Burning feet is experiencing pins and needles in your feet and this is known as “parasthesias” in medical terms. It is marked by the feeling of hot and painful burning sensation in the feet. The range of problem can be from mild to severe. Burning feet problem can occur on adults above 50 years and there are number of factors that produce burning pain in your feet. It can be due to due to obesity, diabetes and nerve damage. Chronic diabetes can cause neuropathy affecting the sensation on your feet causing burning sensation. Burning feet can be treated after ascertaining the root cause.
Symptoms :
Some of the signs of burning feet are :
- Presence of tingling sensation in the feet
- Pins and needles pricking pain is felt in the feet
- The feet may become warm and tender
- There can be accumulation of fluids in the feet causing inflammation
- Mild to moderate pain is felt on the affected feet
- There can be excess of sweat on the feet with redness
The symptoms are more prominent in diabetic patients and in that case you should not delay in visiting your doctor.
Causes :
You may get burning feet due to number of factors like trauma or accidental injury, nerve damage, obesity (over-weight), damage in tissue, circulatory disorder, and consumption of alcohol, deficiency of vitamin B, diabetic neuropathy, Athlete’s foot, and gout.
Kidney disease, Lyme disease, metal poisoning, side effect of drugs, and inflammation of blood vessels can cause burning feet. Edema or accumulation of fluids, hypertension, and peripheral arterial disease can produce burning pain on your feet. Prolonged hours of walking or standing can produce this sensation and many people may experience burning feet after a tiring day. Any fungal or bacterial infection can cause pain and pricking sensation in the feet.
Certain allergic reaction in the skin is reflected in the form of burning feet when you use strong chemicals for washing socks and shoes. Use the socks made of cotton that would easily absorb sweat from your feet. If there is sustained pain and pricking feeling in the feet along with occasional numbness you should consult a podiatrist.
Diagnoses :
Your doctor can detect the disease by physical examination and collecting information about history of illness. He may suggest you to take X-ray or CT scan to rule out anomalies like nerve disorder and tissue damage.
Home Remedies :
For mild form of burning pain in the feet, you can apply topical creams. Choose the right footwear and include insoles for protecting your feet. You can soak the feet in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to improve blood circulation and for reducing pain and swelling. Keep your feet in elevated position in case of inflammation and include foods rich in Vitamin B in your diet.
Treatment :
Once the exact cause of burning feet is determined, treatment can be initiated for managing the symptoms. For obese people it is necessary to reduce their weight. People with diabetics should be careful and monitor their feet regularly since the disease can affect the nerve causing damage. The main purpose of treatment should be to stop any further damage to the nerve.
- For people with kidney disease, dialysis is done for flushing out toxins that cause burning feet. In case of hormonal imbalance due to hypothyroidism, supplementary thyroid pills are given for increasing the thyroid level.
- For diabetic neuropathy, medicines like amitriptyline, carbamazepine, topamax and lyrica are given. You can take over the counter drugs like Aleve, Tylenol and Advil for getting relief from pain.
- Prescription medications are given for treating any type of infection or nerve damage. For managing swelling and pain, your doctor may give anti-inflammatory cream or ointments.
- Surgery is done for correcting any nerve damage or problems of tissue and muscle damage.
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