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Thursday, July 17, 2014

Followup on Alcohol Shots for Morton's Neuroma: Email Advice

Hello Dr. Blake,


Well, after 8 shots with the alcohol my MN still remains. I started at about an 8 on the pain scale (10 being really bad) and I am around a 4 right now, sometimes it goes to 6.

Strange thing is that on shot #7, when administered, it was NOT painful and I felt relief very quickly. Then 2 weeks later when my podiatrist gave me shot #8, it really hurt when he administered the shot and of course it made my MN hurt more afterwards. 

Throughout the course of my alcohol shots, it kinds of was the same way. When he administered the shots, if they hurt during the administration, then my MN hurt for that week. When the shots didn't hurt, my MN improved. He used an ultra-sound during each injection to help guide the needle. My theory on this is that he somehow was getting "too close" to the nerve and injured it during the injection and this caused more nerve damage. Of course this is only my unprofessional theory on it.

At this point I am in a waiting pattern to see what I will do next. I have the foot inserts, met pads, and I wear slippers with met pads while at home which helps a lot with the pain. If I go bare foot, especially on tile, it starts to hurt. I am going to try some cold laser therapy, although I know this is not promising, it's worth a shot. I don't want to do the surgery but living in constant pain every time I walk is no fun either. 

Thanks,
Paul (name changed)

Dr Blake's comment:

     Thanks for your feedback on the alcohol shots. You want the shots to hurt during to know that you are at the nerve layer. Your gradual reduction in pain is a good sign. Stop the series at 10 shots, give yourself 1 month off, and try another series of 5. I believe you told me that you were only getting 4%, so try to beg for 6 or 8% for the next round. When you did not feel pain, he/she was missing the nerve and you were only getting the numbing effect of the local anesthetic. Even though this feels good, it is guaranteed not to help you in the long run. Rich

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Thank you very much for leaving a comment. Due to my time restraints, some comments may not be answered.I will answer questions that I feel will help the community as a whole.. I can only answer medical questions in a general form. No specific answers can be given. Please consult a podiatrist, therapist, orthopedist, or sports medicine physician in your area for specific questions.