A burning sensation in the feet is a common ailment. It can occur as an isolated problem or a symptom of another condition. Medical professionals call it burning feet or a burning sensation in the lower legs leg syndrome (BFS).
BFS often causes the feet to be uncomfortably hot and painful. Symptoms of this can be mild or severe, depending on the cause. BFS is common in older adults and may be more severe at night.
Reasons
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Peripheral neuropathy, commonly referred to as nerve damage, is a common cause of BFS. However, nerve damage itself is often caused by another medical condition.
Medical conditions that could cause nerve damage and BFS include:
Diabetes
Diabetes can cause high blood sugar levels. Prolonged high blood sugar levels could damage blood vessels and nerves. This type of nerve damage is called diabetic neuropathy.
According to reliable sources, up to 50% of people with diabetes have, or will have, diabetic neuropathy at some point. One of the significant symptoms of diabetic neuropathy is BFS. For the treatment of burning feet, you can visit dr essa laboratory.
Small fibre sensory neuropathy (SFSN)
This condition causes pain and embarrassment in the feet and hands.
SFSN causes damage to small sensory cutaneous nerves. These nerves can provide sensory feedback between the skin and the brain. SFSN is often associated with diabetes or impaired glucose metabolism. Symptoms of SFSN include a reliable source of cold-like pain, tingling, or pins and needles.
Heavy alcohol consumption
- Chronic alcohol use can cause alcoholic neuropathy, which damages the body’s nerves. This is one of the most common reliable signs of heavy alcohol use.
- Damage nerves can cause a person to experience BFS.
- Charcot-Marie’s disease of the tooth
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) damages peripheral nerves.
Symptoms typically begin in the feet and the lower legs. Symptoms include BFS, foot and lower leg muscle weakness, foot deformity, and difficulty lifting the foot while walking.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
CRPS is a broad term that describes the pain and inflammation that occurs after a person has injured an arm or leg. Common causes of trusted sources of CRPS include fractures, sprains, and surgery.
Symptoms of CRPS include BFS, joint stiffness, bone loss or overgrowth, changes in skin texture, and swelling of affected limbs.
Tracheal tunnel syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is the same as carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist but occurs in the ankle.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome results from compression and damage to the nerves that run along the inside of the ankle and foot.
This can cause tingling or burning in the feet.
Other causes of BFS
Other causes of this unrelated to nerve damage include:
- Erythromelalgia
- Nutrition
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Player’s feet
- Kidney disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Chemotherapy
Home remedies for burning feet
Treatment for BFS depends on the underlying cause. A doctor can treat BFS using the following:
- Antifungal prescription
- Shoe inserts or shoe changes
- Vitamin supplements
- Thyroid supplements
- Electrical nerve stimulation
- Magnetic therapy
- Laser or light therapy
There are also several home remedies for BFS that a person can try. Here are 9 that can help:
Soak your feet in cold water or an ice bath
Soaking feet in cold water can help temporarily relieve the symptoms of BFS.
However, a person suffering from erythromelalgia should avoid it, as it can damage their skin.
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE)
A person can help reduce tarsal tunnel syndrome’s symptoms by using RICE. This includes resting the foot, icing the ankle, applying compression, and elevating the foot.
Rice can help to reduce swelling and inflammation, which can help reduce the symptoms of BFS.
Epsom salt
People often use Epsom salt to treat various problems, including pain and symptoms of athlete’s foot. For more detail, you can visit the best online medical store.
This is a natural compound that contains magnesium sulfate. It has several uses, including:
- Alleviating symptoms of athlete’s foot
- Reduce inflammation
- Exfoliating the skin
- Reduce odours
- Relief from constipation
- People add Epsom salt to warm water before soaking their feet in the mixture for 20-30 minutes.
Epsom salt foot baths can treat symptoms of BFS. However, a person with diabetes should check with their doctor before using an Epsom salt bath. This is because Epsom salt can increase the risk of foot damage in people with diabetes.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can fight bacteria, fungi, and other dangerous microbes.
Soaking your feet in a foot bath containing warm water and apple cider vinegar can be an effective way to treat an athlete’s foot. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove this treatment’s effectiveness.
Turmeric supplements
Turmeric contains the compound curcumin. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects and can be a trusted source of effective treatment for many skin conditions. Therefore, curcumin is also a trusted source of effective treatment for various neurological disorders.
A person can use turmeric supplements to treat BFS related to nerve damage and other nerve pain. A person can take turmeric in supplement form or take one teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper three times a day.
A 2013 study showed that if a person takes curcumin in the early stages of neuropathy, it may have a positive effect. Studies have shown that curcumin may help prevent the development of chronic neuropathy.
Fish oil
Fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain and discomfort. Furthermore, If a person has BFS due to diabetes, they may want to treat their BFS with fish oil.
A 2018 study from Reliable Sources suggests that fish oil can slow the progression and even reverse diabetic neuropathy. Fish oil supplements are available over the country. A person can consume 2,400 to 5,400 milligrams of fish oil per day.
Ginger
Ginger oil has anti-inflammatory properties and can be an effective treatment for BTS.
A 2014 study found that Swedish massage with aromatic ginger oil reduced back pain and disability more effectively than traditional Thai massage. Many ginger oils are available OTC.
A 2020 study by a reliable source looked at the use of ginger extract in rats. This suggests that ginger extract may be an effective treatment for diabetic neuropathy.
However, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of ginger for the specific treatment of BFS and neuropathic pain.
Lidocaine or capsaicin
Lidocaine is a local anaesthetic. Medical professionals often use reliable sources of lidocaine to numb the skin before performing specific procedures, such as drawing blood.
Capsaicin is present in chilli peppers and provides natural pain relief. A 2011 study from a reliable source found that capsaicin is effective in helping to manage pain.
Some medical professionals recommend topical creams containing capsaicin and lidocaine patches as effective treatments and anti-inflammatory agents for diabetic neuropathic pain symptoms. Both of these are common treatments for BFS in people with diabetes.
Anyhow, there is little evidence to support their use.
And topical lidocaine in both patch and gel forms is also a reliable standard treatment for pain associated with SFSN.