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Burning feet
By Mayo Clinic staffMayo Clinic Health Manager
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Definition
Burning feet — the sensation that your feet are painfully hot — can be mild or severe. In some cases, your burning feet may be so painful that it interferes with your sleep.
Burning feet can occur simply because your feet are tired. Infections, such as athlete's foot, also can cause burning feet. These problems can be easily remedied. But burning feet can also be a symptom of nerve damage, perhaps due to diabetes or exposure to toxins. In these cases, burning feet require prompt medical attention.
Causes
Possible causes of burning feet:
- Alcoholism
- Athlete's foot
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Gastric bypass surgery
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Kidney failure, chronic
- Morton's neuroma
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Vitamin deficiency anemia
When to see a doctor
Seek emergency medical care if:
- The burning sensation in your feet came on suddenly, particularly if you may have been exposed to some type of toxin
- An open wound on your foot appears to be infected, especially if you have diabetes
Schedule an office visit if you:
- Continue to experience burning feet, despite several weeks of self-care
- Notice that the symptom is becoming more intense and painful
- Feel the burning sensation has started to spread up into your legs
- Start losing the feeling in your toes or feet
Self-care
- Rest and elevate your feet
- Switch to more comfortable shoes
- Bathe your feet in cool water
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