Hi there,

About six months ago, I started experiencing a feeling of pressure and pinching [like my shoes were too tight, but they actually weren't] between the 2nd and 3rd toes of my left foot. When I visited a podiatrist, I believed that I had a neuroma - he told me that it was actually some type of capsular inflammation. I was prescribed Naproxen, and it didn't work. A few months later, the feeling of discomfort had become more severe and I was at that point also experiencing pain/pressure in the balls of my feet around those same digits while walking. I went back to the podiatrist and got the same diagnosis, and this time received a cortisone injection which took about a week to produce any result.
A few weeks after that, I began experiencing sharp pains on the outer edge of the foot, around the fifth metatarsal while walking, which turned into sharp, stabbing/slashing pain in the joint of the pinky toe, which was especially prominent while I was laying down, and manifested as tingling/irritation in this area at other times [i.e. when I was wearing shoes and walking]. I again went to the same podiatrist and he said this new sensation was caused by a pinched nerve that was the result of me changing the way I walked to compensate for the pain in the forefoot. He told me to keep the foot wrapped for a few days and set up a follow-up appointment a week later [which was yesterday]. I kept the wrap [an ace bandage] on my foot, but when I removed it, the pain in my forefoot felt several times worse, and while the slashing pain in the pinky toe seemed to go away, the irritation/tingling persisted and radiated all the way up my leg.
At the follow-up appointment, the podiatrist changed his diagnosis to a neuroma [i.e. what I originally thought I had], and told me I had to get an MRI or ultrasound to check it before getting surgery to remove it. What I want to know is if this could also possibly be some form of actual nerve tumor, and if the sensation in my pinky toe and up my leg may be a symptom of the same problem that's metastasized [or whatever the term is].
I would also like to know what the normal recovery time is for a neuroma surgery.

[by the way, I am a 23-year-old male, 6', 175 pounds with no prior history of health problems]

Tumor not likely put possible if your are worried get a second opinion a cancer doctor (oncologist).

Have you tried other types of shoes. Do you wear hard sole leather bottom business shoes.

Is their any structural problem with your foot? Overpronation? Morton's Syndrom? ect.

Have you tried an insert with met pad?

get well soon

I believe that this condition was originally caused by a really uncomfortable pair of hard sole shoes that I wore a few times, which I have long since discarded.
I'm not sure what Morton's Syndrome refers to, but the middle toe on each foot is longer than the big toe, and my left foot is slightly larger than my right.
I tried several different kinds of inserts, but none of them really helped. I have yet to try better arch supports, however.

Your podiatrist should appon examining your feet let you know if their any structural problems or abnormalities that could contribute to your symtoms. a long Second (the toe next to the big toe) is a indicattor.

Make a fist with your toes your knucles should become noticable. Which knucke appears longer ( father away from your ankle) ? your big toe or your second if so how much less than an 1/8" normal, greater than a 1/8" could cause a problem. If the second is longer then you have morton's toe syndrome and an orthotic could balance out your fore foot and might releive some of your symtoms.

Hope this helps

Dear Roman
It sounds like you may have a neuroma. Although classically, a Morton's neuroma forms between the 3rd and 4th metatarsal heads, although a neuroma can form anywhere a nerve can get irritated. A neuroma is an inflammation of a nerve. Can your pain be secondary to a nerve tumor? Well, it is in the differential diagnosis. A MRI, would probably be able to help make that diagnosis and rule out a tumor if present. If the nerve appears suspicious, then the nerve would be removed and sent to pathology for evaluation.
Prior to surgery you may want to consider physical therapy, padding, strapping, orthotics and wearing proper shoe gear/and or including modifications to shoe gear as alternative forms of treatment.


Good-luck and thank-you for conatcing foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM, C Ped
foot.com expert