The thickening of the nerve tissue is neuroma.It is a non-cancerous growth of the nerve cell.The nerve may enlarge in any part of the body. Morton’s neuroma is one of the most common neuroma.Since the thickening is around a nerve at the base of the toes between the third and fourth toes, it is also known as inter-metatarsal neuroma.Morton’s neuroma is the result of the compression and irritation of the nerve.This is more common to women than in men.Women’s wearing of confining shoes may be the cause of this. More invasive treatments or surgery can be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment of this foot problem.
The patient will feel a localized pain in the inter-space between the third and fourth toe in Morton’s neuroma.Sharp or dull pain could be felt.Burning pain in the ball of foot, numbness in the toes, and cramping will also be experienced by the patient.People with foot deformities such as flat feet, bunions, hammertoes, or more flexible feet are at a higher risk of developing Morton’s neuroma, as well as those wearing high-heeled and tapered toe box shoes.Activities such as racquet sports and running and injury or trauma to the area may also cause Morton’s neuroma.
Accurate diagnosis can successfully help in treating Morton’s neuroma.To diagnose the foot problem the podiatrist will ask the patient about the symptoms and will examine the foot comprehensively.Thorough examination of the foot includes palpating the area to elicit pain and applying pressure in the spaces between the toes to feel the neuroma. He will feel for signs of stress fractures.
Checking for Mulder’s sign is done by the podiatristMulder’s sign is an audible click that occurs when the affected interspace is palpated with one hand and at the same time squeezing the entire foot with the other hand.Diagnosis can be helped by this since many cases of Morton’s neuroma causes an audible click or Mulder’s sign.
The podiatrist will request for an x-ray on the affected area to make certain that there is no fracture.It can also rule out osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis since an x-ray can be used to check on the joints and the bone density.By conducting an MRI, the podiatrist will rule out the possibility that the compression is caused by a tumor.To determine the size of the neuroma and the best treatment for it, an MRI is conducted.
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