Foot discomfort is big business…just look at late-night infomercials, the pharmacy’s foot-care aisle, the SkyMall on a flight, or the retail establishments that cater to people with foot pain. However, not all insoles are created equal.
While anti-inflammatory medication, whether taken orally or through a cortisone injection, is often successful in reducing the pain of Morton’s neuroma, there are other options. Sclerosing injections are effective in decreasing neuroma as well as reducing inflammation. Dehydrated alcohol is used in these injections to achieve this. While the majority of individuals benefit from this treatment, some do not.
A Morton’s Neuroma can be treated with a variety of conservative methods. When conservative treatment fails to reduce the pain associated with the neuroma, surgery is reserved as a last resort. In my years as a Houston podiatrist, I estimate that about 30% of my neuroma patients require surgery.
Many types of foot surgery, such as bunion or hammertoe surgery, require a custom orthotic device to prevent the deformity from returning. Some people believe that because a neuroma does not return after surgery and the nerve cannot regenerate, an orthotic is not required. Another reason to use a custom orthotic following neuroma surgery is comfort.
After your neuroma surgery, you should wear a postoperative shoe. A surgical dressing is done to your foot after Morton’s neuroma surgery. The surgical shoe is required because of the size of the dressing. The shoe is open to allow for easy and comfortable dressing. It also relieves pressure on the incision site and allows room for any edema that may arise.
Morton’s neuroma pain might be exacerbated by wearing high heels. Narrow shoes compress the metatarsal bones, putting additional pressure on the nerve. It helps to explain why a neuroma hurts more in a closed shoe than in a more open sandal. High heels also put great pressure on the ball of the foot, aggravating neuroma symptoms. Some women claim that the higher the heel, the more discomfort they experience, and many are forced to wear flats.
