Morton neuroma is the thickening of the tissue around leading to the toes. This is a painful foot condition that affects the ball of your foot, especially in the middle of the third and fourth toes. The pain is sharp and burning and sometimes your toes feel numb. With Mortons feet, you always feel like you are standing on a fold in your sock or as if you are standing on a pebble.

Diagnosis

The neuroma specialist conducts a physical examination by pressing on the foot to determine the tender spot. Further examination is recommended to rule out other issues that could be causing the foot pain. An ultrasound would be the best exam because it uses sound waves to create a real-time image of the internal structures of the body. It will reveal the abnormalities of the neuromas. An x-ray can be done to rule out foot pain causes like a stress fracture. The MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to visualize the soft tissues such as the neuromas. This is used when the patient is showing no symptoms of Morton neuromas, but the doctor suspects it could be the issue causing the patient discomfort. 

Morton’s neuroma can be uncomfortable and painful to live with. If you think you have Morton’s neuroma and need neuroma treatment, please reach out to the podiatrist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center. Their doctor, Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale will take care of all your foot and ankle needs plus answer any questions related to foot issues. 

Risk factors contributing to Morton’s neuroma

• Foot deformities such as hammertoes, bunions, flat feet, high arches leave the patients susceptible to the development of this condition.
• High heels or ill-fitting shoes and too-tight shoes, put extra pressure on the ball of the foot and your toes.
• High impact athletic activities such as running or jogging, are subject to repetitive trauma to the feet. Also, sports that feature tight shoes such as rock climbing or skiing put pressure on your shoes.
• Overweight people risk getting Morton neuroma because once they wear a high-heeled shoe the extra weight puts extra pressure on the feet.

Managing neuroma foot

There are various ways of managing the foot condition to improve the symptoms

• Relieve pressure off the foot by using over the counter shoe pads.
• Wear more supportive shoes with a wide toe box. If they have laces avoid tying them too tight. It is recommended that you wear shoes with proper insoles and shock-absorbent soles.
• Avoid pointed toed shoes or too tight shoes. Wear shoes whose heels are not more than 2 inches.
• Apply ice to the inflamed area to reduce swelling and pain.
• Rest your feet as much as possible.
• Massage the painful area of the foot.
• Wear proper athletic footwear with enough padding to cushion the balls whenever you’re taking part in sports or exercising.
• Reduce or manage your body weight so that you improve on the amount of pressure put on your feet.

 Neuroma treatment

Medications

Drugs temporally relieve symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma including pain, though, using medications for long is highly discouraged. Some of the medications used include corticosteroid injections and alcohol sclerosing injections. There are anti-inflammatory drugs that are taken orally to reduce inflammation such as aspirin and ibuprofen. You can have an anesthetic injection to temporarily relieve the pain through numbing the affected nerve.

Orthotics

Custom designed shoe inserts that reduce the pain by offloading the pressure off the nerve. The metatarsal pad is placed in the shoe insole for effective working. Custom made shoe inserts are individually designed to fit the different contours of your foot.

Surgery

When medication and management methods do not effectively relieve pain surgery is the next option. The surgical procedure known as neurectomy is used to remove part of the nerve tissue. Before the neurectomy is performed there is a procedure called cryogenic Neuro ablation therapy.  In this procedure, cold temperatures are applied to the nerves to destroy the sheath that covers the nerve and the nerve cells. Patients who have undergone this therapy are less likely to experience the symptoms of Morton neuroma again.

Decompression surgery can be done by cutting the structures nearby the nerve to relieve the pressure. Some of the structures removed include ligaments that bind the bones.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis affecting one joint at a time. The condition is also known as hyperuricemia, characterized by too much uric acid present in the body. The body is responsible for uric acid production as waste when it is breaking down purines from foods we eat. Once there is extra uric acid in the body, the acidic crystals build up in joints, tissues, and fluids inside the body. Hyperuricemia does not always cause gout, however, if the condition is without gout symptoms, there is no need to treat it.

Foods that cause gout

Foods trigger an attack by raising uric acid levels. Foods that cause gout are high in purine, a natural substance in foods. People with gout cannot efficiently remove excess uric acid from their bodies, causing accumulation and an attack.

Foods that trigger gout attacks contain moderate to a high number of purines.

• Organ meats include liver, brain, kidneys, and sweetbreads.
• Game meats like veal, pheasant, and venison.
• Seafood such as crab, shrimp, scallops, and roe.
• Fish including tuna, herring, haddock, trout, sardines, and mackerel.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages and fructose increase the risk of developing gout or cause gout attacks. These include sugary sodas and fruit juices.
• Added sugars such as honey, high -fructose corn syrup, and agave nectar.
• Yeasts including nutritional yeast, yeast supplements, and brewers’ yeast.
• Refined carbs from cakes, white bread, and cookies.

Gout symptoms

Gout symptoms can be sudden but often happen at night. When the symptoms are worse, they are called flares and when they are less noticeable it is known as remission.

• Joint pain, especially the large joint of your big toe, although it can happen on any joint on the ankles, elbows, fingers, and wrists. The pain is severe in the first 12 hours of happening.
• The discomfort usually happens after the pain subsides. It can last up to a few weeks, but later flares cause prolonged discomfort to the affected joints.
• Redness and inflammation of the affected joints.
• Limited range of motion for the affected joints.

Gout treatment

Gout can be treated with medications and self-management strategies. Both methods have three roles to reduce inflammation, pain, and gout attacks. There are conventional treatments and traditional treatments.

Self-management strategies include adjusting your diet to reduce the number of acute gout attacks by lowering the level of uric acid in the blood. Some dietary adjustments include

• Eliminate or reduce alcohol (beer).
• Drink a lot of non-alcoholic drinks, mainly water.
• Eat non-fat or low-fat dairy products.
• Take soy products, low-fat dairy products, and vitamin C to prevent gout attacks.
• The intake of high-fat dairy products or full-fat products does not affect uric acid levels.
• Eating high purine vegetables does not trigger gout attacks.
• Take plant-based proteins like legumes and beans.
• Eat complex carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain bread.

Medications

Classes of gout treatment medications are

• Xanthine oxidase inhibitors reduce uric acid produced by the body.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation and pain associated with a gout attack.
• Probenecid improves the function of the kidney and its ability to remove uric acid.

At DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center located in Houston, Texas, Ejodamen Shobowale, DPM and her caring staff strive to provide the best comprehensive care for all podiatry and sport medicine related issues. If the foot and ankle issue, is foot-related like toenail fungus or heel pain, or involves foot deformities such as bunions or hammertoes, the foot specialist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center can get you back on your feet as quickly as possible

As we get older, falling could lead to a broken foot or foot fractures that may be the beginning of several hospital trips and health problems. A simple fall could turn into a broken foot, broken ankle, fractured ankle, foot fracture, and a lifetime problem. The risk of falling and developing fall-related complications increases as you get older. The fear of falling is real across those who have experienced a fall and those who have not. Lifestyle and personal factors that can be changed cause falls. It is critical to prevent falling, broken foot, and foot fractures by maintaining your health by

• Maintaining your bone health

If you maintain the strength of your bones, you will prevent fractures. Healthy bones will not prevent a fall, but the bones will not be prone to fractures that will lead to many hospital trips, sometimes disability, and in severe cases, death. You can improve your bone health at any age by increasing the intake of vitamin D and calcium. Some people prefer taking supplements, but you can include good sources of calcium such as dark green leafy vegetables, dairy products, foods fortified with calcium, sardines, soybeans, nuts such as almonds, and salmon with bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is absorbed by the body when one is out in the sun. For older people, the body does not absorb enough vitamin D from the sun, so they need to increase the intake of foods rich in vitamin D or supplements.

• Be physically active

Being physically active is a guard to future falls and cracks, it fortifies the muscles, and builds adaptability. Physical activity improves your sleep, decreases pain from arthritis, and avoids muscle shrinkage. Also, the lungs and heart work well and improve blood flow preventing blood clots.

• Have your hearing and eyesight tested

Changes in sight and hearing may cause a fall causing an ankle break and fractures. Once your eyesight is tested, and if you get new contact lenses, get used to them before moving around with them but always wear them whenever needed. If you have a hearing aid, ensure it fits and you have it all the time.

• Have your medicine reviewed

It is crucial to understand the side effects of the medications you are on. Some might cause imbalance, dizziness, confusion, and make you sleepy. Some medications escalate the side effects when used together. Carry them all and any additional supplements you are taking to the doctor for you to get correct guidance if they are causing the risk of falling. If it is necessary to continue with the medications, the doctor will give you the way forward on the prevention of falling when on medication. 

• Always wear safe footwear

Our feet have lots of nerves that judge the position of our bodies and they need to stay firmly on the ground when standing or taking steps. You can contact a foot doctor who will explain what kind of footwear is suitable for your feet. The soles of the shoes should not be too thick or too thin. Wear rubber-soled shoes, lace shoes, and non-skid shoes that will fully support your feet. Always keep track of how many times you fall although you did not get hurt and share these concerns with a health care professional. It could be a sign of medical problems and sometimes they might recommend physical therapy or the use of walking aids to prevents future falls.

At DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center located in Houston, Texas, Ejodamen Shobowale, DPM and her caring staff strive to provide the best comprehensive care for all podiatry and sport medicine related issues. If the foot and ankle issue, is foot-related like toenail fungus or heel pain, or involves foot deformities such as bunions or hammertoes, the foot specialist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center can get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.