This week I saw quite a few neuromas in the office.  This was more than usual so I wanted to discuss neuromas and what we can do to help patients with neuromas.  I think it is appropriate to first discuss what a neuroma is then what we can do to treat them.

Neuromas seem to be more common in women than men and often present in the 4^th-6^th decade of life.  The first symptoms often include burning and tingling with activities that can be relieved with removal of shoes and rubbing one’s feet.  The neuroma itself is usually between the 3^rd and 4^th digits and is believed to be an enlargement of the nerve.  This is the most common location as two nerves come together in this spot.  The prevailing theory is mechanical stress from the adjacent bones pinch and irritate the nerve.  The response is the nerves can swell from this irritation and a cycle develops.

Treatment can take many forms for a neuroma but some seem to have much better outcomes than others.  I think a steroid injection is a great place to start to see if you can get the inflammation of the nerve to calm it down.  Next I like to try and spread the metatarsal bones out to take pressure off the nerve.  The next stop if patients continue to have been can be a series of dehydrated alcohol injections.  These have great literature support and a success rate of 89%.  I always make sure patients try this before removal of the nerve.  Removal can be accomplished if conservative measures fail and itself is highly effective.

If you have neuroma pain I can help please call 425-391-8666 to request an appointment with Dr Brandon Nelson.  

Neuromas are a benign proliferation of a nerve in the forefoot.  There are many different theories on why this happens.  Most doctors believe it is a compression of the nerve that causes the pain.  The pain is often described as a sharp shooting electrical type of pain.  This usually occurs between the 3^rd and 4^th digits in the foot.  Neuromas are more common in women than men and usually occur between the 4 and 6^th decade of life.

Neuromas treatments can vary from injections to wider shoes to surgical resection of the nerve.  One of the most effective techniques for resolving neuroma pain is alcohol injections.  This is where a physician injects dehydrated alcohol that helps to deaden the covering around the nerve.  I have been utilizing this type of therapy for over 15 years.  It continues to be the most effective treatment for neuromas I have seen.  The success rate is close to 90%.  This is a great option for long term relief of neuroma pain

Patients that fail alcohol injection therapy usually require surgical resection of the nerve.  This involves a small incision on the top or bottom of the foot and dissection to the nerve which is then removed.  This nerve that is removed is a sensory nerve so there is no loss of function but usually a small patch of numbness.

If you have been suffering from neuroma pain make an appointment today and I can help. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

Dr. Timothy Young, a board-certified foot surgeon, discusses neuroma treatments:

Our Doctors have been using Alcohol injections for Morton's Neuroma for over 10 years with excellent success.  Most patients have between 6 - 8 injections at weekly intervals.  Occasionally a "mini-series" will be done after 12 months.  For most patients, there is minimal discomfort after the injections and there is progressive relief from the Neuroma symptoms. 

We typically use between 20-30% dehydrated alcohol.  Ultrasound guidance is critical for correct injection technique.  Most frequently we treat the 3^rd intermetatarsal space, and runner up is the 2^nd intermetatarsal space.  This provides an excellent alternative to surgical treatment, and we also treat stump neuroma problems (where there is reoccurrence of the neuroma symptoms after prior foot surgery).  

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online.