerve.

Here are the common neuroma symptoms:

• The spaces between your toes and forefoot are in pain
• The balls of your feet are numb or tingling
• Inflammation of the spaces between the toes
• Pressure on the balls of your feet causes pain

Neuroma relief involves the following home treatments:

• Get shoes with wiggle room, laces, adjustable buckles, and low heels to make sure that your shoes won't put pressure on your feet.
• Thick, shock-absorbing insoles prevent foot strain.
• Only wear two-inch high heels if you have to wear high heels. Otherwise, don't even bother with high heels.
• Rest and massages can provide temporary relief to the affected foot.
• An ice pack can help dull the pain too.
• OTC shoe pads can provide neuroma support, but prescription shoe inserts are even better.

Get podiatric medical care ASAP. If you're suffering from pain, discomfort, and any number of common neuroma symptoms outlined above, go to your nearest foot and ankle doctor to get your limb looked at. The longer it's left untreated, the worse it will get.

Neuroma treatment comes on a case-by-case basis. Diagnosing a neuroma early on should be done in order to avoid more expensive methods of treatment, like neuroma removal with the help of a surgeon.

Early treatment recommendations are reserved for underdeveloped neuromas. It includes wearing form-fitting shoes with a lot of leeway for foot growth and has thick soles and wide toe boxes. Neuroma pain relief and aggravation avoidance can help in making the condition go away on its own. As for severe or chronic neuroma, nothing less than surgical tumor removal is called for.

Your early treatment should focus on preventing pinched nerve worsening as well as pressure relief on affected limbs. Diagnosis is important to determine the exact nature of the tumor, thus necessitating x-rays for the sake of ending up with the best neuroma therapy plan depending on your unique circumstances.

Taping and padding provides support to the balls of your feet to relieve neuroma pain. They can also correct any foot abnormalities and deformities that led to neuroma tumor formation. They can assist in keeping that tumor from forming in the first place.

Prescription drugs for neuromas are usually anti-inflammation in nature, which might include cortisone injections. Your foot doctor can handle any acute or chronic pain from neuromas with an accompanying medical prescription for painkillers.

You should acquire orthotics equipment in order to improve feet function and not worsen any pain caused by neuroma. Prescription shoe inserts that are customized will keep you from aggravating your pinched nerve and help you acquire relief from pain.

Neuromas that fail to respond to the abovementioned therapies need to be permanently removed through surgery, especially if the pain they're causing you is chronic and persistent. This is an outpatient type of surgery that involves the removal of the pinched nerve tumor altogether. After the operation is done, it takes several weeks for you to recover.

Your podiatrist will brief you on what the surgery entails. You'll also be informed what would happen if the operation proves successful. Doctor-prescribed painkillers will be given to you if you feel any pain (not from the neuroma) after the operation.

It's still a mystery why neuromas happen. However, to prevent a neuroma, you need to do the following things.

• Have a bit of space and moving room in your exercise shoes for your toes and feet, particularly the toe box part. You should avoid strain by not owning a pair of footwear that's too tight.
• Get footwear with shock-absorbing cushions or padding, particularly on the ball of the feet area.
• Don't get shoes with toe boxes that jam all your toes together like sardines. High heels that are three inches and above are also a no-no.

Dr. Arshia Roohian is presently offering her podiatric services to the following cities: Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine, and Laguna Woods. She also provides professional and dependable therapeutic foot procedures dealing with neuroma. She even does neuroma therapy and surgery every day, so make your appointment with her in real-time through the Internet.