If you have been dealing with a burning sensation in your feet, chances are you might have had nerve damage, very often related to diabetes. While it’s not always the case, many other reasons can also trigger such a sensation. Depending on the intensity of the damage, the frequency of pain is constant or intermittent. It will be possible to decipher and, most importantly, arrive at solutions that will subside the pain. Before administering the exact treatment, it makes sense to pore through few common, underlying causes.
What Are The Possible Causes?
Generally, medical issues like diabetic neuropathy, wherein patients have had uncontrolled blood sugar levels, can reduce signal transmission from the nerves. Worse, if someone is obese, smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol, or has relatively high blood pressure- the risks are more. Excessive alcohol consumption may also cause alcoholic neuropathy. Along with the usual burning feet, muscle spasms, loss of muscle functioning, impaired speech, dizziness, and bowel dysfunctions are common symptoms.
Then there’s the limb-based complex regional pain syndrome that happens post an injury or a surgical operation. Sometimes, the situations can be so bad that the skin tends to swell after the burning feeling, and the color and texture of the skin also show rapid changes. It can also affect your immune system. Hence, the ideal task would be to consult the medical practitioner to determine exactly the cause of the burning feet.
How To Diagnose The Issue?
Once the issue has been identified and diagnosed, visit your doctor for the correct treatment. Likely, doctors will conduct a physical exam first, indicating fungal infecund or structural difficulties in the legs or feet, pale or reddish skin, reflexes, or simply a lack of general feeling or sensation. Depending on the issue, the doctor might speak at length about your medical history in addition to medications taken.
Since diabetes is the most common cause of burning feet, a test becomes mandatory, especially for those who have not done it earlier. Besides this, you can also get blood tests for kidney function, thyroid hormone, deficiency of Vitamins, HIV, or any other infection. In case there is a problem in the tarsal tunnel, imaging tests necessary.
What Treatments Are Available?
Only after determining the exact cause can the best treatment option be decided for the concerned patient. Treatments, in general, are quite straightforward. You might need to invest in proper, comfortable shoes, corrective inserts in the shoes (if needed), Vitamin B supplements, thyroid supplements, or an antifungal prescription if the issue is that of an athlete’s feet.
Keep a tab on your medicines for diabetes patients who might see a change in the diet. Added dosages of prescription drugs might be administered to tackle the nerve pain. In severe cases, nerve stimulation works with winders, like magnetic therapy, laser therapy, light therapy, or electric nerve stimulation. You can consult your doctor if acupuncture would be applicable for you.
Which Home Remedies Come Of Good Use?
The importance of doctors and their treatments is not something you can disregard. However, you can try few home remedies to derive temporary relief. For example, try soaking your feet in ice baths or cold water for a few minutes. Those with erythromelalgia should better stay away from this. Alternatively, you can try soaking the feet in apple cider solution of Epsom salts but ensure you talk to your doctor if you happen to be a diabetic.
Another possible remedy is a turmeric supplement, which is replete with curcumin. Since it’s anti-inflammatory and has antioxidant or antimicrobial properties, neurological symptoms cure in the process. Try mixing turmeric with ginger at home or resort to a topical cream having capsaicin or lidocaine. Most importantly, don’t forget to massage your foot daily. That way, there is ample blood circulation, and your body is relaxed.
While home remedies might solve the issue on a surface level, remember to talk to the doctor. This will help you identify any underlying issues and prevent them at the start. Nerve damages can be permanent in few cases, and that is where you need to act carefully. Thankfully, a wide array of treatments are now available to help prevent damages furthermore. And therefore, with early detection and professional help, you can recover back to health. Soon, that burning sensation in your feet will be a thing of the past!
