Burning Foot Cause And Treatment

Burning foot pain is a common complaint, usually as a result of damage to the nerves of the foot or leg. It may develop due to an injury or medical condition either of which can cause compression of the nerves.

Our nerves are the structures that carry messages to and from the brain. They tell our muscles when and how to work and are responsible for sensation including pressure and temperature. Damage to the nerves affects how these signals are transmitted.

Burning type symptoms may be constant or come and go, vary in intensity and be accompanied by other sensations such as pins and needles or numbness. It all depends on what is causing the problem.

Causes of burning foot pain

Accurate diagnosis of burning foot pain is vital to ensure appropriate treatment is started as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

Here we will look at the most common causes of burning pain in feet, how they present, what causes them and how they are treated.

1) neuropathy

What is it: peripheral neuropathy is caused by damage to the nerves in the leg or foot, anywhere along their path from the spine down to the feet. It is the most common cause of burning pain in feet.

Causes: various medical conditions e. g. Diabetes, injury e. g. Fractures, infections e. g. Shingles or medication. In approximately 30% of cases the cause is unknown.

Symptoms: burning foot pain often accompanied by weakness, altered sensation e. g. Pins and needles ornumbness, altered balance and co-ordination. It tends to affect both feet at the same time. Symptoms may come and go or get progressively worse.

Treatment: treatment will vary depending on the specific cause of the peripheral neuropathy. 

2) morton’s neuroma

What is it: thickening of the soft tissues surrounding one of the nerves in your foot.

Causes: anything which places pressure on the foot such as abnormal foot position, repetitive high-impact activities e. g. Running or poor fitting footwear e. g. Narrow shoes or high heels

Symptoms: the most classic symptom is that it feels like you are standing on a pebble. This may also be associated with burning foot pain in the ball of your foot and toes and numbness.

Treatment: rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medication, good-fitting shoes (preferably wide and flat), orthotics, injections, surgery.

3) peripheral vascular disease (pvd)

What is it: obstruction of the large arteries of the extremities (i. E. Those not around the heart or brain) which limits blood flow(also known as peripheral artery diseasepad).

Causes: atherosclerosis (thickening of the artery wall), stenosis (narrowing of the artery) or a blood clot. Prevalance increases with age.

Symptoms: burning foot pain especially when walking, weakness, muscle cramp, sores or ulcers, changes in skin colour (usually blue/purple), decreased hair and nail growth. May affect one or both feet. Symptoms usually get worse with activity and improve with rest.

Treatment: treatment aims to control the symptoms and stop progression of the disease. It usually involves modifying your lifestyle such as regular exercise, stopping smoking and a healthy diet, treatment of associated conditions such as diabetes, medication and in some cases surgery.

4) metatarsalgia

What is it: irritation and inflammation of the metatarsal foot bones and surrounding soft tissues

Causes: overuse (e. G. Lots of walking/running), repetitive stress, muscles weakness and tightness, poor-fitting footwear, abnormal foot position e. G. Bunions, stress fractures, gout

Symptoms: burning foot pain in the ball of the foot, most commonly under the big toe, worse with standing or walking. Tends to come on gradually over time rather than suddenly.

Treatment: rest, ice, exercises, orthotics e. g. Metatarsal pads, medic