A burning sensation in your feet may be caused by nerve damage in the legs, also called neuropathy. Although many medical conditions can cause burning feet, diabetes is the most common. Most burning feet treatments focus on preventing further nerve damage and reducing pain.
Causes of Burning Feet
Most often, neuropathy is the cause of burning feet.
Damaged nerve fibers are more likely to become overactive and misfire.
The damaged nerves send pain signals to the brain even though there is no wound.
In most people with neuropathy, the leg nerves
become damaged first. These people often have tingling and numbness in
the feet as well. Many people complain that their feet are overly
sensitive to touch (hyperesthesia) and can have varying degrees of
burning pain. It can range from mild to disabling.
Diabetes and alcohol
abuse are by far the most common causes of neuropathy in the legs. Many
other conditions can cause neuropathy or a burning sensation in the
feet:
- Chronic kidney disease (uremia)
- Small fiber neuropathy
- Vitamin deficiency (vitamin B12, folate, and occasionally vitamin B6)
- Alcohol abuse
- Low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism)
- Lyme disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Amyloid polyneuropathy
- Drug side effects, including chemotherapy drugs, vitamin B6 overdose, HIV medicines, amiodarone, isoniazid, metformin, and others
- Erythromelalgia
- Heavy metal poisoning (lead, mercury, arsenic)
- Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)
- Sarcoidosis
- Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
Besides neuropathy, infections and inflammation of the feet can also cause a burning sensation. The most common of these is athlete's foot, an infection of the skin caused by fungus.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) also commonly causes burning feet. The poor circulation of blood to the feet may frequently cause pain, tingling, and burning feet, especially while walking.
Weeks or months after gastric bypass surgery, some people experience a burning feet sensation. Poor absorption of B vitamins after gastric bypass can cause neuropathy in the legs and a sensation of burning feet.
Diagnosing Burning Feet
Most people who have burning feet have a likely cause (such as diabetes)
that can be identified. For these people, the diagnosis of burning feet
due to neuropathy is straightforward, and additional testing is not
needed.
In a few people whose burning sensation is sudden,
rapidly worsening, or has no explainable cause, further testing may be
needed to make a correct diagnosis. These tests may include:
- Electromyography (EMG). A test of muscle function using recordings of electrical activity inside the muscles. A probe may be placed on the skin, or a needle may be inserted into the muscle, for an EMG test.
- Nerve conduction study. A nerve conduction study tests the ability of nerves to transmit impulses. A nerve is stimulated, and the response in the muscle controlled by that nerve is measured.
- Laboratory tests. Sometimes, tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid may be suggested to help diagnose the cause of burning feet. Vitamin levels can be checked with a simple blood test.
- Nerve biopsy. Very rarely, a doctor may suggest cutting out a piece of nerve tissue and examining it under a microscope.
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