Neuroma Treatment

Neuroma Treatment

Neuroma treatment in the early stages can be as simple as wearing wide shoes, so there is no compression around the ball of the foot.  Longer standing neuromas can cause temporary inflammation of the nerve or permanent enlargement of the plantar digital nerves.  Many times if the pressure is taken away and the trauma removed the symptoms will resolve on their own, if the aggravating factors return the symptoms will as well. Special pads called metatarsal pads can be used to splay the metatarsals, this reduces the pressure and trauma on the neuroma and the symptoms.  Other treatments include surgery, steroid injections, stretching exercises, padding, and NSAIDS like ibuprofen.

Other treatments include surgery, steroid injections, stretching exercises, padding, and NSAIDS like ibuprofen. Surgical intervention of neuromas is not very effective in many cases.  When the neuroma is removed the nerve tries to regrow, doctors are trying to prevent this regrowth by capping the nerve, burying it, or destroying it. None of these methods have proven effective 100% of the time.  Steroid injections can reduce the inflammation in the area, however if the trauma persists the inflammation will return when the steroid stops working.

Many times I will use a combination of padding and other conservative treatments to maintain the comfort of my patients, with great success.