Question
Hello, I am 43 years old, mother of 6 kids, height 159 cm, weight 66 kg.I feel my 3rd & 4rth toes of my right foot go numb even on the bottom I mean the area under these toes go numb sometimes when I walk or drive. Can you please help me is this begining of sciatica or something else?? Thanks alot and sorry to take your time.

Answer
Hi Sara,

I don't think it is sciatica, it does sound like an inter digital neuroma. This is a benign mass of nerve tissue pressing against one of the nerves that feed the toes. Common misuse of "Mortons Neuroma" is vernacular that can be misleading and should be avoided.

Here is a study explaining why...........

http://www.japmaonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/3/298

I recommend to go to a foot and ankle clinic armed with this study............

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00284583;jsessionid=C9109E4E0F80D0657A4276B...

This will improve outcomes many times because you'll know what is "standard" protocol treatment and what is experimental. I want to emphasize that experimental treatments are often superior to standard ones, as long as they are not part of a sham study or highly invasive or expensive. If it were my foot, I would just have the thing cut out.


Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin