Neuromas in Newport Beach

A neuroma is a very painful foot condition that’s regularly referred to as a “nerve tumor” or a “pinched nerve.” When you experience pain in one or both of your feet, the presence of pain can make it difficult to walk, exercise, and perform your usual daily activities.

Woman taking of sneakers and putting on heals

About Neuromas

A neuroma is a kind of pinched nerve that can occur within the ball of your foot — which means that you will go through pain until you receive some form of treatment for the condition. Once you have a better understanding of what neuromas are and what can cause them to develop, you will be able to get the treatment you need.

The Importance of Treating Neuromas

A neuroma occurs when the tissue surrounding the nerve thickens. This growth is benign, and is most often found between your third and fourth toes. The pain and other symptoms that derive from neuromas will be felt on the ball of your foot, which will worsen without treatment. In addition, if left untreated, a neuroma can eventually lead to permanent damage to the affected nerve.

How Can a Neuroma Develop?

It can be difficult to determine exactly what can cause a neuroma to develop, since anything that causes irritation or compression of the nerve can lead to it. Although determining the cause can be difficult, there are a variety of risk factors that are known to make a person more likely to suffer from a neuroma at some point in your lifetime.

Risk Factors for Neuromas

If you have a somewhat unique foot shape, such as a flat foot or high-arched foot, it’s possible that a neuroma can form because of the increase in toe joint instability caused by these foot shapes.
If high amounts of stress are placed on this area of your foot from your occupation, you may begin to notice the formation of a neuroma.
Certain trauma can damage the nerve, which can cause the nerve to become swollen and inflamed.
Make sure that you wear the right footwear. High-heeled shoes can create undue amounts of pressure at the front of your foot and may increase your chances of suffering from a neuroma. Whenever you’re considering buying new shoes, it’s important to purchase wide toe box shoes.

Primary Symptoms of Neuroma

The symptoms that come with the formation of a neuroma make it relatively easy to diagnose the problem. The pain that you experience will occur between your toes and around the forefoot. This pain is oftentimes severe, and can feel like a sharp or burning sensation. Although the pain can radiate out to your toes, you’ll primarily experience it when you place weight on the foot while walking.

Additional symptoms that you should be on the lookout for include swelling between your toes and numbness and tingling within the ball of your foot. The symptoms will become progressively worse and can last for weeks. If the neuroma happens to enlarge and cause permanent nerve damage, it’s likely that the pain and other symptoms will become even more intense, which is why obtaining the right treatment is so important.