By Medicover Hospitals / 26 March 2022 Home | Articles | 7 Possible Causes of Burning Sensation in your Feet
The sensation of burning feet is a common disorder that can occur as an isolated issue or as an indication of another condition. These often cause the feet to become uncomfortably hot and painful. The symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on the cause. These sensations are most common in older adults and might get worse at night.
This condition affects the top of the feet, ankles and the lower leg along with the soles of the feet. The most common cause of burning feet can be diabetes. However, this burning sensation is also a symptom of a number of other conditions.
The pain from burning feet can be intermittent or constant and range from mild to severe. You may feel hot, prickling, tingling, or numb in your feet. The pain is usually worse at night. The treatment for burning feet depends on the underlying cause.
The burning sensation can even be painful. Here are the causes for experiencing this sensation:
Alcohol Abuse: Alcoholism can induce nerve injury, which results in burning feet.
Kidney Disease: When the kidneys are damaged, waste is not properly filtered from the
body, resulting in peripheral neuropathy, which causes a burning sensation in the legs.
Athlete’s Foot: This is a fungal infection that manifests itself first as rashes between the toes. A burning sensation on the feet could be caused by the rash.
Hypothyroidism: In this condition, the thyroid gland do not produce enough hormones and might manifest as a burning sensation on the feet.
After Bariatric Surgery: A few weeks after bariatric surgery, some people
experience a burning sensation on their feet. This can be due to vitamin B malabsorption after a gastric bypass.
Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS: CRPS is a painful condition that develops after an injury, stroke, or heart attack, while the cause is unclear. Symptoms of CRPS include burning feet.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: The sensation can occur when the posterior tibial nerve in the foot is squeezed.
Other causes are:
- Nerve Damage Due to Diabetes
- HIV/AIDS
- Chemotherapy
- Vitamin Deficiency and Anaemia
- Charcot Marie Tooth Disease
Diagnostic Tests for Burning Feet
Additional testing is usually not required to diagnose burning feet caused by neuropathy. However, in some cases, the underlying causes may not be clear and require diagnostic testing. The test may include:
- Electromyography
- Nerve Conduction Test
- Nerve Biopsy
Home remedies for pain relief
You can get temporary relief from the burning sensation. Here are some home remedies for pain relief:
- Soak your feet in cold water. However, this may damage the skin of people with erythromelalgia. Soak your feet in Epsom salts or an apple cider solution. Before trying this therapy, consult the doctor if you have diabetes.
- Use turmeric supplement to get relief from nerve pain. Curcumin is known to have protective anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial effects and antioxidants.
- Apply a lidocaine or capsaicin-containing topical cream. A ginger or turmeric solution made at home might also work in relieving pain.
- Massage your foot to improve blood flow and circulation.
The pain from burning feet can be worse at night. Consult our expert doctors and get relief from the burning sensation in the feet.
Feet On Fire? Get-in-touch with Our Expert!
Citations
Pain in the top of your foot will often get better in a few weeks. See a GP if it does not improve. If you see a GP about pain in the top of your foot, they may suggest you try these things: rest and raise your foot when you can put
an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas in a towel) on the painful area for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours wear shoes with plenty of room for your feet, which have a low heel and soft soleHow you can ease pain in the top of your foot
Do
use soft insoles or pads you put in your shoes
try to lose weight if you're overweight
try regular gentle stretching exercises of your foot and ankle
take paracetamol
Don’t
do not take ibuprofen for the first 48 hours after an injury
do not do any sports or other activity that you think is causing the pain
do not walk or stand for a long time
do not wear high heels or tight or pointy shoes
A pharmacist can help with foot pain
You can ask a pharmacist about:
- the best painkiller to take
- insoles and pads for your shoes
- if you need to see a GP
Find a pharmacy
Video: an exercise to reduce pain in the top of the foot
This video shows an exercise that can help with pain in the top of foot.
Media last reviewed: 17 April 2022
Media review due: 17 April 2025
The exercises in this video are suitable for most people. They are general exercises only and are not aimed at treating any specific cause of pain or condition.
Get advice from a GP or health professional before trying it, especially if:
- you have any concerns about your health
- you are not sure if the exercises are suitable
- you have any pre-existing health problems or injuries, or any current symptoms
Stop the exercise immediately and get medical help if you feel any pain or feel unwell.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- pain in the top of your foot is stopping you doing normal activities
- the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
- the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
- you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your foot
- you have diabetes and a foot pain – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes
Immediate action required: Go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E if:
- you have severe pain in the top of your foot
- you're not able to walk
- your foot has changed shape or is at an odd angle
- you heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of injury
- you feel faint, dizzy or sick from pain
These might be signs of a broken bone after an injury.
Find an urgent treatment centre
Severe pain:
- always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk
- you cannot sleep
- it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
Moderate pain:
- always there
- makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
- you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:
- comes and goes
- is annoying but does not stop you doing daily activities
Common causes of pain in the top of the foot
Pain in the top of your foot is often caused by exercising, especially if it involves running, kicking or jumping.
It may also be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight and some conditions, like gout.
Your symptoms might give you an idea of what's causing your pain. Do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you're worried.
Some of the possible causes of pain in the top of the foot.
Pain, swelling, bruising, started after intense or repetitive exercise | Sprain or strain |
Pain, swelling and stiffness that lasts a long time, a grating or crackling sensation when you move the foot, a lump along a tendon | Tendonitis or osteoarthritis |
Red, hot, swollen skin, sudden or severe pain when anything touches your foot, pain usually starts near the bottom of the big toe | Gout |
Information:
Do not worry if you're not sure what the problem is.
Follow the advice on this page and see a GP if the pain does not get better in 2 weeks.