Burning Toes Syndrome- Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and More

Burning Sensation On Toes

Burning sensation on toes can be an indication of nerve damage in the legs. We can also term it as neuropathy. All the nerves are spread evenly throughout the body, and the leg nerves are the first ones to damage.

The immediate indication of Burning Toes can be a feeling of tingling or numbness in the feet. There can be varied symptoms and causes for the same. You may or may not require assistance from a doctor, depending upon the severity of the case.

However, it is quite common to have a burning toe while sitting in the same position for long hours. Yet if you find it persistent, then you must see a doctor for it immediately.

Symptoms of Burning Toes

It is common to experience burning toe coming along with other serious symptoms. But, when you know it, you can treat it well. So, it would help if you were informed about the possible symptoms that you may witness, along with a burning toe.

Here is a list of some symptoms that burning toes may accompany themselves:

You may witness bleeding at the bottom of your foot.
Numbness and tingling are two obvious symptoms.
The food we get red, warm or swelled.
In some cases, people may also witness blistering.
There can be e variations in the sensations as well as the areas where it is being sensed.
The victim may find it difficult to walk.
One may or may not be able to touch the affected area of the foot.
If it is going on for a long time, it may come out as a severe foot problem, like ulcers, joint pains, etc.
Sensation in the foot may also bring muscle weakness and nerve pain.
The victim may also find it difficult to feel the changes in temperature around him.

These are 10 different symptoms that a person with burning toes may experience initially.

12 Causes of Burning Toes

You must also be aware of the causes of burning toes to prevent yourself from developing the same. The list that explains the causes of burning toes is quite long as it may come from varied conditions. You can treat some causes by just making some changes in the lifestyle, while others may require assistance from the doctor.

Chemotherapy

You must be aware that the cancer patient has to undergo chemotherapy at regular intervals of time. Burning toes may as a side effect of prolonged duration of chemotherapy or other therapeutic chemicals that may be used in other treatments.

Exposure To A Toxic Environment

People working in chemical industries have to stay for long hours in an environment that is not suitable for their health. As a result, they develop burning feet over time. They undergo many problems like:

Death
Nausea
Asthma
Dizziness

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

It is a condition where the nerves running from ankle to foot squeeze because of swelling or injury. This ultimately leads to pain and burning in the toes. If not treated in time, the pain may end up in the leg.

Peripheral Artery Disease

It happens when the arteries that are responsible for bringing blood to the legs and feet narrow down. The patient may have pain while walking in this condition.

Kidney disease

If you have a Kidney Disease, then there are chances that you may develop swelling and itching as well. Accompanied with it are other symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, coma, and burning toes.

Athlete’s Foot

It is a fungal infection that may pass on to others from the victim. The other name of the athlete’s foot is tinea pedis. The first target of this disease is toenails and hands. The victim may experience cracking and peeling skin at the bottom of the toes, raw and dead skin.

Infectious Diseases

There are chances that patients with infectious diseases like Lyme disease, HIV, syphilis, and shingles. You must get the disease tested by the doctor to know about its severity.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is one of the reasons for hormonal disbalance in the body. This causes extreme pressure in the nerves and swelling in the feet. The burning feet and many other things like fatigue, weight gain, and dry skin develop in the victim.

Nutritional Deficiencies

When a person suffers from malnutrition, he may develop many unsaid and unknown diseases, out of which one is is burning feet. Major nutritive elements due to burning feet occur in Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B9 (folate).

Erythromelalgia

It is a rare disease that causes severe pain in the feet without any cause. The intensity and severity of the pain may vary from person to person. If the person continues to exercise, walk, or stand in heat exposure, the pain may worsen, leading to major complications.

Heavy Consumption of Alcohol

If you take alcohol more than your capacity, then you may get burning feet over time. Other diseases that may develop due to excessive alcohol consumption are muscle weakness, impaired speech, urinary function, and many more.

Diabetic Neuropathy

Burning feet can be more intense and severe if you are a patient of diabetic neuropathy. It can damage your blood vessels and nerves over time and reduce signals throughout the body.

It also harms the ability of the body to sense things. Situations are even worse when you suffer from obesity, high blood pressure, and habits of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Diagnosis of Burning Feet

A person needs to get it diagnosed if he is suffering from Burning feet. The sensation in the feet may worsen rapidly, and sometimes the cause always remains unexplainable. Here’s a list of all the diagnostic tests that a doctor may suggest you undergo:

Electromyography

In this test, the doctor monitors your muscle function, for which he needs to observe the electrical activity is inside the muscles. For this test, he may place a probe on your skin or insert a needle can be inserted in your muscle.

Nerve Biopsy

Depending upon the intensity of the sensation in the burning feet. A doctor to get your nerve biopsy done. For this, he cuts down a piece of nerve tissue and examines it under a microscope. Further, he makes the reports on the conclusion.

Laboratory Tests

Tests of blood, Urine, spinal fluid, and other things May be necessary to know about the actual reason for sensations in the foot nerve. One may need to get his vitamins level checked to know the exact reason behind the burning feet.

When getting the tests done, your doctor may ask you certain questions that you must be aware of. So here’s a list of questions that might facilitate his examination by keeping track of your medical history.

Questions that your doctor may ask at the time of examination:

Do you have diabetes?
Since how long are you feeling this burning sensation in your toes?
Where exactly are you feeling the burning sensation, in toes or the complete sole of your foot?
Do you have any other symptoms?
Are you taking any medication?

Home Remedies To Treat Burning Toes

Everyone, at first, thinks that burning feet is not a point to be concerned about. So he may try to follow some home remedies and get relieved. Some effective home remedies to treat burning toes or feet are as follows:

1. You can wash your feet and soak them in ice-cold water.
2. Take some water and add some Apple Cider solution to it. Further, you need to add some Epsom salt to the solution. Soak your feet in the solution. If you have diabetes, then you must consult a doctor before trying this home remedy.
3. Applying a turmeric supplement to the infected area may also provide you relief for the nerve pain. These turmeric or curcumin supplements are known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties that can give you instant relief.
4. Sometimes, when surgical methods fail to treat the sensation, some neurological doctors also use the same method to help their patients.
5. A firm massage on the sole may help you have some relaxation on your feet.
6. You can also apply a topical cream that contains lidocaine or capsaicin. This provides instant relief from the pain and enables you to walk for some time.

All these home remedies may or may not be effective in treating you are burning food within time. If you see that there is no effect on your pain even after following all the home remedies, then you must consult your doctor immediately so that doctors can provide instant and effective treatment to you.

Surgical Treatment For Burning Toes

The type of surgical treatment to be given to the patient completely depends upon the intensity of burning toes. There are four possible methods in which you can get a surgical treatment for the condition:

Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Magnetic Therapy
Laser Therapy
Light Therapy

Doctors are still researching other methods that may be utilized in the treatment of burning toes. Acupuncture is yet another therapy that a few people follow in cases of severe burning toes. it has been proven to be an effective therapy that not only treats burning toes but is also effective in the treatment of other severe conditions.

Some other medications that a doctor may prescribe in the event of Burning Toes are as follows:

Amitriptyline
Carbamazepine
Duloxetine
Desipramine
Venlafaxine
Topiramate
Pregabaline
Gabapentine

These medicines have come out to be highly effective in treating burning toes. Other treatment methods include physiotherapy and physical exercise. Some dietary changes may also work for the betterment of the condition. The victim may also use some orthotic devices, like footpads and shoe inserts.

Preventive Measures For Burning Toes

Nothing can give you complete protection against burning toes. Yet there are some guidelines that you must see so that you can address the severity of the condition.

You must have regular examination sessions with a foot care specialist. It is even more important when you are a diabetic. He may prefer you some special kind of shoes or footwear to prevent such severe complications.
You must select your shoes wisely. Females must prefer low heels with a wide toe box so that the food can get adequate ventilation and good support.
Be hygienic when it comes to foot care. Always wear clean, dry, and soft socks. Keep changing them if you have participated in any sports activity where there is a chance to have sweat in the feet.
Check your feet every day to monitor major or minor injuries like blisters. skin cracks. ulcers. sores and cuts. See a doctor or at least take a first aid if you find one someday.
Have control of your blood sugar level and keep monitoring it on regular basis. you must keep a check on everything that you eat and an eye on detail about the effect that it is having on your body. This is so because diabetes is one of the major causes of burning toes.

These are all the preventive measures that you must follow if you want to keep yourself away from burning toes.

Conclusion

Burning toes may sound simple condition that gets okay within a day or two there is much more to it than you know. The complexities are even higher than you can imagine. You must consult your doctor the very moment you start feeling the symptoms of burning toes.

If you are facing diabetes-related issues, MantraCare is here to help. Book your free trial online diabetes consultation session now to connect with a specialist diabetologist.

Burning Toes: Important Points To Ponder