Big news of the week - I am now most certain that I have a 'morton's neuroma'. What is that you ask??
Morton's neuroma is an injury to the nerve between the toes, which causes thickening and pain. It commonly affects the nerve that travels between the third and fourth toes.
See also: Foot pain
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Morton's neuroma is more common in women than in men.
The exact cause is unknown. However, some experts believe the following may play a role in the development of this condition:
- Abnormal positioning of toes
- Forefoot problems, including bunions and hammer toes
- Tight shoes and high heels
Symptoms
Symptoms of Morton's neuroma include:
- Tingling in the space between the third and fourth toes
- Toe cramping
- Sharp, shooting, or burning pains in the ball of your foot (and sometimes toes)
- Pain that increases when wearing shoes or pressing on the area
- Pain that gets worse over time
In rare cases, nerve pain occurs in the space between the second and third toes. This is not a common form of Morton's neuroma, but treatment is similar.
Signs and tests
Your health care provider can usually diagnose this problem by examining your foot. A foot x-ray may be done to rule out bone problems. MRI or high-resolution ultrasound can successfully diagnose Morton's neuroma.
Nerve testing (electromyography) cannot diagnose Morton's neuroma, but may be used to rule out conditions that cause similar symptoms.
Blood tests may be done to check for inflammation-related conditions, including certain forms of arthritis.
Treatment
Nonsurgical treatment is tried first. Your doctor may recommend any of the following:
- Padding and taping the toe area
- Shoe inserts
- Changes to footwear (for example, shoes with wider toe boxes)
- Anti-inflammatory medicines taken by mouth or injected into the toe area
- Nerve blocking medicines injected into the toe area
- Other painkillers
- Physical therapy
Anti-inflammatories and painkillers are not recommended for long-term treatment.
In some cases, surgery may be needed to remove the thickened tissue. This can help relieve pain and improve foot function. Numbness after surgery is permanent, but should not be painful.
Expectations (prognosis)
Nonsurgical treatment does not always improve symptoms. Surgery to remove the thickened tissue is successful in about 85% of cases.
Complications
Morton's neuroma can make walking difficult. Persons with this foot condition may also have trouble performing activities that put pressure on the foot, such as pressing the gas pedal of an automobile. It may hurt to wear certain types of shoes, such as high-heels.
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have persistent pain or tingling in your foot or toe area.
Prevention
Nice hey?? So this week, I got I got a shot in my foot also known as the 5th item on the treatment list
"Nerve blocking medicines injected into the toe area"
Actually a shot in each foot.
I was planning on just getting the lidocaine shot, but Dr. Bolokowski convinced me to get the cortisone shots at the same time. Money talked that day. Not only would I save $90, I would save another trip and appointment with the doctor. So I got the shot and went on my 2 hour test run to see if I had any foot pain. . . . miraculously ( that is how it felt!) I had NO TOE PAIN!! But I did not expect to feel so many other things!! It was like once the pain in my toes was removed, I felt . . tired, and sore, and although my feet had no pain, they did still go numb . . . . it was the weirdest thing.... It could have been that it was noon on the hottest day of the summer so far, I was running with no hat, or sunscreen, or hydration, or nutrition. I got slower and slower and slower, had to make a pit stop at the 'movie mill' for some GI issues - walked the last mile home and learned ANOTHER valuable lesson that day ( or learned it AGAIN . . . .
I got my Garmin back this week. It is making me feel slow. . . sigh - oh well, reality sucks sometimes.
Monday - Brick (30min bike/ 30 minute run)
Tuesday - Swim - hmmm - got kicked out for lightening. 60 minute bike ride (back on the trainer again), which I did inside as it was still thundering and lightening. Watched a couple episodes of 'Lie to me'.
Wednesday - supposed to do my tempo run, but I got an appointment for the foot doctor for Thursday, so I am moving my tempo run to tomorrow. Today I will get in yesterday's swim - - feeling a little confused when I move stuff around, but still fitting it all in.
Thursday - went to the foot doctor, Dr. Bolokowski. Went to get my lidocaine shot. . . came out with a lidocaine and cortisone shot. . . . . went for my 10 mile run "8 mile tempo run" in the heat of the day on the hottest day of the year so far, without nutrition, or hydration, hat or sunscreen, . . . . learned another valuable lesson. . . . heat stroke = exhaustion, and GI issues - - oh how I detest GI issues....
Friday - swim - got kicked out early for their "staff meeting"...... there were 2 staff members there. . . . grrrr, I was a bit frustrated, so I went for a little longer bike ride to make up the difference. . . . still frustrated.
Saturday - 5 mile run with my "run like a mother" friends . . . . 5 miles on my own.
"When I think about what sort of person I would most like
to have on a retainer, I think it would be a boss.
A boss who could tell me what to do, because that makes everything easy when you're working."
- Andy Warhol
Thank heaven for Erin (my coach) - She is like the boss in this quote - - I feel just like this!
Thank heaven for Erin (my coach) - She is like the boss in this quote - - I feel just like this!
