What Causes Burning Sensation in Feet?

Introduction

Burning feet can be a sign of something serious. If you have it, you may feel a sensation of heat or burning experience in the feet. It may be mild in the beginning but may start interfering with your sleep and daily activities. This blog describes in detail the causes, diagnosis, and treatment options for burning feet.

Understanding the Burning Sensation in Feet

There can be many reasons for a burning sensation in the feet. It may be because of wearing shoes that are too tight, or standing for long periods. However, there may also be a more serious cause behind it, such as nerve damage, nutritional deficiency or infection. This may make it hard or impossible to do regular activities like walking or exercise.

Common Causes of Burning Feet

Some of you may experience the burning feet only at night, while others may feel it day and night. Very often, it is accompanied with tingling, numbness, and discomfort. If left unattended, the condition tends to worsen over time and hinders day-to-day activities. Here are the most frequent reasons that cause burning feet:

• Peripheral Neuropathy: This is one of the main reasons for burning feet. It happens when your nerves are damaged, causing sensations like burning, tingling, or numbness. Diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy, but it can also come from alcohol abuse, infections, or exposure to toxins.
• Nutritional Deficiencies: Lacking certain vitamins, especially B vitamins, can cause your feet to burn. A deficiency in vitamin B-12, in particular, can damage your nerves and lead to pain, tingling, and burning.
• Infections and Fungal Conditions: A common fungal infection like athlete’s foot can cause burning, redness, and itchiness in your feet. Bacterial infections can also lead to similar symptoms.
• Chronic Kidney Disease: When your kidneys aren’t working properly, toxins can build up in your blood and affect your nerves, causing your feet to burn.
• Nerve Entrapment: Conditions like tarsal tunnel syndrome, where nerves in your foot get compressed, can result in burning or tingling sensations in the feet.
• Hypothyroidism: Low thyroid hormone levels lead to fluid retention and swollen tissues that put pressure on the nerves, giving the sensation of burning feet.
• Chemotherapy and Other Medications: Certain medications, especially those used in chemotherapy, can cause nerve damage that leads to a burning sensation in your feet.

How Is Burning Feet Diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about the history of the condition and perform a physical examination. The doctor might order tests to investigate further. Such tests may include:

• Nerve Conduction Studies: These tests check how well the nerves are conducting electrical signals.
• Blood Tests: Blood tests will detect deficiencies in vitamins, due to which this burning may be occurring, or abnormal blood sugar level, kidney or thyroid problems.
• Imaging Tests: X-rays, MRIs, or ultrasounds will look for structural problems in the feet, such as nerve compression or bone issues.

Treatment Options for Burning Feet

Treatment for burning feet will depend upon the underlying cause. Here are some common treatments according to their causes:

• Medications: Burning sensations caused by peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage may be treated by your doctor with drugs such as anticonvulsants, antidepressants, or pain relievers.
• Topical Treatments: Creams made with capsaicin—the substance in hot or "chili" peppers that gives them their heat—may provide some patients with temporary relief from burning pain. Lidocaine patches, applied to the skin, deliver regional pain relief. These should be taken under doctor’s supervision.
• Footwear and Orthotics: Wearing comfortable shoes and using orthotics helps to relieve the pressure from your nerves, particularly in case of nerve compression.
• Physical Therapy: The stretching and strengthening exercises that are used in physical therapy will improve the function of the nerves and reduce the sensation of burning.
• Lifestyle Changes: For diabetic patients, the intake of medications along with a proper diet and exercise will help in maintaining their blood sugar at an optimal level to prevent further damage to the nerves. A decrease in alcohol consumption and avoidance of toxins will also help the nerves remain healthy.
• Infection Treatment: For fungal infection, such as athlete's foot, effective treatments include the use of antifungal creams. For bacterial infections, one needs to intake drugs, including antibiotics.

Conclusion

Burning feet are a serious concern and may range from nerve damage all the way to infections and nutritional deficiencies. With the right approach, it is possible to treat burning feet and prevent it from getting worse.

FAQ

What deficiencies cause burning feet?
Deficiencies of Vitamin B-12 cause burning feet. There are also other deficiencies, such as B-6 and B-9, which can cause nerve damage leading to discomfort.

What is burning feet a symptom of?
 Burning sensations in the feet may be due to peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, nutritional deficiencies, use of certain antibiotics, hypothyroidism, or nerve entrapment.

How does diabetes cause burning feet?
Diabetes causes damage to the nerves; this condition is termed diabetic neuropathy. Symptoms of burning feet include burning, tingling, or numbness in the feet.

Is burning feet a serious condition?
Burning feet is not a life-threatening sign but may indicate grave underlying illnesses that need medical attention. These include nerve damage, diabetes, and kidney disease.

How can I prevent burning feet?
Prevention of burning feet can be done through the management of the root causative conditions, such as diabetes, ingestion of a proper diet with B vitamins, wearing properly fitted shoes, and practicing good hygiene of the feet.