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Morton’s neuroma and nerve-type forefoot symptoms
Burning, tingling or the feeling of a pebble between your toes can be distracting—and it does not always mean you have a neuroma.
Direct answer: Morton’s neuroma describes irritation and thickening around a nerve between the forefoot bones, commonly near the third and fourth toes. Similar symptoms can come from joints, a stress injury or other nerve problems, so the name should not be assumed from symptoms alone.
On this page
Does this sound familiar?
- Burning, shooting or electric pain into adjacent toes
- Tingling or numbness, sometimes eased by removing the shoe
- A “pebble”, fold-in-the-sock or clicking sensation
- Symptoms aggravated by tight, pointed or high-heeled shoes and forefoot loading
Other causes can feel similar
Symptoms can overlap, so one symptom or an online label cannot confirm the cause.
- Metatarsalgia: broader pressure or aching beneath the forefoot
- Joint or plantar-plate problem: more local pain at a toe joint, sometimes with swelling or toe change
- Stress injury: focal bony tenderness after activity or training change
- Proximal nerve irritation: symptoms extending beyond a single forefoot space or associated with weakness
What an assessment can clarify
- Exact symptom location, toe involvement, numbness and aggravating shoes or activities
- Forefoot width, toe joints, tenderness and whether compression reproduces symptoms
- Skin, circulation and neurological findings where relevant
- Footwear fit and pressure pattern
- Whether ultrasound, other imaging or referral would change the decision
What you can do now
Choose shoes that do not squeeze the forefoot and pause activities that reliably provoke marked burning or numbness. Do not place a metatarsal pad directly under the painful nerve space; an assessment can help with position.
Common questions
Is Morton’s neuroma a tumour?
Despite the name, it is not a cancerous tumour. It involves irritated or thickened tissue around a nerve.
Does it always need an injection or surgery?
No. Footwear and pressure-management options are commonly considered first. An assessment can confirm whether the symptoms fit a neuroma and help you decide whether conservative care, further investigation or a specialist opinion is the sensible next step.
Can an ultrasound confirm it?
Imaging may support the diagnosis, but findings must be interpreted alongside your symptoms and examination. It is not necessary for every person.
Clinical information sources
These sources support the general information above. Individual assessment may lead to different advice.