Symptoms accompanying burning soles
Burning soles of the feet can have numerous causes, concomitant circumstances or basic illnesses, and the accompanying symptoms vary accordingly, the combination of which can provide important information for diagnosis. If, in addition to the burning soles of the feet, there is also severe sweating, reddening and overheating of the feet, a superficial problem or a circulatory disorder can be assumed. Itching, tingling, rashes and weeping wounds can also occur.
A disease of the nerves manifests itself in turn with numerous other symptoms. Here, pain, numbness, insecurities in walking, muscle weakness and paralysis can also occur. Depending on the underlying disease, many symptoms typical of the disease can follow.
In the case of diabetes mellitus, for example, these can include thirst, weight loss, frequent urination, visual disturbances and many others. In MS, on the other hand, visual disturbances, pain during eye movements, chronic exhaustion and spasticity of the muscles can follow. Tingling may be an accompanying symptom of skin or nerve involvement.
Superficial tingling, as well as burning and potential itching, may indicate a skin rash and inflammation of the skin of the foot. However, tingling may also be a first symptom of nerve damage. Tingling, formication and numbness may be the first signs of pressure-related nerve or circulation problems.
This is the same feeling as when limbs fall asleep. If the feeling does not subside of its own accord within hours to a few days, there may be a blockage of the blood vessels or an incarceration and pressure on the nerve. This should be clarified by a doctor, as otherwise numbness, pain, muscle paralysis and long-term damage to the foot may occur.
Itching usually occurs as a result of inflammation of the skin on the foot. Only rarely are autoimmune diseases, circulatory disorders or nerve damage behind the itching. The itching of the skin of the foot can occur in summer, when an increased tendency to sweat develops.
Poor foot hygiene, certain textiles, incorrect footwear or wounds can also promote a burning, itching and potential inflammation. Occasionally, infections due to fungi can occur on the foot. These infections are often persistent and can lead to severe itching and burning on the sole of the foot.
An intensification of the symptoms, especially at night, is typical for burning soles of feet. In the case of diseases and inflammations of the skin, this can be mainly due to the changed environment compared to during the day. The complaints are then most noticeable barefoot and under a warm blanket, so that those affected often sleep badly.
Also with diabetes mellitus, the burning soles of the feet can become worse, especially at night. Strong complaints at night, on the other hand, can in some cases be an important indication of the so-called “real burning feet syndrome”. This is a deficiency of a vitamin from the B-complex, which can also be accompanied by muscle tension, stinging and numbness in the feet.
If both the feet and the hands are affected by the burning sensation, this speaks against a local disease and for a so-called “systemic” disease that affects the entire body. The burning sensation can in turn be accompanied by numbness, tingling and pain, which speaks for a change in the sensitive nerves. Such a systemic disease of the nervous system can be a polyneuropathy or an autoimmune disease like MS. Polyneuropathy is relatively common and can have many causes, including long-term alcohol consumption or diabetes mellitus. Typically, the burning sensation occurs symmetrically, starting at the feet and spreading towards the trunk of the body. The hands are often affected later than the feet.
