‘IT’S A RELIEF TO BE ABLE TO WEAR SHOES AGAIN!’

Claire Messenger, 50, lives in West Sussex.

‘When I first noticed a stinging sensation in the ball of my foot seven years ago, I assumed it was wear and tear. But the pain became so excruciating that I could barely walk. The only footwear that didn’t hurt was Birkenstocks. These were fine in summer, but I run a dog care business, so in winter, I’d come home with freezing feet that were caked in mud. Then, one day, I heard something on the radio about Morton’s neuroma. I Googled it and found the symptoms matched my foot pain.

My GP told me it’s common and that it’s caused by toes being squeezed together, usually by ill-fitting shoes.

I was referred to a podiatrist, but after waiting nearly two years, I made my own appointment at The Boxgrove Clinic in Chichester. She outlined my options: a steroid injection to ease the pain; surgery with a long recovery time; or go private and have cryotherapy, which freezes off the scar tissue on the nerve. As I’d lived with the pain long enough, I opted to pay for cryotherapy.

In February, a small incision was made at the base of my toes and a frozen probe was used under ultrasound guidance. Within a few days, I noticed a big difference – the burning pain had disappeared. I was advised to opt for supportive footwear, such as MBT or Mephisto, and told not to go barefoot, even at home.

It’s great to be pain-free – and such a relief to be able to wear shoes, especially when I’m out with the dogs!’