Is this burning foot pain a neuroma?

Have you experienced a sharp or burning pain to your toes? Maybe you've felt like your sock was bunched up in your shoe, but when you looked, nothing was there. You could be experiencing the pain of a neuroma. This is a thickening or enlargement of a nerve due to compression and irritation. The most common place to experience this is in between the third and fourth digits of your foot.

What causes a neuroma? Wearing high heeled shoes or shoes with a narrow toe box that cause the toes to be pinched together can lead to these symptoms. Those people with hammertoes, flatfeet, or those who have repetitive stress to the ball of the foot from sports can also develop a neuroma.

There are multiple treatment options available try and alleviate the pain of a neuroma. Padding techniques can help decrease pressure to the painful nerve. Custom orthotics can also help achieve this goal. Avoiding narrow shoes and high heels is also helpful. Try to wear shoes with a wider toe box. Anti-inflammatory medications and injection therapy can also reduce pain. Some patients will go on to have surgical removal of the neuroma if there is not adequate response to conservative treatment. Discussion of your symptoms with your podiatrist can help determine which treatment is best for you.