Morton's neuroma
Morton's neuroma is a thickening of tissue around a nerve between the toes, usually causing pain or a burning feeling in the ball of the foot. Read more about morton's neuroma →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the orthopaedics wait (not specific to morton's neuroma), updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
orthopaedics waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | Reading | 5 weeks |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | Bath and North East Somerset | 12 weeks |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Liverpool | 13 weeks |
| George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | Nuneaton and Bedworth | 13 weeks |
| South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust | Warwick | 14 weeks |
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | Birmingham | 15 weeks |
| South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Middlesbrough | 15 weeks |
| University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Camden | 16 weeks |
About morton's neuroma
Morton's neuroma is a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves that run to the toes, most often between the third and fourth toes. It can feel like a burning or shooting pain in the ball of the foot, numbness, or the sense of a small stone or fold in your sock underfoot. Tight or high-heeled shoes and activities that put pressure on the ball of the foot can make it worse.
How it is treated
First steps are usually self-care: roomier, flat shoes with a wide toe area and a cushioned sole, and a soft pad or insole to take pressure off the nerve. If that does not settle it, the options are a steroid injection or, less often, an operation to release or remove the affected nerve. A specialist can confirm the diagnosis by examining the foot, sometimes with an ultrasound scan.
After treatment
Changing footwear and using insoles can ease symptoms without any procedure. A steroid injection can give months of relief. If an operation is needed, most people are walking normally again within a few weeks, though an area of numbness between the toes is common afterwards.
Sources: NHS: Morton's neuroma. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.