Father’s Day is this weekend, and you could give him the gift of steak at The Federal Grill. Even better, you could give him the gift of happy and healthy feet. If the pain and numbness in his toes is getting so bad that it is keeping him from the activities he enjoys, it is time for action. Get dear old Dad the information he needs about surgery for Morton’s neuroma.

Morton’s neuroma is a condition of the nerves in between the third and fourth toes. If they are pinched, they can thicken and become inflamed, and this results in pain and numbness. The exact reason a neuroma forms is unclear, but there are risk factors. For instance, wearing shoes that are too tight can contribute to this problem. So can having a foot deformity such as hammertoe. If there is burning, tingling, or numbness under the ball of the foot by the middle toes, it is likely that a neuroma is beginning to form.

There are different treatment methods to try to help relieve pain and shrink the swollen nerve tissue. Many people can benefit from changing their shoes or adding custom-made orthotics. Resting and icing the area can also help. Surgery is usually used in extreme cases, after conservative methods have failed to solve the problem. The goal is to get rid of pain, so that means removing or decompressing the nerve. This will ultimately result in loss of feeling in that nerve, but that may be preferable to pain while walking. Following post-operative instructions is crucial to making sure another neuroma doesn’t form.

If Morton’s neuroma is a problem, call Dr. Robert Parker at (281) 497-2850 to schedule an appointment to diagnose that neuroma is the problem and discuss different treatment options. At Parker Foot and Ankle in Houston our goal is to provide the best quality in podiatric care.