Neuroma - Orange County

Neuroma Treatment in Orange County

Our Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon can evaluate and treat your neuroma of the foot at our Irvine, Orange, or Huntington Beach, CA offices.

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If you sometimes feel that you are "walking on a marble" and you have persistent pain in the ball of your foot, you may have a condition called a neuroma. A neuroma is a thickening of the tissue that surrounds the digital nerve leading to the toes. It occurs as the nerve passes under the ligament connecting the bones (metatarsals) in the forefoot.

 

Neuroma in Orange County most frequently develops between the third and fourth toes, usually in response to irritation, trauma, or excessive pressure. The incidence of neuroma is eight to 10 times greater in women than in men. Normally, there are no outward signs of neuroma such as a lump that can be felt.

 

Symptoms of neuroma in Orange County often include a burning pain in the ball of the foot that may radiate into the toes. The pain generally intensifies with activity or wearing shoes. Night pain is rare. There may also be numbness or an unpleasant feeling in the toes. Runners may feel pain as they push off from the starting block. High-heeled shoes, which put the foot in a similar position to the push-off, can also aggravate the condition. Tight, narrow shoes also aggravate this condition by compressing the toe bones and pinching the nerve. 

 

During the examination, your Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon will feel for a palpable mass or a "click" between the bones. He will put pressure on the spaces between the toe bones to try to replicate the pain and look for calluses or evidence of stress fractures in the bones that might be the cause of the pain. Range-of-motion tests will rule out arthritis or joint inflammation. X-rays may be required to rule out a stress fracture or arthritis of the joints that join the toes to the foot.

Initial therapies are nonsurgical and relatively simple. They can involve one or more of the following treatments:

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• Changes in footwear. Avoid high heels or tight shoes and wear wider shoes with lower heels and a soft sole. This enables the bones to spread out and may reduce pressure on the nerve, giving it time to heal.

• Orthotics. Custom shoe inserts and pads also help relieve irritation by lifting and separating the bones, reducing the pressure on the nerve.

• Injection. One or more injections of a corticosteroid medication can reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerve, bringing some relief. 

 

Several studies have shown that a combination of roomier and more comfortable shoes, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, custom foot orthoses and cortisone injections provide relief in around 80 percent of people with neuroma. If conservative treatment does not relieve your symptoms, our Orange County Foot and Ankle Surgeon may discuss surgical treatment options with you.

 

Our Orange County Foot Doctor uses the most advanced minimally invasive techniques for surgical treatment of your neuroma. Initial surgical treatment usually consists of a minimally invasive out-patient procedure called "Radiofrequency Ablation", in which the nerve is cauterized through a tiny incision. A light post-operative dressing is placed on the foot and the patient is usually walking the following day with very little restriction.

 

In cases where minimally invasive techniques are not indicated or have failed to improve your symptoms, surgery for neuroma in Orange County consists of resecting a small portion of the nerve and releasing the tissue around the nerve. While the recovery period is a longer, patients still generally experience a short time to recovery.

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Please contact our office in Irvine, Orange, or Huntington Beach in Orange County, CA to make an appointment with our foot and ankle surgeon / podiatrist (Dr. Coyer) to discuss neuroma treatment in Orange County in detail.