Does Morton's neuroma cause foot pain?

Morton's neuroma involves irritation and thickening around a nerve between the toes, often in the ball of the foot. Most people with Morton's Neuroma notice foot pain that worsens in narrow or tight shoes and may ease when the shoe is removed. Symptoms can travel into nearby toes or feel like an object is inside the shoe.

Foot pain has many possible causes, including joint, tendon, bone, skin, and nerve problems. An examination helps distinguish these possibilities. The name neuroma does not mean a cancerous growth; it describes the irritated nerve tissue in this condition.

Choose shoes with a wide toe box and enough room for the front of the foot. Reduce activities that repeatedly load the painful area, and ask a clinician about padding, footwear changes, or other treatment if symptoms continue. Do not force the foot into painful shoes while waiting for an assessment.

Arrange an assessment if pain persists, affects walking, or is accompanied by ongoing numbness. Seek urgent care after a significant injury, for a visibly deformed foot, inability to bear weight, marked swelling, or a foot that becomes unusually cold or discoloured.

Ask whether the pain pattern fits Morton's neuroma, what other causes should be considered, whether footwear or padding may help, and what examination or imaging is appropriate.