Morton’s Neuroma
(5 discussions)
I was recently diagnoised with Morton’s Neuroma, I just had my 2nd cortisone shot 3 weeks from the first one, I felt some relief the first 10 days, they aching and buring sensations the past week.
After the 2nd shot, I am not able to bear any weight on my foot, and my siatic nerve from foot to hip is very painful.
we were going to try a series of 7 shots 3 weeks apart, I’m just wondering if I’m wasting my time and money on the shots, and just need to go ahead and have surgery?
5 comments
Dee
You should not have more than 3 shots a year. Cortisone will destroy the fat pads on the bottom of your foot. You may want to try alcohol injections if you could find someone with a good success rate. It is preferable to have the injections guided by an ultrasound machine.
Lisa Brown
Thanks, I’ll check with Dr and see if both shots were cortizone or alcohol. I don’t need more problem than I already have!
Vivian Abrams DPM
This is my policy on giving steroid injections. I will do no more than 3 in any one location. The length of time does not matter. I do not arbitrarily use a year as a standard. I will not give a 2nd or 3rd shot sooner than 10-14 days. Sometimes it takes several days to work. I agree that steroid has benefits as well as potential side effects, such as atrophy of tissue. I have also done the alcohol injections to sclerose the neuroma. I have had varying success. You might be aware if your doctor does not advise you that some insurance plans will not pay for a series of these injections. The protocol is to do 5-7 on a weekly basis. If not improvement is noted after 3 then I do not continue. They are painful to most patients. While I have an ultrasound machine, I do not routinely use it for either injection.
Gretel Crison, DPM
As a podiatrist with first hand knowledge (I have had neuromas for over 15 years and have not had surgery)I support and recommend conservative care (injections, padding in shoes, changing activities or shoegear, sclerosing) but some neuromas just don’t respond well. If you feel like you’re wasting time and nothing is helping, then arrange for the surgery.
mindy
I had a shot of cortisone injected directly into the neuroma and was told this should not have been done as that only makes the neuroma angry. I am now on the medrol dose pack and iontophoresis to shrink the neuroma withour angering it. I was told the next step was the alcohol injections which aren’t injected directly into the neuroma