A Morton’s neuroma is a condition that causes pain in the foot due to swelling or tumor of the small nerves of the foot.
 

Anatomy
The nerves of the foot run into the forefoot and out to the toes between the long bones of the feet. Once they reach the end, they split and continue out to the end of the toes. Each nerve splits to supply sensation to half of two different toes. A Morton’s neuroma occurs just before the nerve splits into the two branches. The cause of the neuroma is not entirely understood but likely results from chronic injury to the nerve in this area.
 

Symptoms
The neuroma usually causes pain in the ball of the foot with weight bearing. Many people with this condition report feeling a painful “catching” sensation while walking and many report sharp pains that radiate out to the two toes along the course of the involved nerve.
 

Diagnosis
The diagnosis is usually made based on history and physical examination alone. X-rays are only useful to make sure the pain is not coming from some other cause such as a stress fracture.
 

Medical Treatment
Treatment of Morton’s neuroma usually begins with shoe adaptations. Sometimes simply moving to a wider shoe will reduce or eliminate the symptoms. New research shows locally injecting the nerve over a series of several weeks with a sclerosing agent may resolve the symptoms without surgery. However, if this fails to resolve the pain, surgery may be suggested to remove a portion of the nerve.