Associated symptoms
The accompanying symptoms of burning feet depend on the underlying disease and provide important information in the diagnosis. Asking about the symptoms is at the very beginning of the medical consultation. In the case of local skin complaints, the symptoms are usually limited to the foot.
In addition to burning sensation, itching, redness, pain and rashes may occur. Previous contusions or fractures of the foot also clearly indicate a local occurrence. This can also cause swelling and bruising.
However, the symptoms of diseases such as diabetes or MS are more varied. – Diabetes is usually diagnosed long before the onset of polyneuropathy. If polyneuropathy occurs with existing diabetes, it manifests itself not only in burning feet but also in muscle paralysis, dry skin, foot ulcers, poor wound healing, water retention and frequent local inflammation.
- Multiple sclerosis, on the other hand, is very often accompanied by impaired vision, pain during eye movements, sensitivity disorders and chronic fatigue. Many of the causes of burning feet can also explain complaints in the legs. These are often damage to nerves that run from the spinal cord through the leg to the feet.
Regardless of whether the damage is a one-time occurrence or a progressive nerve disease, pain and burning sensation can occur in both legs and feet. A common orthopaedic reason for this is a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. If a nerve exiting the spinal cord is pressed by the intervertebral disc, the so-called “radicular” symptoms occur, which can lead to pain and symptoms along the entire course of the nerve down to the toes.
Diabetic polyneuropathy can also affect the legs. If left untreated, the disease progresses and over time also affects parts of the body that are close to the body, which can also suffer sensitivity disorders and paralysis. If the hands are involved, this indicates a generalized disease of the entire body.
This pattern of distribution suggests the suspicion of a progressive nervous disease such as polyneuropathy or multiple sclerosis. This leads to a destruction of the nerve fibres and the insulation of the nerves, the so-called “myelin sheaths”. Sensitive sensations such as burning are very typical as early symptoms.
In most cases, the disease occurs depending on the length of the nerve and thus predominantly in hands and feet far from the body. A beginning in the feet and lower legs is typical. The hands often follow on from this before the disease progresses to the upper arms and thighs.
If the hands are involved, this indicates a generalized disease of the entire body. This distribution pattern suggests the suspicion of a progressive nerve disease such as polyneuropathy or multiple sclerosis. This leads to a destruction of the nerve fibres and the insulation of the nerves, the so-called “myelin sheaths”.
Sensitive sensations such as burning are very typical as early symptoms. In most cases, the disease occurs depending on the length of the nerve and thus predominantly in hands and feet far from the body. A beginning in the feet and lower legs is typical.
The hands often follow on from this before the disease progresses to the upper arms and thighs. In most cases, burning feet have harmless causes. However, they can be a very annoying symptom, especially if the discomfort also occurs at night and interrupts the night’s sleep.
In these cases, a doctor should be consulted in order to be able to better treat therapy-resistant complaints on the one hand, but also to rule out potentially more serious causes such as a real “burning-feet syndrome” or even polyneuropathy and nerve damage on the other. To relieve the symptoms, socks should not be worn at night. Overnight cooling can also reduce the burning sensation.
