Burning feet syndrome, also known as Grierson-Gopalan syndrome, is a set of symptoms in which your feet become uncomfortably hot and painful. The burning sensation may become more intense at night, with some relief occurring during the day. Symptoms may range from mild to severe. The heat and pain can be limited to the soles of your feet, but it might also affect the tops of your feet, your ankles and even your lower legs and sometime all body.

The most common Burning feet syndrome symptoms include:

• Sensations of heat or burning, often worsening at night.
• Numbness in feet or legs.
• Sharp or stabbing pain.
• Feeling of heaviness in feet.
• Dull ache in feet.
• Skin redness or excess warmth.
• Prickling, tingling or a feeling of “pins and needles” (paresthesia).

Causes of Burning Feet

The symptoms of burning feet syndrome can result from many different conditions or diseases for example:

Nerve damage or entrapment

There are many possible causes of burning feet and nerve pain. It may occur due to various illnesses, back injuries — which can cause slow breakdown (degenerative changes) of the spine — back surgery, use of chemotherapy drugs many allopathic medications, or exposure to toxins.

• Peripheral neuropathy: This is one of the main causes of burning feet syndrome. It occurs when something damages the peripheral sensory nerves that connect our spinal cord to our arms and legs. People who’ve had diabetes for a long time and have had a history of high blood glucose levels are more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy. Diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy develops gradually and may worsen over time. Other conditions that can cause peripheral neuropathy include chemotherapy drugs, some inherited diseases, autoimmune disorders (for example rheumatoid arthritis), exposure to toxic chemicals, infections, kidney failure, alcoholism and nutritional imbalances (vitamin B deficiency, malabsorption syndrome).
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome: Tarsal tunnel is a narrow space inside our ankle near our ankle bones. Compression or squeezing of our posterior tibial nerve (the nerve behind the largest long bone of our lower leg) inside of our arch can result in sensations of burning, tingling or pain in parts of our feet. Our inner ankles and calves of our legs can also be affected.
• Morton’s neuroma: Nerve tissue may thicken between the bones at the base of our toes, causing pain. Shoes that are too tight can cause this type of neuroma, although it may also result from a sports injury, stress or abnormal position or movement of our foot, as well as decreased fat pad to the bottoms of our feet.
• Complex regional pain syndrome: This rare, yet extremely painful nerve disorder, may occur after an injury or surgery.
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder: This inherited neurological disorder may damage the peripheral nerves of our legs and feet. The damage becomes worse over time. Charcot-Marie-Tooth affects the muscles and nerves of our extremities, resulting in abnormal weakness and lifting of the arches of our feet.

Endocrine or metabolic disorders

• Diabetes mellitus: Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes may affect the peripheral nerves of our body, especially the sensory nerves of our feet and legs. High glucose levels or diabetes that aren’t properly managed damage our peripheral nerves, especially over the long term. High blood glucose levels affect the transmission of signals from these nerves and can weaken blood vessel walls.
• Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid gland may cause a burning sensation in our feet, along with weight gain, dry skin or fatigue.

Infections 

• Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis): This fungal infection is caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes that grow in moist, warm areas of our skin. Damp shoes and socks and humid environments allow the fungi to grow and spread. Athlete’s foot symptoms may an athlete’s itching, burning and stinging between our toes and the soles of our feet.

Other causes of burning feet

• Erythromelalgia/erythermalgia: This rare disorder can cause intense burning pain, increased skin temperature and visible redness (erythema) of our toes and soles of our feet. It can affect our hands. Its exact cause is unknown. Attacks may occur only at certain times (flare-ups) and last from several minutes to several days, or the burning pain might be continuous. The affected area may become tender, swollen and warm.
• Footwear that’s too tight, too soft and thin-soled, or doesn’t fit properly: Improper shoes or stockings can irritate sensitive feet or put pressure on certain parts of our foot.
• Heavy impact due to exercise or physical injury.
• Allergies: Materials used to make shoes or socks may trigger symptoms.
• Contact dermatitis: Dyes or chemical agents used to tan leather can irritate your skin.
• Other causes: include chronic mountain sickness, Gitelman syndrome, Leishmaniasis, multiple sclerosis, psychological disorder (psychosomatic), inherited conditions and idiopathic causes (unknown causes).

Contact Dermatitis

A detergent, soap, cleaner, wax, or any chemical could irritate your skin. Health care workers, florists, hairdressers, machinists, and cleaners get it more often. You might have an allergic reaction within a few hours, or it might happen over a longer period of time, as a chemical wears down the top, oily, protective layer of skin. The treatment will depend on the cause.

Diagnosis

There aren’t any tests to objectively measure the intensity of pain or burning feet, doctor will try to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms:

Physical examination

Ask your patient about medical history, including any physical symptoms patient have and medications that he/she is taking. Test patient’s reflexes and examine him for signs of infection, injury or other issues.

Blood tests

CP (complete blood count) tests to measure blood glucose levels and screen for nutritional deficiencies or endocrine disorders; Serum and urine electrolytes (magnesium, sodium, potassium, vitamin B levels and chloride).

Nerve function tests

In the case of suspected nerve damage, order electrodiagnostic tests.

• Electromyography: This test helps determine what’s causing pain, numbness or tingling. (Doctors do this test by inserting a very thin needle with an electrode through patient’s skin into the muscle). The needle electrode records patient’s muscle’s activity as it contracts and relaxes.
• Nerve conduction velocity test: This test helps providers how fast electrical impulses move along a nerve. Doctors do this test to differentiate between true nerve disorders and conditions in which muscles are affected by a nerve injury. (Doctor places flat electrodes on patient’s skin along the nerve pathway); The electrodes apply a low-intensity current.

Allopathic treatment for Burning feet

Allopathic treatment for burning feet syndrome depends on the underlying causes or conditions, for example: –

• Insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs can help manage blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.
• Nutritional supplements may be prescribed for patients with vitamin deficiencies.
• Drugs such as oral or topical narcotic or non-narcotic medications may be prescribed to relieve pain (but remember the root cause is still persist). Topical creams, lotions, sprays or patches containing lidocaine may alleviate discomfort.
• Tricyclic antidepressants and others may help with chronic pain associated with neuropathy.
• Anti-seizure drugs. Gabapentin, carbamazepine, pregabalin and others may be used to relive chronic pain.
• Antifungal drugs. Oral medications, especially corticosteroids, may be used for infections resistant to topical products.

Other treatment options for burning feet

• Physical therapy and exercise.
• Dietary changes.
• Foot pads and shoe inserts (orthotic devices).
• Foot surgery may be recommended with certain underlying causes in cases that don’t respond to allopathic treatment or more conservative forms of treatment.

About a third of people with HIV or AIDS end up with damage to their nerves. The virus itself can hurt your nerves, and the drugs used to control it can, too. Illnesses you get because your immune system is weaker, like herpes, tuberculosis, and thrush, might also do it.

Homeopathic treatment for burning feet

Homeopathic treatment for burning feet syndrome depends on the underlying causes or conditions, here are some Homeopathic medicine works best for burning feet syndrome: –

Arsenicum Album

A profoundly acting remedy on every organ and tissue, all-prevailing debility, exhaustion, and restlessness, with nightly aggravation. Burning pains. Unquenchable thirst. Burning relieved by heat.  Anemia and chlorosis. Degenerative changes. Gradual loss of weight from impaired nutrition. Septic infections and low vitality. Hot headaches are relieved by cold. Periodical burning pains, with restlessness; with cold skin. Hemicrania, with icy feeling of scalp and great weakness, nightly burning and itching; dandruff.

Burning in eyes, with acrid/acidic/burning lachrymation. Skin within, raw and burning. Thin, excoriating, offensive otorrhea. Roaring in ears, during a paroxysm of pain. Burning and bleeding rhinitis. Eating disorders, acidity, burning abdominal pains. Liver and spleen enlarged and painful. Ascites and anasarca. Burning pain and pressure in rectum and anus, burning hemorrhoids. Bright’s disease. Diabetes. Micturition. Burning leucorrhea. Burning sciatic pains, peripheral neuritis. Diabetic gangrene. Ulcers on heel. Paralysis of lower limbs with atrophy.

Skin – itching, burning, swelling; oedema, eruption, dry, rough, scaly; worse cold and scratching. Malignant pustules. Ulcers with offensive discharge. Anthrax. Poisoned wounds. Urticaria, with burning and restlessness. Psoriasis. Scirrhous. Icy coldness of body. Epithelioma of the skin. Gangrenous inflammations. Septic fever. Intermittent.

Sulphur

This is a great Hahnemannian anti-psora. Its action is centrifugal-from within outward-having an elective affinity for the skin, where it produces heat and burning, with itching. Constant heat on scalp (top of head). Burning ulceration of eyes and of lid. Throat infections are with burning pains. severe acidity, burning abdominal pain. Oppression and burning sensation in chest. Urethral burning, micturition. vagainal burning and itching. Frequent flashes of heat. Violent ebullitions of heat throughout entire body. Dry skin and great thirst. Night sweat, on nape and occiput. Perspiration of single parts. Disgusting sweats.  Freckles. Itching, burning skin.

Phosphorus

Irritating inflamed and degenerative mucous membranes. Destructive metabolism. Yellow atrophy of the liver and sub-acute hepatitis. Heat comes from the spine. Neuralgia: parts must be kept warm. Burning pains. Chronic congestion of head.  Burning stricture in esophagus. Dryness in pharynx and fauces. Inflammation of stomach, with burning extending to throat and bowels. Chilly every evening.

Medorrhinum

Burning pain in brain; worse, occiput. Pain in back, with burning heat. Ankles easily turn when walking. Burning feet, hands. Finger-joints enlarged, puffy. Gouty concretions. Soreness of soles. Restless; better, clutching hands. Skin yellow. Intense and incessant itching. Fiery red rash about anus. Copper-colored spots. Favus. Tumors and abnormal growth.

Fever – wants to be fanned all the time. Chills up and down back; coldness of legs, hands, and forearms. Flashes of heat in face and neck. Night-sweat and hectic.

Kali Phos

One of the greatest nerve remedies. Marked disturbance of the sympathetic nervous system. Conditions arising from the need for nerve power, neurasthenia, mental and physical depression, are wonderfully improved by this medicine.

Arnica Montana

Skin black and blue. Itching, burning, eruption of small pimples. Crops of small boils. Ecchymosis. Bed sores. Acne indurates, characterized by symmetry in distribution. Insomnia and restlessness when overtired. Comatose drowsiness; awakens with hot head; dreams of death, mutilated bodies, anxious and terrible. Horror in the night. Involuntary stools during sleep.

Febrile symptoms closely related to typhoid. Shivering over whole body. Heat and redness of head, with coolness of rest of body. Internal heat; feet and hands cold. Nightly sour sweats.

Agaricus Muscarious

Burning itching and redness in the toes. Itching, burning pain, and redness. Great sensibility in the whole body. Violent shivering and trembling over the whole body, with heat in the face and cold in the hands.

Carbo Animalis

Pain in coccyx; burns when touched. Ankles turn easily. Straining and over-lifting produce great debility. Joints weak. Easy discoloration. Pain in hip joints at night. Night sweat is fetid and profuse. Wrist pain. Glands indurated, swollen, painful, in neck, axillae, groin, mammae; pains lancinating, cutting, burning. Burning, rawness and fissures; moisture. Bubo.

Carbo Vagitablis

Skin blue, cold ecchymosed. Marbled with venous over distension. Itching; worse in the evening, when warm in bed. Moist skin; hot perspiration; senile gangrene beginning in toes; bed sores; bleed easily. Falling out of hair, from a general weakened condition. Indolent ulcers, burning pain. Ichirou, offensive discharge; tendency to gangrene of the margins. Purpura. Varicose ulcers, carbuncles.

Conium Maculatum

Shoulders – painful, as if they had been bruised and excoriated. Humid, scabby, and burning tetters in the forearms. Numbness of the hand’s palms of the hands. Shootings, and pricking itching in the skin. Heat internally and externally, with great nervousness. Inflammatory fever with great heat, abundant sweat, anorexia, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Secal Cornitum

Skin shriveled, numb; mottled dusky-blue tinge. Sclerae and edema neonatorum. Raynaud’s disease. Blue color. Dry gangrene, developing slowly. Varicose ulcers. Burning sensation; better by cold; wants parts uncovered, though cold to touch. Formication; petechiae. Slight wounds continue to bleed. Livid spots. Boils, small, painful, with green contents; mature slowly. Skin feels cold to touch, yet covering is not tolerated. Great aversion to heat. Formication under skin.

Berberus Vulgaris

Flat warts. Itching, burning and smarting; worse, scratching; better, cold applications. Small pustules over whole body. Eczema of anus and hands. Circumscribed pigmentation following eczematous inflammation. Cold sensation in various parts, as if spattered with cold water. Warmth in the lower part of back, hips, and thighs.

Calcerica Sulphurca

Burning itching of soles of feet. Fever hectic fever, caused by formation of pus. With cough and burning in soles. Skin cuts, wounds, bruises, etc. unhealthy, discharging pus; they do not heal readily. Yellow, purulent crusts or discharge. Purulent exudations in or upon the skin. Skin affections with yellowish scabs. Many little matterless pimples under the hair, bleeding when scratched. Dry eczema in children.

Capsicum Annuum

Bursting headache; worse, coughing. Hot face. Red cheeks. Face red, though cold. Burning and stinging in ears. Swelling and pain behind the ears. Inflammation of mastoid. Burning tonsilitis. Burning in tip of tongue. Stool with bloody mucus, with burning and tenesmus. Urine strangury, frequent, almost ineffectual urging. Burning in orifice. Excessive burning, pain in prostate.

Carbonicum Sulphuratum

This drug has a deep and disorganizing action and an immense range of action judging from the symptomatology. Very useful in patients broken down by abuse of alcohol. Sensitive patients worsen cold, wasted muscles, and skin and mucous membranes anesthetic. Special affinity for eyes. Chronic rheumatism, sensitive and cold. Lack of vital heat. Diarrhea every four to six weeks. Paralysis with intense congestion of nerve centers. Tabes. Sensory difficulties in limbs.

Impotence, sciatica, comes within the therapeutic sphere of this remedy. Chronic plumbism. Diminished sensibility of arms, hands and feet. Peripheral neuritis.

Herpes on dorsal surface of hands. Sore, bruised limbs; anesthesia of arms and hands. Cramps in limbs. Lightning-like pains, with cramps. Fingers swollen, insensible, rigid, stiff. Gait unsteady, tottering; worse in dark. Feet insensible. Sciatica. Flying pains, returning regularly for a long time. Pain in lower limbs, with cramps and formication. Neuritis.

Skin numbed like anesthesia; burning; itching; ulcers; small wounds fester. Useful to restrain the growth of cancer. Furunculosis. Chronic skin diseases with much itching.

Causticum

Sciatica, with numbness. Paralysis of single parts. Dull, tearing pain in hands and arms. Heaviness and weakness. Tearing joints. Unsteadiness of muscles of forearm and hand. Numbness; loss of sensation in hands. Contracted tendons. Weak ankles. Cannot walk without suffering. Rheumatic tearing in limbs; better by warmth, especially heat of bed. Burning in joints. Slow in learning to walk. Unsteady walking and easily falling. Restless legs at night. Cracking and tension in knees; stiffness in hollow of knee. Itching on dorsum of feet.

Skin soreness in folds, back of ears, between thighs. Warts – large, jagged, bleeding easily, on tips of fingers and nose. Old burns that do not get well, and ill effects from burns. Pains of burns. Cicatrices freshen up; old injuries reopen. Skin prone to intertrigo during dentition.

P. S: This article is only for doctors having good knowledge about Homeopathy and allopathy, for learning purpose(s).

For proper consultation and treatment, please visit our clinic.

None of above-mentioned medicine(s) is/are the full/complete treatment, but just hints for treatment; every patient has his/her own constitutional medicine.

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Dr. Sayyad Qaisar Ahmed (MD {Ukraine}, DHMS), Abdominal Surgeries, Oncological surgeries, Gastroenterologist, Specialist Homeopathic Medicines.

  Senior research officer at Dnepropetrovsk state medical academy Ukraine.

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