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Academy Foot and Ankle
1940 East State Hwy 114 Suite 150Southlake, TX 76092817-424-3668
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  • Home
  • Our Doctors
    • Paul T. Marciano, D.P.M.
    • Gregory J. Amelung, D.P.M.
    • Joel Dacus, D.P.M.
    • Philip Parr, DPM, MS
    • Larissa P. Rolim D.P.M., M.S.
    • Masoud Moradi, DPM, FAAPSM
  • Our Offices
    • Southlake
    • Keller (Fort Worth)
    • Hurst
    • Flower Mound
  • Conditions We Treat
    • Ankle Surgery
      • Ankle Arthroscopy
      • Total Ankle Replacement
      • Chronic Ankle Instability
      • Achilles Tendon Repair
    • Arthritis
      • Arthritis
      • Arthritis Surgery
      • Hallux Limitus/Hallux Rigidus
      • Spurs
      • Freiberg's Disease
      • Gout
      • Charcot Foot
    • Ball of Foot Pain
      • Capsulitis
      • Metatarsalgia
      • Metatarsal Surgery
      • Neuroma
      • Sesamoiditis
    • Bunions/Bunionettes
      • Bunions
      • Hallux Limitus/Hallux Rigidus
      • Tailor's Bunion (Bunionette)
      • Hallux Varus
      • Bunion Surgery
    • Congenital Deformities
      • Clubfoot
      • Dysplasia
      • Enchondroma
      • Gordon Syndrome
      • In-toeing
      • Jackson-Weiss Syndrome
      • Overlapping or Underlapping Toes
      • Pediatric Flatfoot
    • Corns/Calluses
      • Corns
      • Calluses
      • Heel Callus
    • Crossover Toe
    • Diabetic Foot
      • What Is Diabetes?
      • Diabetic Foot Care
      • Peripheral Arterial Disease
      • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
      • Charcot Foot
      • Neuropathy
      • Gangrene
      • Ulcers
      • Diabetic Complications: Amputation Prevention
      • Diabetic Shoes
    • Equinus
    • Flatfeet
      • Flatfeet
      • Pediatric Flatfoot
      • Adult Flatfoot
      • Flatfoot Correction
      • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
      • Tarsal Coalition
    • Fractures/Trauma
      • What Is A Fracture?
      • Toe Fractures
      • Foot Fractures
      • Ankle Fractures
      • Pediatric Fractures
      • Stress Fractures
    • Hammertoes
      • Hammertoes
      • Mallet Toes
      • Claw Toes
      • Hammertoe Surgery
      • Crossover Toe
    • Heel Pain
      • Plantar Fasciitis or Heel Pain
      • Spurs
      • Plantar Fibromas
      • Haglunds Deformity
      • Pediatric Heel Pain (Sever's Disease)
    • Ingrown Toenails
    • Nail Fungus
      • Black Toenails
      • Common Fungal Problems
      • Nail Fungus
    • Nerve Conditions
      • Neuropathy
      • Alcoholic Neuropathy
      • Neuroma
      • Spasms
      • Ulcers/Wounds
      • Neurolysis
      • Charcot Foot
    • Pediatric Conditions
      • Children's Feet
      • Pediatric Flatfoot
      • Pediatric Heel Pain (Sever's Disease)
      • Tarsal Coalition
      • Pediatric Fractures
      • Kohler's Disease
      • Intoeing
      • Athlete's Foot
      • Smelly Feet and Foot Odor
      • Ingrown Toenails
      • Warts
    • Skin Conditions
      • Allergies
      • Athlete's Foot
      • Blisters
      • Neuropathy
      • Common Fungal Problems
      • Calluses
      • Chilblains
      • Corns
      • Cysts-Ganglions
      • Frostbite
      • Nail Fungus
      • Gangrene
      • Heel Fissures
      • Kaposi's Sarcoma
      • Lesions
      • Psoriasis
      • Smelly Feet/Foot Odor
      • Swelling
      • Ulcers/Wounds
      • Warts
    • Strains/Sprains/Sports Medicine
      • Achilles Tendon Repair
      • Ankle Sprain Injuries
      • Athletic Foot Care
      • Chronic Ankle Instability
      • Osteochondritis of the Ankle
      • Peroneal Tendon Dislocation/Dysfunction
      • R.I.C.E. Protocol
      • Shin Splints
      • Spasms
      • Sports Injuries
        • Baseball Injuries
        • Basketball Injuries
        • Cheer and Dance Injuries
        • Field Hockey Injuries
        • Football Injuries
        • Golf Injuries
        • Lacrosse Injuries
        • Rugby Injuries
        • Running and Track Injuries
        • Soccer Injuries
        • Softball Injuries
        • Tennis Injuries
        • Volleyball Injuries
      • Turf Toe
    • Tendonitis
      • Achilles Tendonitis
        • Xanthomas of the Achilles Tendon
      • Extensor Tendonitis
      • Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
    • Toenail Conditions
      • Ingrown Toenails
      • Nail Fungus
      • Subungal Exotosis
    • Vascular Conditions
      • Peripheral Arterial Disease
      • Acrocyanosis
      • Chilblains
      • Erythromelalgia
      • Ischemia
      • Raynaud's Phenomenon
      • Ulcers/Wounds
      • Venous Stasis and Vericose Veins
    • Warts/Soft Tissue Masses
      • Cysts-Ganglions
      • Warts
  • Patient Education
    • Basic Foot Care Guidelines
    • Bunion Prevention
    • Foot Care For Seniors
    • Foot Fitness
      • Foot Self-Exam
      • Self-Assessment Quiz
    • Nutrition For Your Feet
    • Top Foot Problems
    • Pedicures
    • Shoes
      • Anatomy of a Shoe
      • Athletic Shoe Guidelines
      • Childrens Shoes
      • Corrective and Prescription Shoes
      • Shoes: What To Look For
      • Getting a Proper Fit
      • Diabetic Shoes
      • Men's Shoes
      • Women's Shoes
      • Your Footprint
      • Wear Patterns
    • Women's Feet
      • High Heels
      • Stockings
      • Pregnancy
      • Women Over 65
    • Your Feet @ Work
    • Links
  • Patient Portal
  • New Patient Information
  • Our Services
    • Alcohol Injections
    • BOTOX Injections
    • Digital X-Ray
    • Extracorporeal Shock Wave
    • Lasers
    • Physical Therapy
    • PRP Injections
    • Custom Orthotics
    • Stem Cell Therapy
    • Sports Related Injuries
  • Contact Us
  • Patient Survey
  • Procedure Videos
  • Blog

Neuroma

What Is a Neuroma?
A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton’s neuroma, which occurs between the third and fourth toes. It is sometimes referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma. “Intermetatarsal” describes its location in the ball of the foot between the metatarsal bones. Neuromas may also occur in other locations in the foot.

The thickening, or enlargement, of the nerve that defines a neuroma is the result of compression and irritation of the nerve. This compression creates enlargement of the nerve, eventually leading to permanent nerve damage.

Causes
Anything that causes compression or irritation of the nerve can lead to the development of a neuroma. One of the most common offenders is wearing shoes that have a tapered toe box, or high-heeled shoes that cause the toes to be forced into the toe box.

People with certain foot deformities – bunions, hammertoes, flatfeet, or more flexible feet – are at higher risk for developing a neuroma. Other potential causes are activities that involve repetitive irritation to the ball of the foot, such as running or court sports. An injury or other type of trauma to the area may also lead to a neuroma.

Symptoms
If you have a Morton’s neuroma, you may have one or more of these symptoms where the nerve damage is occurring:

  • Tingling, burning, or numbness
  • Pain
  • A feeling that something is inside the ball of the foot
  • A feeling that there’s something in the shoe or a sock is bunched up

The progression of a Morton’s neuroma often follows this pattern:

  • The symptoms begin gradually. At first they occur only occasionally, when wearing narrow-toed shoes or performing certain aggravating activities.
  • The symptoms may go away temporarily by removing the shoe, massaging the foot, or by avoiding aggravating shoes or activities.
  • Over time the symptoms progressively worsen and may persist for several days or weeks.
  • The symptoms become more intense as the neuroma enlarges and the temporary changes in the nerve become permanent.

Diagnosis
To arrive at a diagnosis, the foot and ankle surgeon will obtain a thorough history of your symptoms and examine your foot. During the physical examination, the doctor attempts to reproduce your symptoms by manipulating your foot. Other tests or imaging studies may be performed.

The best time to see your foot and ankle surgeon is early in the development of symptoms. Early diagnosis of a Morton’s neuroma greatly lessens the need for more invasive treatments and may avoid surgery.

Non-surgical Treatment
In developing a treatment plan, your foot and ankle surgeon will first determine how long you’ve had the neuroma and evaluate its stage of development. Treatment approaches vary according to the severity of the problem.

For mild to moderate neuromas, treatment options may include:

  • Padding. Padding techniques provide support for the metatarsal arch, thereby lessening the pressure on the nerve and decreasing the compression when walking.
  • Icing. Placing an icepack on the affected area helps reduce swelling.
  • Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices provided by your foot and ankle surgeon provide the support needed to reduce pressure and compression on the nerve.
  • Activity modifications. Activities that put repetitive pressure on the neuroma should be avoided until the condition improves.
  • Shoe modifications. Wear shoes with a wide toe box and avoid narrow-toed shoes or shoes with high heels.
  • Medications. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Injection therapy. Treatment may include injections of cortisone, local anesthetics or other agents.  Alcohol sclerosing injections may also be used.

When Is Surgery Needed?
Surgery may be considered in patients who have not responded adequately to non-surgical treatments. Your foot and ankle surgeon will determine the approach that is best for your condition. The length of the recovery period will vary, depending on the procedure performed.

Regardless of whether you’ve undergone surgical or nonsurgical treatment, your surgeon will recommend long-term measures to help keep your symptoms from returning. These include appropriate footwear and modification of activities to reduce the repetitive pressure on the foot.

 

Patient Education

Patient Education Menu
  • What is a Podiatrist?
  • When To Call a Doctor
  • Foot Anatomy
  • Overview of Foot and Ankle Problems
  • Basic Foot Care Guidelines
  • Foot Problems
    • General Statistics
    • Achilles Problems
      • Achilles Tendonitis
      • Peroneal Tendon Dislocation/Dysfunction
      • Xanthomas of the Achilles Tendon
    • Ankle Problems
      • Ankle Sprain
      • Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain
      • Osteochondritis
    • Arch and Ball Problems
      • Capsulitis
      • Flat Feet (over pronation)
      • Metatarsalgia (foot pain in ball)
      • Plantar Fibromas (lumps in the arch of the foot)
      • Sesamoiditis
    • Common Foot Injuries
      • Ankle Sprain Injuries
      • Broken Ankle
      • Fractures
      • Osteochondritis (stiff ankle)
      • Osteochondromas
      • Shin Splints
      • Sports Injuries
    • Deformities
      • Amniotic Band Syndrome
      • Bunions
      • Claw Toe
      • Clubfoot
      • Dysplasia (Epiphysealis Hemimelica)
      • Enchondroma
      • Flat Feet
      • Gordon Syndrome
      • Haglund's Deformity
      • Hallux Limitus (Stiff Big Toe Joint)
      • Hallux Rigidus (Stiff Big Toe)
      • Hallux Varus
      • Hammertoes
      • Jackson-Weiss Syndrome
      • Mallet Toes
      • Metatarsalgia
      • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infections)
      • Overlapping or Underlapping Toes
      • Peroneal Tendon Dislocation/Dysfunction
      • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
      • Sesamoiditis
      • Spurs
      • Tarsal Coalition
    • Diabetes and Your Feet
    • Diseases of the Foot
      • Arthritis
      • Cancer
      • Charcot Foot
      • Freiberg's Disease
      • Gout
      • Kaposi's Sarcoma (AIDS related)
      • Kohler's Disease
      • Maffucci's Syndrome
      • Ollier's Disease
      • Raynaud's Disease
      • Sever's Disease
      • Sever's Disease
    • Fungus Problems
      • Common Fungal Problems
      • Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis)
      • Fungal Nails
    • Heel Problems
      • Haglund's Deformity
      • Heel Callus
      • Heel Fissures
      • Plantar Fasciitis (heel spur)
    • Nail Problems
      • Black Toenails
      • Ingrown Toenails
      • Nail Fungus
    • Skin Problems
      • Allergies
      • Athlete's Foot (tinea pedis)
      • Blisters
      • Burning Feet
      • Calluses
      • Corns
      • Cysts
      • Frostbite
      • Fungus
      • Gangrene
      • Lesions
      • Psoriasis
      • Smelly Feet and Foot Odor
      • Swelling
      • Ulcers
      • Warts
    • Toe Problems
      • Bunions
      • Claw Toe
      • Digital Deformity
      • Hallux Limitus (stiff big toe joint)
      • Hallux Rigidis (rigid big toe)
      • Hallux Varus
      • Hammertoes
      • Intoeing
      • Overlapping, Underlapping Toes
      • Subungal Exotosis (bone spur under toenail)
      • Turf Toe
    • Vascular/Nerve Problems
      • Acrocyanosis
      • Alcoholic Neuropathy
      • Chilblains (cold feet)
      • Erythromelalgia
      • Ischemic Foot
      • Neuroma
      • Spasms
      • Venous Stasis
  • Medical Care
    • Diagnostic Procedures
      • Computed Tomography
      • MRI
      • Ultrasound
      • X-Rays
    • Orthotics
    • Pain Management
      • General Information and Tips
      • Pain Management for Specific Conditions
    • Surgical Procedures
      • General Information
      • Achilles Surgery
      • Ankle Surgery
      • Arthritis Surgery
      • Arthroscopy
      • Bunion Surgery
      • Cyst Removal
      • Flatfoot Correction
      • Hammertoe Surgery
      • Heel Surgery
      • Metatarsal Surgery
      • Nerve Surgery (Neuroma)
      • Toe Surgery
    • Therapies
      • Athlete's Foot Treatment
      • Cryotherapy
      • Extracorporeal Shock Wave
      • Iontophoresis
      • Physical Therapy
      • Neurolysis
  • Fitness and Your Feet
    • General Information About Fitness and Your Feet
    • Aerobics
    • Fitness And Your Feet
    • Sports and Your Feet
      • Baseball
      • Basketball
      • Cycling
      • Golf
      • Jogging and Running
      • Tennis
    • Stretching
    • Walking and Your Feet
    • Work Footwear
  • Foot Care
    • Basic Foot Care Guidelines
    • Athletic Foot Care
    • Blisters
    • Children's Feet
    • Corns and Calluses
    • Diabetic Foot Care
    • Foot Care For Seniors
    • Foot Self-Exam
    • Pedicures
    • Self-Assessment Quiz
    • Women's Feet
      • High Heels
      • Stockings?
      • Pregnancy
      • Women Over 65
    • Your Feet at Work
    • Bunion Prevention
    • Burning Feet
    • Fungus Problems
      • Athlete's Foot
      • Common Fungal Problems
      • Fungal Nails
      • Other Tips
      • Prevention
    • Ingrown Nails
    • Osteoporosis
    • Foot Odor and Smelly Feet
      • Prevention
      • Treating Foot Odor
  • Shoes
    • Anatomy of a Shoe
    • Athletic Shoe Guidelines
    • Children's Shoes
    • Corrective and Prescription Shoes
    • What To Look For
    • Getting a Proper Fit
    • Men's Shoes
    • Women's Shoes
    • Your Footprint
    • Wear Patterns
  • Links
    • Government
    • Associations/Groups
    • Online Resources


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Our Locations

817-424-3668 (FOOT)

1940 East State Hwy 114,
Suite 150
Southlake, TX 76092
 New loaction
 6501 Precinct Line Road
 Suite 100,
 North Richland Hills, TX 76182
 
4444 Heritage Trace Pkwy.,
Suite 400
Keller, TX 76244
5810 Long Prairie Rd.,
Suite 400
Flower Mound, TX 75028
 
Office Hours
Monday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday:Closed
Sunday:Closed
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