Tingling, numbness in your toes may be a sign of a neuroma

Q. I have had worsening pain in my left foot for two months. The pain is on the bottom of my foot near my third and fourth toes. Occasionally, there is a tingling sensation and throbbing.

I have not worked out and tried resting it, but the symptoms have persisted. I thought it was a painful callous and I had a pedicure but this did not help much. What I should do?

A: There is a common condition known as a neuroma that may be causing your symptoms. There are nerves that are on the bottom of your foot that supply sensation to your feet and toes.

If one of these nerves gets compressed long enough over time, it can thicken and encase in a ball of scar. This is known as a neuroma and it most commonly forms on the bottom of the foot between the third and fourth toes.

Symptoms of a neuroma may include pain, throbbing, a burning sensation, tingling or numbness. Treatment initially may include not walking barefoot, wearing comfortable wide shoes, wearing a metatarsal pad, and anti-inflammatory medication.

If these steps fail to relieve symptoms, then a cortisone injection may help. There is a surgical option to remove the neuroma if all conservative treatment options fail.

Other possible diagnoses include a stress fracture or inflammation of the metatarsal bones. I recommend you see an orthopedic surgeon or a foot specialist to confirm the diagnosis and work to get you better quickly.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat and director of Miami Sports Medicine Fellowship, Doctors Hospital. Send your questions to HarlanS@baptisthealth.net