A painful burning sensation in your feet — which you may hear referred to as burning feet syndrome or Grierson-Gopalan syndrome — may be caused by many different medical conditions. One of the most common causes is nerve damage in the legs, also called neuropathy, which often develops in people with diabetes. Most burning feet treatments focus on preventing further nerve damage and reducing pain.
What Causes Burning Feet?
Most often, neuropathy causes burning feet. Damaged nerve fibers are more likely to become overactive and misfire. The damaged nerves send pain signals to your brain even though you have no wound.
Damage from neuropathy often starts in the legs. That can lead to tingling and numbness in your feet as well. Your feet may feel overly sensitive to touch (hyperesthesia) and can have varying degrees of burning pain, ranging from mild to disabling.
There are different types and causes of neuropathy that can lead to burning feet syndrome.
Diabetic neuropathy
If your blood sugar remains too high for too long, nerve damage can develop. This can happen to people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The type of neuropathy that causes burning feet is called peripheral neuropathy, which is the most common type of neuropathy. It affects the nerves in your feet, legs, and, sometimes, your hands. Up to 50% of people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy.
Alcoholic neuropathy
This is a common consequence of alcohol use disorder. Experts don’t fully understand why it occurs, but it’s clear that many factors contribute. Alcohol has a toxic effect on the nerves in your brain and spinal cord, which make up your central nervous system. It also affects your peripheral nerves, which include those in your feet. Also, people who abuse alcohol are often malnourished, which can lead to damaged nerves. As many as two-thirds of people with alcohol use disorder develop alcoholic neuropathy.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
PAD causes narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to your legs and feet. This reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood that reaches your nerves. If PAD becomes severe, you may develop a condition called ischemic rest pain, which causes severe burning pain in the soles of your feet. This pain gets worse at night.
Athlete’s foot
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that develops in warm, moist parts of your skin. Sweaty shoes and socks, as well as humidity, create an ideal environment for the fungus to thrive. In addition to burning, you may have itching and stinging sensations on your soles and between your toes.
Hypothyroidism
If your hormone-producing thyroid gland slows down, you have an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism. If left untreated, it can sometimes result in peripheral neuropathy, an uncommon complication of this condition that can cause burning feet.
Nutritional deficiencies
Poor nutrition, which can result from an unhealthy diet or alcohol use disorder, can lead to peripheral neuropathy. In some cases, burning feet syndrome is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. This deficiency is more common in older people and in people who follow a strict vegetarian diet. Some health conditions, such as autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as anemia and HIV, may lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Other health conditions that cause a burning sensation in the feet
Many other conditions can also cause neuropathy or a burning sensation in the feet:
- Erythromelalgia
- Kidney disease
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Morton’s neuroma
- Allergies
- Contact dermatitis
- Chronic mountain sickness
- Gitelman syndrome
- Leishmaniasis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Psychological disorders
Medications that can cause burning feet
Some types of drugs have side effects (peripheral neuropathy in particular) that may trigger the sensation of burning feet. These drugs include:
Statins. Long-term use of these cholesterol-lowering drugs can cause peripheral neuropathy.
Amiodarone. This drug, used for arrhythmias, may cause peripheral neuropathy.
Chemotherapy drugs. Some chemo drugs have been shown to cause peripheral neuropathy.
Certain antibiotics. Several types of antibiotics have been linked to peripheral neuropathy, including several used to treat tuberculosis. Examples include isoniazid, linezolid, and metronidazole.
Immunosuppressant drugs. Some drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis can lead to peripheral neuropathy. These include adalimumab (Humira), infliximab (Remicade), and etanercept (Enbrel).
Some HIV drugs. Several drugs in a class called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) have been tied to peripheral neuropathy, including didanosine (Videx), lamivudine (Epivir), stavudine (Zerit), and zalcitabine (Hivid).
Levodopa. Typically combined with carbidopa to form the commonly used Parkinson’s drug levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet), this drug may cause peripheral neuropathy.
Azoles. Used to treat fungal infections, azoles have been linked to peripheral neuropathy.
Metformin. This commonly used diabetes drug may cause peripheral neuropathy, possibly because it leads to low levels of vitamin B12.
Too much vitamin B6. Taking excessive amounts of B6 — as vitamin supplements, for example — may trigger peripheral neuropathy.
Can pregnancy cause burning feet at night?
Yes. Hormone changes that occur during pregnancy may cause your feet to feel hot or burning.
Diagnosing Burning Feet
Most people who have burning feet have a likely identifiable cause, such as diabetes. For these people, the diagnosis of burning feet due to neuropathy is straightforward, and no further testing is 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). It tests muscle function using recordings of electrical activity inside the muscles. For an EMG test, a probe may be placed on the skin, or a needle may be inserted into the muscle.
Nerve conduction study (NCS). An NCS 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.
Treating Burning Sensation in Feet
Your treatment will depend on what’s causing the burning sensation in your feet.
The most important treatment for burning feet due to neuropathy is to stop any ongoing nerve damage. In some cases, treatment of the underlying disease will improve the neuropathy and symptoms. In other situations, such as many cases of small fiber neuropathy, where no cause can be identified, the physician will focus on treating the person’s symptoms.
For people with diabetic neuropathy, treatment means keeping blood sugar levels in the normal range. This usually requires dietary changes, oral medications, and often insulin injections.
For people with other forms of neuropathy that cause burning feet, preventing further nerve damage is equally important. Specific conditions and their treatments include:
Vitamin B12 deficiency. Taking additional vitamin B12 orally or by injection can replace low levels of this nutrient, as can adding food sources of B12 to your diet, including red meat, dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry.
Alcoholism. Stopping heavy drinking prevents ongoing nerve damage and allows nerves to heal.
Chronic kidney disease. Dialysis may be necessary to eliminate toxins causing neuropathy and burning feet symptoms. Some antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs can help relieve the pain.
Hypothyroidism. Taking oral thyroid hormone raises low thyroid levels, often reversing neuropathy as well as burning feet symptoms. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can also help.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Treatments are very specialized and include plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. CIDP may also be treated with corticosteroids.
Burning feet treatments include treating the pain and abnormal sensations created by neuropathy. Some commonly prescribed medications for burning feet include:
- Amitriptyline
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
- Gabapentin (Neurontin)
- Pregabalin (Lyrica)
- Topiramate (Topamax)
- Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
Other pain medications may be necessary to reduce the severe discomfort from burning feet some people feel. Over-the-counter medicines such as Advil, Aleve, Motrin IB, and Tylenol can control pain in many people with burning feet. Prescription pain relievers such as tramadol (Ultram) or low-dose opiates (narcotics) may be necessary for severe pain.
For burning feet caused by athlete's foot, antifungal drugs can cure the fungal infection and relieve burning feet symptoms. Over-the-counter medicines such as miconazole (Micatin) or terbinafine (Lamisil AT) should be used first. Prescription antifungals such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), and naftifine (Naftin) are also available.
Burning Feet Home Remedies
There’s plenty that you can do at home to help ease your discomfort from burning feet. Self-care options include:
Cool down your feet. Soak your feet in cool — not cold — water for 15 minutes to ease your symptoms temporarily. A fan blowing cool air may also help.
Dress comfortably. Breathable cotton socks are best during the day. Wear clothes that are light and moisture-wicking to bed to keep your body temperature well-regulated.
Use topical treatments. Creams and patches that contain lidocaine or capsaicin can ease your feet’s discomfort. Check with your doctor first to make sure they’re right for you.
Wear comfortable footwear. Shoes with arch support and open toes can help your feet feel better.
Sleep in a cool room. A cool bedroom temperature (65 to 68 F) can help.
Takeaways
You can develop burning feet syndrome from numerous causes. Most of them relate to a type of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. Often, treating the cause of the nerve damage can relieve your burning feet, but you may need other treatments and lifestyle adjustments to feel better.
Burning Feet FAQs
What foods should I avoid with burning feet?
Food isn't likely to cause burning feet. But it's possible some foods could worsen your symptoms or a health condition causing them. Your doctor can help you figure out if you have any food triggers, which may include artificial sweeteners, dairy, gluten, foods with lots of sugar, and foods with trans or saturated fats.
How do I stop the burning sensation in my feet?
The best thing you can do is see your doctor, who can find out the cause of your burning feet syndrome. Treating that cause will likely help you feel better.
What triggers neuropathy in the feet?
There are lots of potential causes of neuropathy in the feet. One of the most common causes is diabetes. Alcohol use disorder also can be to blame, as can certain nutritional deficiencies and diseases. Your doctor can tell you what’s causing your feet to feel like they’re burning.
