The Importance of Treating Nerve Disorders

Foot Neuropathy and Neuroma Treatment in Garland

Peripheral neuropathy generally involves damage or dysfunction affecting peripheral nerves, while a neuroma involves irritation and thickening of a particular nerve. Regardless of which nerve issue it is, these are serious conditions that need to be treated. The goal of treatment is to recognize these symptoms early and stop them from getting to that point.

Determining what is actually causing the burning, tingling, numbness or pain is an important first step toward finding the appropriate treatment. Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic is accepting new patients at both of our locations in the Dallas TX area. Basically, all it takes is one phone call to (972) 414-9800 for foot neuropathy and neuroma treatment in Garland and Wylie Texas. 

What Causes Foot Nerve Conditions / Disorders?

At Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic, our podiatrists evaluate and treat a variety of nerve-related foot conditions. The five largest causes of neuropathy include: Diabetes, Alcoholism, Nutritional Deficiencies, Guillain Barre Syndrome, and Thyroid disorders. If you have any of these conditions, you are at a much greater risk of developing peripheral neuropathy.

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage or dysfunction of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Because some of the body’s longest nerves extend all the way to the feet, symptoms of peripheral neuropathy frequently begin in the toes and feet. Patients describe neuropathy symptoms in a variety of ways – some of which we listed above. It is important to get to the bottom of what’s causing the symptoms because they can worsen. Peripheral neuropathy in particular can get to the point where the symptoms are waking you up at night or stopping you from doing your normal activities.

Letting symptoms go unchecked can lead to a diminished quality of life. So, if any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, give us a call today at (972) 414-9800 to make an appointment with our podiatrists.

Specifically, these  sensations are: burning feet (particularly at night), tingling, pins and needles, stabbing / shooting pains, and a gradual loss of sensation and numbness. Add to that list the sensations that patients find more difficult to describe – things like: the feeling that a sock is wet when it isn’t, the feeling that something is stuck under their foot, or the floor feeling different than it actually does. 

NEUROMAS

Neuromas are enlarged, benign growths of nerves, most commonly between the third and fourth toes. They are caused by bones and other tissue rubbing against and irritating the nerves. Abnormal bone structure and pressure from ill-fitting shoes can also create the condition, which can result in pain, burning, tingling or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot.

Conservative treatment can include padding, taping, orthotics devices, and cortisone injections, but surgical removal of the growth can happen in up to 50% of those suffering from this condition. It is so important to get control over these symptoms so that they don’t become a hindrance to your way of life. Accordingly, if any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, give us a call today at (972) 414-9800 to make an appointment with our podiatrists.

Common Symptoms of Neuropathy in the Feet

Symptoms can vary considerably from one person to another.

Peripheral neuropathy affecting the feet may cause:

• Burning sensations
• Tingling or “pins and needles”
• Numbness in the toes or feet
• Sharp, stabbing or shooting pain
• Electric-like sensations
• Increased sensitivity to touch
• Reduced ability to feel temperature
• Reduced ability to feel pain or pressure
• A strange feeling that something is underneath the foot
• Pain that becomes more noticeable at night
• Muscle weakness in some cases
• Changes in balance or stability
• Difficulty sensing where the foot is positioned while walking

Some patients experience painful hypersensitivity. Others have the opposite problem and gradually lose sensation.

Loss of sensation can be particularly concerning because pain normally serves as the body’s warning system. A blister, cut or pressure sore may become more serious if a person cannot feel that an injury has occurred.

Causes

Peripheral neuropathy is not one single disease. It is a description of what is happening to the peripheral nerves, and many different medical conditions can cause or contribute to nerve damage.

Possible causes and contributing factors include:

• Diabetes
• Certain vitamin and nutritional deficiencies
• Alcohol-related nerve damage
• Certain medications and medical treatments
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some infections
• Thyroid and metabolic disorders
• Kidney disease
• Hereditary nerve disorders
• Physical injury or nerve compression
• Exposure to certain toxins
• Other neurological or systemic medical conditions

Sometimes the underlying cause is not immediately apparent.

Because neuropathy can have causes that extend beyond the foot itself, evaluation may involve coordination between your podiatrist, primary care physician and other medical specialists when appropriate.

Diabetic Neuropathy and the Feet

Diabetes is one of the most important causes of peripheral neuropathy involving the feet.

Over time, diabetes can damage nerves and affect the ability to feel pain, pressure and temperature normally. Some people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy experience burning or tingling. Others gradually develop reduced sensation or numbness.

That loss of sensation is particularly important when it comes to foot health.

A person who cannot feel the feet normally may not immediately notice a blister, cut, irritated area, foreign object inside a shoe or pressure point caused by footwear.

For that reason, regular foot examinations and careful at-home inspection are especially important for people with diabetes and neuropathy.

At Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic, our podiatrists provide diabetic foot evaluations and can check for areas of pressure, skin problems, wounds, circulation concerns and changes in sensation.

If you have diabetes and have recently noticed burning, numbness or tingling in your feet, don’t assume that it is simply something you have to live with. Have your feet evaluated and discuss the symptoms with your healthcare providers.

Why See a Podiatrist for Neuropathy?

Neuropathy may originate from a systemic medical condition, but many of its most important consequences occur in the feet.

A podiatrist can evaluate how sensation, skin condition, pressure and other foot-related factors may be affected.

Depending on your symptoms and medical history, a podiatric evaluation may include examination of:

• Sensation in different areas of the feet
• Areas of numbness or hypersensitivity
• Skin condition
• Toenails
• Corns and calluses
• Areas of abnormal pressure
• Muscle strength
• Foot structure
• Walking and balance
• Circulation
• Shoes and how they fit
• Existing wounds or signs of injury

The goal is not only to address discomfort. It is also important to protect feet that may no longer provide normal warning signals when something is wrong.

Treatment 

There is no single treatment that is appropriate for every person with peripheral neuropathy because treatment depends heavily on the underlying cause and the symptoms being experienced.

Your podiatrist can help identify problems affecting the feet, recommend strategies to protect them and coordinate with other members of your healthcare team when the underlying cause requires additional medical management.

Treatment and management may focus on:

• Addressing the underlying medical condition when possible
• Managing painful nerve symptoms
• Protecting areas with reduced sensation
• Appropriate footwear
• Reducing abnormal pressure on the feet
• Treating wounds or skin problems
• Regular professional foot examinations
• Patient education and at-home foot monitoring
• Improving stability and reducing fall risk when appropriate

For patients with significant loss of sensation, prevention becomes especially important.

A small foot problem is much easier to address when it is discovered early.

What Is a Neuroma?

A neuroma is different from peripheral neuropathy. Neuromas are enlarged, benign growths of nerves, most commonly between the third and fourth toes. They are caused by bones and other tissue rubbing against and irritating the nerves. Abnormal bone structure and pressure from ill-fitting shoes can also create the condition, which can result in pain, burning, tingling or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot.

Rather than involving widespread dysfunction of peripheral nerves, a neuroma typically involves a specific nerve that has become irritated, compressed and thickened. The most common type affecting the foot is Morton’s neuroma, also called an intermetatarsal neuroma. Morton’s neuroma usually develops in the ball of the foot between the metatarsal bones, most commonly in the area between the third and fourth toes. The irritated nerve can produce pain, burning, tingling or numbness that may extend into the toes.

Conservative treatment can include padding, taping, orthotics devices, and cortisone injections, but surgical removal of the growth can happen in up to 50% of those suffering from this condition.

What Does Morton’s Neuroma Feel Like?

Morton’s neuroma can produce some rather distinctive symptoms.

Patients may describe:

• Burning pain in the ball of the foot
• Tingling extending into the toes
• Numbness between the toes
• Sharp or shooting pain
• Pain that becomes worse inside certain shoes
• The feeling that a pebble is underneath the foot
• The sensation that a sock is folded or bunched underneath the toes
• Discomfort during walking, running or other activities that place pressure on the forefoot

Symptoms may initially appear only during certain activities or while wearing particular shoes.

Over time, irritation of the nerve can become more persistent.

Causes

Morton’s neuroma develops when a nerve in the forefoot is repeatedly compressed or irritated.

Several factors may contribute to this pressure.

Shoes

Shoes with narrow or tapered toe boxes can squeeze the front of the foot and increase pressure around the nerves between the toes.

High heels can also move additional weight toward the ball of the foot.

Foot Structure

Certain structural or biomechanical characteristics of the foot may increase pressure in the forefoot.

Patients with bunions, hammertoes, flat feet or unusually flexible feet may be more susceptible to neuroma symptoms.

Repetitive Activity

Running and other activities that repeatedly load the ball of the foot can irritate the nerve.

Court sports and activities involving frequent jumping, pushing off or changes in direction may also contribute.

Previous Injury

Trauma to the forefoot can sometimes irritate surrounding nerve tissue.

Because several different foot conditions can cause pain in the ball of the foot, an examination is important before assuming that the problem is a neuroma.

Morton’s Neuroma and Active Patients

Neuromas can be particularly frustrating for runners and other active patients.

The repetitive pressure placed on the forefoot during running can aggravate an already irritated nerve. Footwear that compresses the toes may increase the problem further.

For active patients, treatment isn’t simply about making the pain disappear while sitting still.

The goal is to understand what is contributing to the irritation and develop a plan that allows the nerve to settle down while helping the patient return to normal activity as safely as possible.

Footwear, biomechanics, activity level and pressure across the forefoot may all need to be considered.

How Is Morton’s Neuroma Diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually begins with a discussion of your symptoms.

Your podiatrist will want to know:

• Where the pain occurs
• Whether the pain extends into particular toes
• Which activities trigger symptoms
• Whether certain shoes make the problem worse
• How long the symptoms have been present
• Whether there is tingling or numbness
• Whether removing the shoe or massaging the foot provides temporary relief

The foot will then be examined to determine where the pain originates and whether pressure or manipulation of the forefoot reproduces the symptoms.

When necessary, additional testing or diagnostic imaging may be used to help distinguish a neuroma from other causes of pain in the ball of the foot.

Conservative Treatment for Morton’s Neuroma

Many neuromas can initially be treated without surgery.

Depending on the severity of the condition, treatment may include:

• Changing shoes
• Wearing shoes with a wider toe box
• Avoiding high heels or footwear that compresses the forefoot
• Padding to reduce pressure on the nerve
• Activity modifications
• Icing when appropriate
• Anti-inflammatory medication when medically appropriate
• Custom orthotics when foot mechanics contribute to nerve compression
• Injection therapy
• Other conservative treatments recommended by the podiatrist

Treatment is individualized because the amount of nerve irritation, foot structure, activity level and duration of symptoms differ from one patient to another.

Does Morton’s Neuroma Require Surgery?

Not necessarily.

Many patients begin with conservative treatments designed to reduce pressure and irritation around the affected nerve.

If symptoms remain significant despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment, your podiatrist can discuss whether surgical treatment should be considered.

The best treatment depends on the individual patient’s symptoms, examination findings and response to conservative care.

Neuropathy and Neuromas Are Not the Same Thing

Because both conditions can cause burning, tingling or numbness, patients sometimes confuse peripheral neuropathy with a neuroma.

There is an important difference.

Peripheral neuropathy generally involves dysfunction or damage affecting peripheral nerves and may affect both feet or multiple areas.

Morton’s neuroma is a localized problem involving irritation and thickening of a nerve in the forefoot.

The distinction matters because treatment is very different.

That is why persistent burning, numbness or tingling should be evaluated instead of diagnosed based only on how the symptoms feel.

When Should You See a Podiatrist for Burning, Tingling or Numb Feet?

Consider scheduling an examination if you experience:

• Persistent burning in your feet
• Numbness that doesn’t go away
• Recurring tingling or pins-and-needles sensations
• Shooting or electric-like foot pain
• Pain in the ball of the foot
• Numbness extending into the toes
• The sensation of walking on a pebble or folded sock
• Symptoms that interfere with sleep
• Foot pain that limits walking or exercise
• Loss of sensation
• Balance problems associated with reduced foot sensation
• A wound, blister or sore that you didn’t initially feel

Patients with diabetes should be especially attentive to new changes in foot sensation.

You do not have to wait until nerve symptoms become severe before having them evaluated.

Neuropathy Treatment in Garland, TX

Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic provides evaluation and treatment for peripheral neuropathy and nerve-related foot problems in Garland, Texas.

If you are experiencing burning, tingling, numbness or unusual sensations in your feet, our Garland podiatry team can evaluate your symptoms, examine the health of your feet and determine whether additional testing or medical evaluation may be necessary.

Early attention is particularly important for patients who have diabetes or decreased sensation because unnoticed injuries can become more difficult to treat.

Neuropathy Treatment in Wylie, TX

Our Wylie podiatry office also evaluates patients with peripheral neuropathy, numb feet, burning foot pain and other nerve-related symptoms.

If your feet simply “don’t feel right,” don’t dismiss the sensation because you cannot see an obvious injury.

Nerve problems frequently announce themselves through changes in sensation rather than visible changes on the outside of the foot.

Schedule an appointment at Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic in Wylie so we can help determine what may be causing your symptoms.

Morton’s Neuroma Treatment in Garland & Wylie, TX

Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic also evaluates and treats Morton’s neuroma and other causes of forefoot nerve pain at our Garland and Wylie locations.

If pain or burning in the ball of your foot becomes worse while walking, running or wearing certain shoes, or you repeatedly feel as though a pebble or folded sock is underneath your foot, a neuroma may be one possible explanation.

An examination can help determine whether the problem involves a nerve or another structure in the forefoot.

Frequently Asked Questions About Foot Nerve Disorders and Conditions

What does neuropathy in the feet feel like?

Peripheral neuropathy can cause burning, numbness, tingling, pins-and-needles sensations, increased sensitivity, shooting pain or reduced ability to feel the feet normally. Symptoms vary depending on which nerves are affected.

Can neuropathy cause burning feet at night?

Yes. Some people with peripheral neuropathy notice that burning, tingling or painful sensations become particularly bothersome at night.

Does numbness in my feet mean I have neuropathy?

Not necessarily. Numbness can have several possible causes. Persistent or unexplained numbness should be evaluated so the cause can be investigated.

Is foot neuropathy always caused by diabetes?

No. Diabetes is an important cause of peripheral neuropathy, but nerve damage can occur for many other reasons as well.

Why is neuropathy dangerous for the feet?

If sensation is reduced, a person may not immediately feel a blister, cut, pressure sore or other injury. This can allow a small problem to progress before it is noticed, particularly in people who also have diabetes or circulation problems.

Can a podiatrist diagnose peripheral neuropathy?

Podiatrists routinely evaluate sensation and nerve-related symptoms affecting the feet. Because neuropathy may be associated with conditions involving other parts of the body, your podiatrist may also recommend evaluation or testing by your primary care physician or another specialist.

What is Morton’s neuroma?

Morton’s neuroma is a thickening and irritation of nerve tissue in the ball of the foot, most commonly between the third and fourth toes.

What does Morton’s neuroma feel like?

Common descriptions include burning or sharp pain in the ball of the foot, tingling or numbness in the toes, or the sensation that a pebble or folded sock is underneath the foot.

Can tight shoes cause Morton’s neuroma?

Shoes that compress the toes can increase pressure around the nerve and contribute to neuroma symptoms. High heels may also increase pressure on the ball of the foot.

Can runners develop Morton’s neuroma?

Yes. Running and other activities that repeatedly place pressure on the forefoot can contribute to irritation of the nerve.

Can Morton’s neuroma be treated without surgery?

Many patients begin with nonsurgical treatment. Depending on the individual case, options may include shoe changes, padding, activity modification, orthotics, medication or injection therapy. Surgery may be considered when appropriate conservative treatment does not provide sufficient relief.

Schedule a Podiatrist Appointment in Garland or Wylie TX for Nerve Pain in the Feet

Burning, tingling, numbness and unexplained foot pain are symptoms worth paying attention to. Whether your symptoms are caused by peripheral neuropathy, Morton’s neuroma or another foot condition, identifying the problem is the first step toward treating it appropriately and protecting the health of your feet.

Foot & Ankle Medical Clinic provides neuropathy, neuroma and nerve-related foot care at our Garland and Wylie, Texas locations.

Contact our office today by calling (972) 414-9800 or click to schedule a podiatrist appointment or an evaluation for any burning, tingling, numbness or nerve pain in your feet.