Is Morton’s Neuroma Related To Fibromyalgia?

The pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia are typically widespread, meaning that they affect lots of different joints and muscles in the body. Most of the time, the pain is in tender points located all around the body, which makes even the everyday tasks extremely painful. In some cases, individuals with fibromyalgia must also suffer with the pain and other symptoms of conditions that are associated with fibromyalgia.

Morton’s Neuroma is a related condition that is becoming more and more common among individuals with fibromyalgia. This is a condition that is characterized by severe pain in the feet, which makes any type of exercise or other activity that requires them to be on their feet extremely difficult. The cause of this condition and it’s relation to fibromyalgia is not known. However, there are several different treatments available to ease the pain.

Fibromyalgia-and-Mortons-Neuroma

Morton’s Neuroma Explained

You may be wondering what exactly Morton’s Neuroma is. This is a condition that affects your feet and toes. If you have been diagnosed with Morton’s Neuroma, you should know that this means a thickening of nerve tissue has developed around one of the nerves that goes from your feet to your toes. This growth results in pain when you’re using your feet.

Morton’s Neuroma is basically a form of benign tumor and usually develops between the third and fourth toes, though it is possible for it to develop between the second and the third. When you’re walking, the ligaments and bones in the top of your foot squees your foot – which results in pain and pressure.

Causes of Morton’s Neuroma

At this time, researchers say that the exact cause of Morton’s Neuroma is not known. Most likely, there are a variety of factors that cause this condition to develop- including, but not limited to, conditions such as fibromyalgia. Following is a list of the factors that could possibly lead to the development of Morton’s Neuroma.

  • Wearing Shoes that Don’t Fit: When you wear shoes that don’t fit your feet properly, it can lead to pressure on your feet. This causes swelling around the nerves in your toes. Since high heels cause most of your weight to be shifted onto the ball of your foot, it is thought that they can contribute to Morton’s Neuroma.
  • Repetitive Actions: When you participate in repetitive activities that are high impact such as walking, aerobics, and jogging, it can cause a lot of pressure to be placed on the feet- which could possibly lead to Morton’s Neuroma.
  • Injuries to Feet: If you injure your foot, it can cause you to hold it in a poor or unnatural position when you’re walking, which can lead to inflammation in the nerves.
  • Genetics: There are some individuals that are born with feet that are poorly shaped. Individuals who have low arches, known as flat feet, are much more likely to develop Morton’s Neuroma than other individuals.

Who is Likely to Develop Morton’s Neuroma?

This is another one of those conditions that is more likely to occur in women than in men. In fact, research shows that women are eight to ten times more likely than men to be affected by this condition. Individuals suffering from the following conditions are more likely to develop the condition of Morton’s Neuroma:

  • HIV
  • Arthritis
  • Sleep disorders
  • Diabetes

Fibromyalgia Explained

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Causes of Fibromyalgia

Doctors don’t know what causes fibromyalgia, but it most likely involves a variety of factors working together. These may include:

  • Genetics. Because fibromyalgia tends to run in families, there may be certain genetic mutations that may make you more susceptible to developing the disorder.
  • Infections. Some illnesses appear to trigger or aggravate fibromyalgia.
  • Physical or emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been linked to fibromyalgia.

Who is Likely to Develop Fibromyalgia?

Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression.

Morton’s Neuroma and Fibromyalgia

There have been many orthopedic surgeons and researchers that have found a connection between fibromyalgia and Morton’s Neuroma. However, the reason the two are connected is not known. Still, it has been seen that treating Morton’s Neuroma can also help to decrease or even clear up the symptoms of fibromyalgia. This leads researchers to think that injuries or nerve damage actually could be one of the causes of the pain of fibromyalgia.

This post has been adapted from: http://www.fibromyalgiatreating.com/is-mortons-neuroma-related-to-fibromyalgia/

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