Neuroma Injection in Houston, Texas
When a nerve is cut or crushed, it tries to regrow. If it cannot find its way back to its target, the regenerating fibers coil into a disorganized tangle called a neuroma. That tangle fires on its own. Touch it and a bolt of pain shoots down the nerve's territory.
What is a Neuroma Injection?
A neuroma injection places local anesthetic — with or without corticosteroid — directly around the neuroma, typically under ultrasound guidance so the target can be visualized rather than guessed at.
It confirms the neuroma as the pain generator and, in many patients, quiets it for weeks to months. For a well-localized neuroma with reproducible tenderness, this is one of the more satisfying interventions in pain medicine, because the diagnosis is confirmed in real time.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before | You're positioned, the skin is cleaned and numbed, and live imaging (fluoroscopy or ultrasound) guides the needle |
| During | The medication is placed precisely at the painful nerve growth (neuroma); most people feel pressure more than sharp pain |
| After | You rest briefly and go home the same day — arrange a driver if you received sedation |
Where Neuromas Form
- Morton's neuroma — between the metatarsal heads of the forefoot, causing burning pain and the sensation of a pebble in the shoe
- Amputation stump neuromas — a leading contributor to residual limb pain and to phantom limb pain
- Post-surgical neuromas — after hernia repair, knee replacement, thoracotomy, or breast surgery
- Traumatic neuromas — following laceration or crush injury
- Scar neuromas — where a cutaneous nerve is entrapped in scar tissue
Finding It
Examination is the diagnosis. A well-localized point of exquisite tenderness that, when tapped, produces electric pain radiating along the nerve's distribution — a positive Tinel's sign — is the classic finding. Ultrasound frequently visualizes the neuroma directly as a hypoechoic swelling in the nerve.
If anesthetic placed on that spot abolishes the pain, the question is answered.
Beyond the Injection
When injections provide reliable but short-lived relief, options include radiofrequency ablation of the nerve, cryoablation, chemical neurolysis, or surgical revision. For amputees, neuroma treatment is frequently the missing piece in an otherwise stalled prosthetic rehabilitation.