How to treat Morton's neuroma and what it is

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

An overgrowth of nerve tissue located on the sole of the foot, between the 3rd and 4th toes, is called Morton's neuroma. What it is? This fibrous benign neoplasm usually affects one leg, rarely both.

Clinical picture

The progression of pathology with Morton's neuroma gives severe pain - what it is and how to treat it, neuropathologists, orthopedists, surgeons know.

With this disease, nerve conduction is disturbed, reflexes disappear. Morton's neuroma according to ICD 10 is coded under the code M 20.1, when the pathology bends the thumb, or under the code M 77.4, if the metatarsalgia of the foot develops. Different types of manifestations of Morton's neuroma require a different therapeutic approach.

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External manifestations of Morton's neuroma

The disease manifests itself in the form of a thickening of the nerve on the sole, this is accompanied by severe pain, sharply restricts a person's movement. When doctors suspect the development of Morton's metatarsalgia, this indicates a neoplastic neoplasm of the nervous tissue that causes severe pain in the metatarsal joints.

This form of neuroma is treated by oncologists, despite the fact that the neoplasm is considered benign.

With the defeat of the plantar nerve, which is responsible for nerve conduction in the fingers, neurologists distinguish certain forms of pathology:

• Morton's foot, characterized by insufficient development of metatarsal bone tissue, due to which the second toe takes the shape of a hammer;
• interdigital neuroma on the sole is a pathology in its pure, "textbook" form.

How to treat Morton's neuroma, you will have to find out at an appointment with a neurologist. It is noted that most often the neuroma affects the legs of young women. The neuropathologist determines the pathology in the interdigital space at the third toe. Here the tissue becomes thickened with severe pain.

According to anatomy, in this part of the foot, the nerve is divided into branches heading to the lateral surfaces of the fingers, the pain diverges in these directions. According to the reviews of patients who are faced with Morton's neuroma, they already know what it is and how to treat the pathology so as not to bring the disease to surgery.

The disease does not threaten a person's life, but brings him discomfort, severe pain, restriction of movement. It is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner, carry out the necessary diagnostics, treat a neuroma in order to avoid surgical intervention.

Causes of plantar nerve damage by Morton's neuroma

Excessive stress on the feet is the main factor provoking the development of Morton's neuroma on the plantar nerve.

The main reasons for the development of pathology:

• the habit of walking in high heels;
• excess body weight, leading to constant stress on the feet;
• violation of posture;
• long-term infectious disease;
• the need to stand for a long time or walk for a long time, associated with production needs;
• sports activities, the basis of which is emphasis on the feet.

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A late visit to a doctor leads to the development of serious complications. Discomfort and pain in the legs brings a lot of inconvenience, and you do not need to endure them, you need to go to an appointment with a neurologist or surgeon in a timely manner.

It is believed that a timely diagnosed Morton's neuroma, when doctors are convinced that it is, can be cured at home. This disease is quite common; therapeutic, neurological and surgical treatment tactics have been developed.

The risk group consists of patients with diagnosed diseases:

• flat feet;
• deformation of the foot;
• arthrosis;
• bursitis;
• tumor neoplasms.

These diseases lead to infringement of the nerve endings, due to which edema is formed, pathological growth of the sheath of nerve fibers occurs. It becomes difficult for them to fit between the ligaments of the foot.

Morton's neuroma symptoms

The onset of the disease is manifested by a weak feeling of squeezing in the zone of the 3rd and 4th fingers. Already such a symptom should alert a person, show him that a malfunction has occurred in the work of the leg. With the further development of the disease, the symptoms gradually increase.

The main symptoms are:

• pain, burning, loss of sensitivity in the area of the 3rd and 4th fingers;
• severe pain in the foot, in all fingers;
• change in gait;
• numbness of the legs;
• it is difficult to walk in high heels, when changing shoes, the discomfort disappears.

A neglected disease is characterized by pain even at rest. According to patients' reviews, they compare walking in uncomfortable shoes as if walking along the edges of stones.

Diagnostics and treatment of Morton's neuroma

The first step of the patient is to go to the therapist, he examines the condition of the leg, makes a diagnosis. Suspecting a pathology, the therapist sends for consultation to a neurologist, orthopedist, rheumatologist, vascular surgeon.

Morton's neuroma is diagnosed by examinations:

• palpation;
• radiography;
• CT, MRI;
• Ultrasound.

Based on the results of the examination, doctors direct treatment to relieve pressure on the affected nerve tissue. For this, the patient changes his style of shoes, chooses models with extended noses, small heels.

Conservative treatment includes local pain relievers. The severe condition of the leg requires injecting hormones. Treatment of Morton's disease with medication soothes pain only 3 months after therapy.

Neuroma is treated with physiotherapy:

• magnet;
• electrophoresis;
• UHT;
• massages;
• acupuncture.

If the disease is in an advanced state, its progress is stopped only by surgery. Surgeons suggest opening the metatarsal canal, dissecting or removing the neuroma. All operations are performed under general anesthesia.

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Surgical methods:

1. Removal of a neuroma.
2. Ligament dissection; relapses are likely after this operation.
3. Removal of Morton's neuroma with a laser.
4. Ablation of Morton's neuroma by radiofrequency method.

Rare cases of advanced disease require artificially breaking the bone in order to displace it and release the compressed nerve tissue. Such an operation is performed without incisions, with X-ray control.

Neuroma and neuroma

Neurinoma grows on the cells of the nerve sheaths in the peripheral zones, on their ditches, roots. In the practice of neurologists and surgeons, there are single tumors or multiple thickening of the nerves. These formations tend to turn into the form of a malignant sarcoma, which is how they differ from a neuroma.

They practically do not differ in symptoms, the difference in formations is shown only on the diagnosis of CT, MRI, ultrasound. Then oncologists take over the treatment of the disease. Neurinomas appear as dense nodules on small nerve endings. The slightest touch is answered with sharp shooting pains. Their development is slow, accompanied by paresthesia and, in rare cases, paralysis. What is Morton's neuroma, and how it is treated, patients learn from an oncologist.

In the early stages of neuroma formation, it is treated conservatively, using the same scheme as in the treatment of neuroma, with the same drugs. A radical method of removing a neoplasm is used when drug treatment is ineffective.

Now you know what kind of disease it is and how to treat it - the main thing is to consult a doctor in a timely manner!