Burning Feet

Burning feet is a common complaint among many groups of people, most commonly in the older group over 50 years of age. There are many different causes for burning feet. It is most prevalent in diabetics who often have a mixture of burning feet and loss of sensation on the bottom of the foot.

However, there are many other causes for this symptom. Alcohol is high on the list of suspectd causes for this complaint. Neuropathy and loss of sensation secondary to alcohol ingestion over long periods of time. Other causes include thyroid dysfunction and gastric restriction in morbid obesity produce symptoms of burning feet.

Some of the infectious diseases, such as leishmaniasis, a rarely reported neurologic change secondary to a bacteria, also cause these symptoms. Thrombocytopenia also produces this symptom. However, the most common denominator for burning foot syndrome is usually a diabetic who has been insulin dependent for many years, producing a variety of secondary complaints such as vitamin deficiency.

Mechanical causes include nerve entrapment syndrome such as tarsal tunnel syndrome, which causes compression of the nerves as it enters the foot from the ankle. Neuroma pain, a pinched nerve between the 3rd-4th toes has been implicated in the symptom of burning feet.