Neuroma Treatment: Relief for Foot Pain and Nerve Discomfort in Joliet & Channahon, IL
If you’ve ever felt a burning or tingling sensation between your toes or in the ball of your foot, you may be dealing with a neuroma. This common condition, called Morton’s neuroma, involves thickened nerve tissue that can cause significant pain and discomfort. At Foot and Ankle Health Center in Joliet and Channahon, IL, Dr. Steven B. Overpeck provides expert diagnosis and treatment to help relieve symptoms and restore comfort.
What Is a Neuroma?
A neuroma is a thickening or inflammation of the nerve tissue, usually between the third and fourth toes. It is most often the result of irritation or pressure from shoes, repetitive use, or biomechanical issues with the foot, like flat feet or high arches. Symptoms can include sharp, burning pain in the forefoot, numbness, tingling, or the sensation of walking on a pebble.
When to Seek Help
Symptoms of a neuroma may initially be mild but typically worsen over time if not treated. Most patients have pain when walking or when shoes fit too tightly. If you're having persistent pain, tingling, or swelling in the forefoot, it's time to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist for an evaluation.
How We Treat Neuromas
At Foot and Ankle Health Center, we begin with a physical exam and may use imaging to provide a definitive diagnosis and rule out other issues. Dr. Overpeck will develop a personalized treatment plan based on your specific case to reduce nerve pressure and relieve your symptoms.
Conservative treatment is often very effective. It may be as simple as a shoe change, wearing custom orthotics to support the arch and cushion the foot, or a trial of anti-inflammatory medication. In more stubborn cases, cortisone injections may also reduce inflammation and pain.
In more advanced cases that are unresponsive to non-surgical treatment, surgery may be an option. Dr. Overpeck can discuss neuroma removal surgeries or surgeries to decompress the nerve, always with your recovery and comfort in mind.
Preventing Neuromas
Wearing supportive shoes with plenty of room in the toe box and avoiding high heels or narrow shoes are important steps to reduce risk. If you have flat feet, high arches, or other structural concerns, custom orthotics can help distribute pressure evenly across the foot.
