Key takeaways:
A neuroma is a noncancerous growth of extra nerves that can cause pain and burning, especially with pressure.
The most common kind of neuroma — Morton’s neuroma — affects the ball of the foot.
Some neuromas go away on their own. For those that hang around, treatment options include pressure relief on the area, steroid injections, or surgery.
Have you noticed a tender, hard lump just below the skin — especially on the ball of your foot? Is that lump causing burning, numbness, or tingling? It might be a neuroma, or growth of extra nerve tissue.
There are several types of neuroma. Here we’ll discuss traumatic neuromas, which can occur after nerve injury. They are not dangerous, but they can cause bothersome symptoms. In this article, we discuss the causes, diagnosis, and treatments of traumatic neuromas.
What is a neuroma?
To understand neuromas, we first need to understand nerves. Nerves are long tubes of cells and tissue that transmit signals from the body to the brain, and vice versa. Nerves allow us to feel and move.
Search and compare options
When a nerve is injured — for example, from repeated force or surgery — it usually heals with time (just like skin after a cut). But sometimes the healing process doesn’t go as planned. Instead of growing back in a long tube, the nerve grows back in a disorganized ball shape (like a marble). It’s called a neuroma, since “neuro” means nerve, and “oma” means growth.
Neuromas caused by nerve injury (traumatic neuromas) are benign — that is, not cancerous.
Causes of traumatic neuromas include:
Trauma to an area
Repetitive pressure or irritation to an area (like tight shoes)
Surgery
Amputation of a limb or digit
There are rarer types of neuromas that aren’t caused by nerve injury. These are different from what we’re talking about here. For example, an acoustic neuroma is a cancer of nerve cells inside the ear.
Morton’s neuroma
The most common kind of traumatic neuroma is a Morton’s neuroma. It can feel like having a pebble in your shoe, causing pain in the ball of your foot. It can also cause pain and numbness in the toes.
Morton’s neuroma can happen when a nerve between the long bones of the foot is injured, compressed, or irritated. For example, tight, narrow shoes (like high heels) or repetitive trauma (like running) can lead to a Morton’s neuroma. It usually happens between the third and fourth toes, and it’s five times more common in women.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
What are the symptoms of a neuroma?
Many neuromas don’t cause symptoms. But when they do, sharp, burning pain is common.
Other symptoms of neuromas include:
Tenderness or discomfort
Pain with weight-bearing (Morton’s neuroma)
Painful clicking sounds with movement
Numbness or tingling
Pain or electric shock sensation when there’s pressure on the neuroma
How do you diagnose a neuroma?
Your healthcare provider can usually diagnose a neuroma with your history and a physical exam. That means they can make the diagnosis just by asking questions and examining the area.
For example, a simple test can help diagnose a Morton’s neuroma. Your provider will pinch the top and bottom of the foot between the thumb and index of one hand, then gently squeeze the sides of the foot with the other hand. The test is positive if the provider feels a click underneath the fingers or if the test causes pain in the area between the toes.
If the diagnosis is less clear, other imaging tests may be helpful. For example, if your provider suspects a Morton’s neuroma, they may order X-rays of the foot to rule out other causes of pain. They can also use tests like ultrasound or MRI to visualize the neuroma itself.
How do you treat a neuroma?
Treatment of a neuroma depends on where it is on your body and how severe it is. Not all neuromas need treatment, since some go away on their own.
It’s best to start with simple treatments that aren’t very risky. Examples include:
Ice and elevation: These simple treatments can reduce swelling.
Pressure relief: Shoes with a wide toe box or orthotic inserts can help to take pressure off a Morton’s neuromas. For neuroma after amputation, prosthesis refitting can do the same.
Topical medications: These medications can help to relieve pain. Examples include diclofenac gel and lidocaine cream.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs): These can also help with pain relief. Ibuprofen (Advil) is one option.
When simple treatments don’t work, procedures are the next step. Your healthcare provider might start with a steroid injection. They use a small needle to inject a steroid medication into the area to reduce inflammation and pain.
When it comes to Morton’s neuromas, steroid injections may relieve pain for weeks to months at a time. When combined with changes in footwear, they can be curative for most people.
Your provider may recommend surgery to remove the neuroma when other measures don’t work. But it’s not a first-choice treatment. That’s because there’s a risk of pain, numbness, and recurrence of the neuroma after surgery.
The bottom line
Traumatic neuromas are noncancerous growths of nerve cells that can cause pain, burning, and numbness. They aren’t dangerous, but they can cause bothersome symptoms. The good news is some neuromas go away on their own. There are also plenty of treatment options that can help.
Why trust our experts?
References
Choi, J. Y., et al. (2021). Corticosteroid injection for Morton's interdigital neuroma: A systematic review. Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery.
Munir, U., et al. (2022). Morton neuroma. StatPearls.
OrthoInfo. (2012). Morton’s neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Singh, S. K., et al. (2005). The surgical treatment of Morton’s neuroma. Current Orthopaedics.
Zabaglo, M., et al. (2022). Neuroma. StatPearls.
