A podiatrist can help you with a variety of conditions that affect the feet, including Morton’s neuroma. A neuroma is the thickening of nerve tissue in the body, with Morton's neuroma specifically happening in the ball of the foot. It’s caused by an irritation in the nerve between the third and fourth toes. Patients experience pain while walking, with a burning, tingling, or numbness. 

• Trauma or injury to the foot, damaging the nerve and resulting in swelling.
• Improper footwear, like shoes that squeeze the foot together. High heels also increase pressure on the vulnerable areas.
• Recurring stress to the feet through repeated physical activities or exercise. This is common with patients who are constantly on their feet due to their job. 
• Deformities of the foot, like a high arch or flat foot. These lead to instability throughout the foot. 

• Taping and padding: This is a special type of tape and bandages that you place on the bottom of the foot. This helps with your symptoms. 
• Orthotics: These are the custom shoes that your podiatrist can create for you. 
• Medication: Cortisone injections reduce the pain and inflammation in the foot. Anti-inflammatory drugs also reduce your swelling. 
• Surgery is the last resort for treatment. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis. The injured nerve is removed and recovery takes a few weeks.

Are you dealing with pain, burning, tingling or numbness between your toes or in the ball of the foot? If you said “yes” then you could be dealing with a neuroma, a pinched nerve or benign tumor of the nerve that is often found between the third and fourth toes.

The classic symptom of a neuroma is pain, particularly when walking—a factor that leads many people to liken the condition to feeling like a pebble is in their shoe. You may find that the pain eases up whenever you aren’t walking or when you rub the pained area with your hands. While neuromas can happen to anyone, they are most commonly found in women.

Neuroma Causes

While the causes of a neuroma are still not clear, there are factors that can increase the likelihood of developing one, such as:

• Extremely high arches
• Flat feet
• Trauma that leads to nerve damage in the feet
• Improper footwear (high heels over two-inches tall; pointed toes)
• Repeated stress placed on the foot

Treating a Neuroma

A neuroma will not go away on its own, so it’s important to see a podiatrist if you are experiencing any of the condition's symptoms. The type of treatment or treatments recommended to you will depend on the severity of the neuroma.

Those with minor neuromas may be able to lessen symptoms by wearing shoes that provide ample room for the toes and offer thick soles that provide more support and cushioning for the toes and balls of the feet. Sometimes a podiatrist may recommend custom orthotics to place inside the shoes, as well.

Your podiatrist may also recommend padding or taping the ball of the foot to improve faulty biomechanics and reduce discomfort. While medication will not eliminate the problem, it can temporarily alleviate symptoms. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can often briefly reduce pain and swelling, but for those dealing with more severe pain, steroid injections may be necessary to ease symptoms.

Surgery for a Neuroma

Surgery only becomes necessary when conservative treatment options have failed to provide relief, or when the neuroma has progressed enough that conservative care won’t be enough. During surgery, the inflamed nerve is removed through a simple outpatient procedure. Afterward, there is a short recovery period of a couple of weeks before patients are able to move about pain-free once again!

Give us a Call!

If you are dealing with new or worsening foot pain it’s important that you turn to a podiatrist that can help give you the answers you need. Schedule an appointment today.

A new workout for women started by a gym in Los Angeles involves breaking a sweat...in stilettos. This new workout can cause serious pain for your feet, despite the appealing nature of exercises. The purpose of working out in high heels is to strengthening your core but it can put a lot of pressure and tension not only on a your back, but especially on your feet.

Conditions like bunions and neuroma are very common with wearing high heels and to wear them while working out can make your chance of developing them even greater.

If wearing high heels has been giving your feet and/or ankle pain as a result of heels, you should seek the aid of a podiatrist like Dr. Zahid Ladha, F.A.C.F.A.S. of Foot First Podiatry who can determine the cause of your pain as well as provide appropriate treatment options for you.

Wearing High Heels and How it Affects Feet

High heels affect what parts of the body?

· Joints in the Ankle
· Balls of the Feet
· Achilles Tendon
· Knees – heels cause the knees to bend constantly, creating stress on them
· Back – they decrease the spine’s ability to absorb shock, which may lead to back pain.  Also, the vertebrae of the lower back may compress.

What problems can arise from long term use of high heels?

· Calluses
· Corns
· Morton’s Neuroma
· Plantar Fasciitis
· Bunions
· Hammertoe

How can I maintain my foot health and still wear high heels?

For more information on maintaining proper foot health while wearing high heels, visit our link at the bottom.

If you have any questions, contact our office in New Albany, IN. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read the full article on The Effects on High Heels.