People with Burning Feet Syndrome experience a feeling of intense heat across their soles, plus other unpleasant symptoms in the same area such as aching and tingling. BFS is usually caused by nerve damage but has many other possible causes as well. Thankfully, there are several effective treatment options, including custom orthotics and pain relief medication. We’ll explore all of these points in this guide to Burning Feet Syndrome.

It’s common to have hot feet during warm weather or for a short time after exercising, say. But if you develop Burning Feet Syndrome, you could well feel as if you’re walking over hot coals most – or even all – of the time, regardless of factors such as the weather or your activity levels.

Although anyone can suffer from BFS, it’s worth bearing in mind that many patients:

• Are over 50
• Have diabetes
• Wear restrictive shoes (such as high heels)
• Or have injured their feet

If you’re suffering from a lasting, uncomfortable burning sensation in your feet, we highly recommend you seek professional help as a priority, especially if any of the Burning Feet Syndrome risk factors listed above apply to you. Our London podiatry clinics throughout the capital are run by our team of experienced, approachable podiatrists. Simply contact us today to book your appointment.

Major Symptoms of Burning Feet Syndrome

Burning Feet Syndrome is characterised by the feeling that your soles are too hot. This feeling may be intermittent or constant, mild or extreme. In some cases, the skin feels hot and looks red (this usually means an infection is to blame for the burning feeling). But in other cases, the sensation is psychological – patients feel as if their soles are burning even when they’re cold to the touch.

Other common BFS symptoms include:

• Aches, pains and a feeling of heaviness in the feet
• Inflammation
• Tingling, prickling or ‘pins and needles’
• Numbness

Over time, symptoms can start to affect the tops of feet, the ankles and lower legs in addition to the soles – like a wildfire spreading through your lower extremities.

The problem often feels worst at night, as your feet are covered by a duvet and heat is released through them to help cool the rest of your body. Indeed, the burning sensation can be bad enough to disrupt sleep, as The Sleep Foundation points out.

BFS Has Many Potential Causes

The main cause of Burning Feet Syndrome is nerve damage in the feet (peripheral neuropathy). Damaged nerves send confusing information to the brain, leading to strange sensations such as burning and tingling.

Peripheral neuropathy often results from issues such as:

• Diabetes – high blood sugar levels reduce blood flow to nerves and interfere with their signals
• Vitamin deficiencies – without enough vitamin B12, nerves struggle to maintain their protective sheaths
• Circulatory problems such as vasculitis – nerves are deprived of oxygen and nutrients
• Injuries – nerves can be severed
• Age-related nerve fibre degeneration

Burning Feet Syndrome can also be caused by trapped nerves. Both Morton’s Neuroma (a painful swelling that indicates a nerve in the ball of the foot is under excessive pressure, possibly due to tight, poorly cushioned shoes) and Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (which means a key nerve in the ankle is compressed) are linked to the problem.

Another cause of BFS is athlete’s foot, due to the damage done to skin/tissue by the fungal infection.

And if contact dermatitis (a form of eczema) is triggered by footwear dyes or adhesives, it can also create burning sensations in the feet.

Burning Feet Syndrome Treatment Options

In order to treat Burning Feet Syndrome effectively, you first need to identify the cause. Our London podiatrists can assess your symptoms, examine your feet and check your nerve function/circulation during a podiatry consultation or diabetic foot assessment. Then we can offer a diagnosis that gets to the heart of the problem.

After identifying the cause, we can implement a tailored treatment plan, potentially working in tandem with other healthcare professionals (Diabetes Specialist Nurses, for example) if you also need non-podiatric assistance.

Key BFS treatment options include:

• Custom orthotics – Physiopedia emphasises that they ‘can offload affected nerves and optimise one’s gait to relieve pain and address the cause of your burning feet’. Supportive, breathable shoes are also important.
• Pain relief medication (such as local anaesthetic cream) and anti-inflammatories
• Topical/oral antifungal treatments to combat athlete’s foot
• Vitamin supplements and dietary changes

Soothe Burning Feet at Our London Podiatry Clinics

Burning Feet Syndrome can be frustrating, painful and debilitating – but our London podiatrists have the expertise to help you overcome it.

Want to banish burning feet? Book an appointment with Feet By Pody today.