Morton's Neuroma?

is there anyone on here who's had a Morton's Neuroma, I'm wondering if I have one my 3rd toe feels stiff and it feels as if I have a stone in my shoe, I know have a lump come up in the middle of the ball if my foot.

It is highly unlikely that you have Morton's neuroma from what you say. It is a vogue diagnosis at present.

Hi Pammy, I have MN in my right foot, i did suffer for a few years from pain and burning sensations in my foot my Dr thought it was gout. However I saw  another Dr, who send he for a exray nothing showed up then he sent me for an appointment to see orthopaedic trauma who sent me for a MRI scan which showed MN. I then had another app. To have a steroid injection under MRI which did work for a month. My next app he suggested surgery. I am just waiting for my date. So get an appointment to get a scan to get it diagnosed. Good luck.

Thanks for quick reply I have an appointment on 11th August I was getting panicky as I saw a podiatrist who referred me to the hospital and with my appointment was a form to fill in for pre op questions and the appointment is at the day surgery clinic. I had a neuroma removed from my brain 4 years so am worried 

Hi Pammy, I had a neuroma removed from the side of my head about 5-6 years ago as I was suffering from really bad migraines and had two falls losing my bearings. Do you think it has something to do with this have never thought of it before. Did have a cat scan and MRI scan about my head but they thought everything was ok and nothing to worry about. However can understand you worrying. Take care good luck for 11th. I'm waiting for my date for surgery but have completed all my tests and ECG. 

Hi Jenny I'm going to ask the consultant next week if the two are connected. Good luck with your surgery will you let me know when you've had it done.

There is no relationship between acoustic neuroma and the (so called) "Morton's neuroma".

Incidentally the current treatment for acoustic neuroma (a tumor associated with the auditory nerve) is almost always not surgical.

It is highly doubtful whether "Morton's neuroma" exists. I would not let anyone attempt to remove a "MN" from my foot.

Hi jp66967, thanks for your comment, however I did have a neuroma taken from the side of my head, I know as I have the scar to prove it. Your probably right there isn't a connection but Pammyjean is going to ask her consultant. Regarding MN I feel there a lot of people on here that would disagree with you. I feel the NHS would not operate on people's feet if they didn't think it wise too. As for the name MN I don't care what they call it I know the years of pain I have gone through. So I feel my consultant would not of recommended it if I didn't need it. So I await my surgery date. I once again thank you for your advise. Take care.

Thanks for the note.

I am not concerned whether people disagree with me; since I have been working in this field (and taken a particular interest, as well as lecturing - by invitation - on Morton's neuroma to specialised forums) longer than most hospital consultants.

Numerous letters on Patient. alone have demonstrated the failures of this type of surgery.

I am, however, entitled to caution a general readership in the way which I do.

Hi jenny I had no choice but to have my acoustic neuroma out and I had to lose hearing on my right side for them to get to the tumour mine could not be left. Please let me know how you get on. I will be asking the surgeon if MN do exist!!

Hi Pammyjean,

I think I also have that stiff feeling within my 3rd and 4th toe. When the area is already harden, i use to squeeze and pull out the the hard skin. This has to be done from time to time especially when the harden skin tends to pressure the nerve inside. I will check with the orthopedic dept during my next appointment end of this month.

Hi thank you for your reply, I don't have any hard skin just a lump and terrible pain sort if at the back of my ties that are numb and feel as if I gave a stone in my shoe 

Sorry that should have said "toes" not "ties"

Hi jp66967

i have had pains in both feet for over 18 months now and they have been diagnosed as MN.  Some time ago I decided to stop reading forums like this as they, for me anyway, generally seem to make a bad situation worse with a predominance of sufferers like me often desperate for understanding and practical advice, and a preponderance of advice (well meaning and sincere of course) about what not to do.  This negative advice is often at odds with what is being advised professionally and can leave the sufferer feeling more isolated and hopeless than ever.  Whether MN exists or not stokes me as a question for philosophers.  What we that suffer from what is currently called MN know is that there a bunch of horrible symptoms that like most conditions express themselves in different ways.  Like many other conditions surgery appears to come with its own risks.  It is also ofen seen as a last resort option.  What is interesting is what, statistically are those risks?  This seems surprisingly hard to find.  In my erase arch claims vary from around a 60 to 80 percent success rate.  Certainly I have Neenah told by a leading surgeon that their success rate is 80 per cent with 10 Pc making no difference and 10 making thigs worse and requiring further surgery.  While there may be obvious incentives for a private surgeon to inflate their success rate it seems that successes in this procedure are still enough to be very tempting.....and sometimes the only hope.  I fully appreciate you are entitled to caution readers about surgery and it is important to do this....but it would be great to have a little positive advice from those who have an experiential or professional perspective on MN (or whatever we choose to call this horrible condition/syndrome/....   The feeling of abject hopelessness is I think never conducive to recovery.  That said....I appreciate your thoughts and my own research (and what a number of professionals hane confirmed) does seem to conclusive say that whatever else MN may be.....it is not technically a neuroma at all.....and should not be associated in any way with tumour.  Sorry about lengthy posting but I guess I need to get this stuff off my chest.  I speak as an otherwise very healthy formar mountain climber, tennis player and optimist who now feels a constant shadow (not a debilitating one but a naggingly present one) from this condition that somewhat saps the spark I have had for life in my 55 years.  I know that others are likely to feel this....and many will be in worse position than me.    How can we as fellow sufferers, or people with professional perspectives, help to provide the hope and support that can aid recovery?  That, of course, is a question for us all.

thanks again jp66967

A very interesting read thank you

Hi

I have been reading with interest the comments made following you asking your question re: M.N.'s. I have been a sufferer of M.N's for several yrs now & having had 2 operations without success I think I know quite a bit about this subject. 

During my 1st op the surgeon did two separate incisions underneath the arch of my foot. I had two growths excised which had originally been confirmed as 'most likely' to be M.N.s. following an Ultrasound scan. The histology report following surgery confirmed that the one lump was a Moretons Neuroma & the other a fibrous fatty tissue growth. 

I do question what the word Vogue diagnosis means exactly ? 'Posh' or does the writer mean vague? I've never heard that interpretation made. (Apart from the magazine of course!) I cannot see how Morton's Neuroma's don't exist when the histology of the specimens taken, have been confirmed as one. It would be very worrying if our labs are issuing histology reports, confirming a diagnosis if they do not actually exist!!

The decision to have my 2nd operation in May, 2014 wasn't taken lightly; it took me 4 yrs to decide. This time the growth was not detected following an U.Scan, infact apart from some scar tissue nil else was detected. However, my foot was burning so much (the only way I can describe the burning is whatever it was, couldn't have felt any worse than if I'd placed my foot in a vat of boiling oil). It was virtually constant day & night with very little relief. Following this surgery it was confirmed that the growth removed from the bottom of my foot, (the incision this time was done between the 3rd & 4th Metatarsals, at the top of my foot), was in fact another large M.N. measuring 1" in width x 1 1/2 in length.

Having said all this I now have 2 M.N's back in the same foot, one being a re-growth of the one I had removed in this surgery and a further new one, these have been confirmed by U.Scan. More surgery has been offered but having spent 4 mths on crutches following this surgery & mega pain, I have declined. I feel what is the point of putting myself through it all again as there's no saying the problem won't come back again.

I still think myself very lucky however because though I have never been pain free since the start I always feel it could have been far worse, they are benign growths so I am lucky.

I know what I have explained above will most likely worry & concern all you people with similar problems who are awaiting surgery etc but I felt I needed to write my own experiences down but though my surgery hasn't been successful it doesn't mean everyone else's won't be. We are all individuals after all so best of luck with whatever decisions you make.

 

I am sad that this problem as caused me to have to change some of my lifestyle. I cannot go back to a job that I've enjoyed for most of my working life, I am in fact a trained nurse who has been on her feet between 8 to 12 hrs a day with very little time for a break or a sit down & feel sad I'm having to end my career in this manner. I will say my surgery & care was all carried out on the NHS & I cannot fault the care & treatment I received. None of it was carried out under private means.

 

I did have lots of other treatments before opting as a last resort to have surgery, including numerous injections, medications, physio, laser etc but to no avail unfortunately.

 

I wish you all the very best.

Thank you Carol for your honesty x

Thank you for your comprehensive letter - so important to those seeking help or reassurance.

By vogue I mean currently fashionable.

I have written previously about the histological misinterpretation of "Morton's neuroma", on the basis of many hundreds of specimens. Not one was a neoplasm.

However I do not wish to be repetative or to overkill the issue. If you would like more information please write to me privately.

Best Wishes

Hi 

Best of luck I hope you get sorted soon. 

Hi I've recently been diagnosed with mortons neuroma. I've had it for two years, I'm getting sick of it I've tried every non surgical treamtment, I'm sick of daily pain any advice