A tribute to someone close to us.
If you have burning pain in the end of your foot, often coupled with numbness and tingling, then there’s a possibility you have a Morton’s Neuroma. This painful problem is caused by pressure from the metatarsal bones squeezing the interosseous nerve, causing fibrous swelling, which then becomes “squished” more easily due to the swelling.
Differential diagnosis is necessary to exclude Lumbar Spine disc involvement, and an ultrasound or MRI of the foot will usually suffice.
Treatment often involves orthotics, particularly with metatarsal dome to spread the bones and prevent the pressure on the nerve, coupled with corticosteroid injection to reduce the swelling. If this is unsuccessful, a regime of diluted alcohol injections can cause the fibrous tissue to dissolve (usually 5-7 injections with a week or so between injections). Failing this, a neurectomy (surgical excision) may be necessary, though rates of neuroma regrowth due to scar tissue formation have been reported as high as 20% of cases.
See your physiotherapist if you think you have something like this, because in most cases the early detection and prevention are the best treatment.