Ya know; it can be a number
Ya know; it can be a number of contributing factors. Honestly, i would listen to TJ above all others in this conversation, just based on her experience. Having said that, I would see a doctor; at the very least start with an x-ray. It won't show a neuroma, but it can be informative about other factors. In my case I have inflammation from metatarsal stress causing discomfort (no numbness, just other nerve-ish annoyances) in my toes. x-rays showed I do have Morton's Toe (different from Morton's Neuroma) and my second metatarsal was carrying more of a load than the rest. My less than ideal running form and a poorly placed rock made for my current injury state.
In
MY case, minimal shoes will likely make more sense than barefoot going forward (totally bums me out. I love barefoot running more than any other kind of running), and this
could (emphasis on could, meaning
possibly, not definitively, because I don't know your factors and am an expert only on myself
) be the case for you. Try barefoot first as it can tell you a lot and very well could be the answer, but be vigilant about the signals your body sends you, and listen to those signals. If something feels wrong stop and evaluate. There is no need to 'push through' anything. Doing that made my case worse.
I don't mean to get preachy, and am still very much pro-barefoot; I just wanted to add my own experience and perspective.
And Willie, your post made me laugh; my brain processed it as "my toes used to go numb, but now I don't feel it."