Burning soles of the feet - that's behind it

What do you mean by burning soles?

Burning soles of the feet are an unpleasant sensation that can be attributed to numerous causes. The burning sensation does not have to be a cause for concern at first, but often represents a harmless discomfort due to external influences. The so-called "burning feet syndrome" is not always behind the disease, but simple skin irritations and circulatory fluctuations can also cause the symptoms. The courses, symptoms, therapy and treatment periods vary accordingly with the underlying disease.

You might also be interested in this article: Burning feet

How do I treat a burning sole of my foot?

The treatment of the burning soles of the feet must be made dependent on their cause. In many cases, no treatment is necessary because temporary inflammations and rashes, as well as fluctuations in blood flow and nerve irritation, often subside by themselves. Cooling, regular washing of the feet and airy footwear in summer can also alleviate and prevent the symptoms.

If necessary, inflammation of the feet must also be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. An allergic inflammation or a chronic rash can be treated with cortisone ointments, whereas a pathogen-related inflammation should be treated with specific antibiotic or so-called "antifungal" drugs.

If the symptoms of the soles of the feet are caused by a systemic disease affecting the entire body, the therapy must be directed towards the underlying disease, guided by a doctor. Polyneuropathy of the nerves of the foot can only be improved with the treatment of the underlying disease. Pain therapy can be initiated symptomatically as the symptoms progress.

Appointment with ?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by diseases of the foot. In some cases, the cause of the foot discomfort cannot be identified at first.
Therefore, the treatment of the foot (e.g. Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of foot diseases.
The aim of every treatment is treatment without surgery with a complete recovery of performance.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

These home remedies can help

Often the burning soles of the feet are caused by harmless causes that subside after a certain period of time and symptomatic therapy with home remedies. To avoid stinging and to protect the skin of the feet even in summer, good foot hygiene should be a priority. Furthermore, airy footwear can be worn to avoid sweaty or damp feet. In the case of acutely burning soles of the feet, pain medication, cold packs and elevation of the foot can often help to alleviate the symptoms. Moisturizing ointments should be avoided.

Homeopathy for burning soles of the feet

Homeopathic medicines are highly diluted agents that are intended to stimulate the body to heal itself. For mild complaints, homeopathic remedies can be taken in addition to symptomatic or causal therapy, but their effect is limited. The mechanism of action of homeopathic medications has not been proven, which is why they must not be the sole therapy for diseases of the nervous system or autoimmune diseases. Many sufferers describe a subjective benefit of homeopathic remedies only as an accompanying therapy.

How long do burning soles last

The duration of the burning soles of the feet can vary greatly and depends largely on the underlying disease. Minor complaints can subside within a few hours or days. Even with inflammation and rashes of the skin on the feet, the symptoms can be over within a few days with targeted drug therapy.

Chronic illnesses are to be distinguished from this. These can also be chronic rashes and inflammations of the skin or chronic diseases associated with circulatory disorders or nerve damage to the foot. A chronic course is usually after 3-6 months. With polyneuropathy, for example, the symptoms can persist or worsen. This depends heavily on whether the underlying disease, for example diabetes mellitus, is being adequately treated. However, such a chronic disease can rarely be cured.

Burning feet after hiking, running or standing for long periods

The burning soles of the feet often appear for the first time after an unusual load on the feet, for example after a hike or after standing for a long time. Several factors can be to blame. On the one hand, a long hike puts a lot of strain on the feet themselves. These can be heavily stressed by body weight, friction in the shoes, wrong socks and shoes or uneven paths and can be pain and burning.

Furthermore, during the day, excessive stress on the legs can lead to overuse of the muscles, fluctuations in blood flow and water retention on the feet, ankles and lower legs. All of this can lead to pain, tingling, and burning soles of the feet during exercise or in the evening and night after the tension.

Cause of burning soles of the feet

In most cases, there are harmless changes in the skin flora, foot circulation or other superficial influences behind the burning soles of the feet. The burning soles of the feet are often a symptom of an increased tendency to sweat in the feet, a reaction to certain substances, ointments, shoes, water or the air, irritations, wounds or, rarely, allergic reactions. Especially in summer, feet can become irritated and burn due to a high tendency to sweat and increased contact with water. Even minor skin injuries can be favored by wet feet. Inflammation of the skin on the feet is another common cause. This can be caused by a stubborn athlete's foot, which, in addition to burning the soles of the feet, can also cause itching and weeping wounds.

If all of these causes of burning soles are ruled out, a nervous disease must be considered. The sensitive supply of the feet is taken over by very long nerves that are connected to the lumbar spine. Various diseases of the nervous system or the metabolism, as well as traumatic accidents can irritate, irritate or damage the nerves, so that it can lead to burning sensations, numbness and other symptoms. Common causes of such nerve involvement are herniated discs, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathies or vitamin deficiencies. Furthermore, numerous rare autoimmune diseases and neurological diseases come into consideration. Also rare is the so-called "burning feet syndrome", which is triggered by a vitamin B deficiency and can be just one of many possible causes of the burning soles of the feet.

Also read: Pain in the sole of the foot

Calluses as a cause of burning feet

Callus simply describes a robust protective layer on the superficial skin that appears particularly thick in its natural form on the sole of the foot. The cornea becomes thicker in heavily stressed skin regions for increased protection, which is why the thickest cornea in the body is on the sole of the foot. Particularly thick calluses, due to their dryness and lack of elasticity, can lead to cracks and minor injuries to the skin even with minor stimuli. These causes can be already tight shoes, overweight, increased sporting activities or short-term dry skin. As a result, the soles of the feet can burn and pain and even become inflamed. Athlete's foot in particular occurs more frequently in these cases and in turn causes the soles of the feet to burn. Occasional foot care and special powders can prevent cracks in the cornea.

This article might also interest you: Foot care

Diabetes as a reason for burning feet

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which a reduced production of insulin or insulin resistance leads to metabolic disorders of sugar in the body. As an autoimmune disease, the disease can appear early in life or develop later in life, often as a result of harmful lifestyle habits. An important secondary disease of diabetes mellitus is the so-called "peripheral polyneuropathy". This is a nerve damage that can result from the high blood sugar level of poorly treated diabetes. Burning feet syndrome can be a typical symptom of polyneuropathy. The first symptoms often manifest as tingling, burning, or pins and needles on the soles of the feet and toes. Symptoms are especially aggravated at night. Later, motor failures of the legs and arms can also occur. The disease cannot be cured, it can only be stopped with diabetes therapy.

You may also be interested in this article: Type II diabetes mellitus

Polyneuropathy with burning soles of the feet

Polyneuropathies generally describe nerve damage resulting from an illness affecting the entire body. There are many forms that are associated with different symptoms, concomitant diseases, distribution patterns and causes. In addition to toxic polyneuropathies, triggered by diabetes, alcohol, certain foods or drugs, there are also inflammatory or infectious polyneuropathies, for example caused by diphtheria or borreliosis.

In most cases, the polyneuropathy occurs symmetrically and initially on the feet. Here it is accompanied by burning soles and numerous paresthesia. Later it can spread and affect higher parts of the legs and numerous other nerves. The polyneuropathy itself cannot be treated, only the underlying disease can be treated and, if necessary, cured, which can also stop the progression of the polyneuropathy.

Also read:

• Symptoms of polyneuropathy
• Therapy polyneuropathy

Can a vitamin B12 deficiency cause burning soles?

A vitamin B12 deficiency affects many people and, in its pronounced form, can cause numerous symptoms, as well as changes in the blood count and disorders of the nervous system. The most common reasons for a vitamin B12 deficiency are alcohol abuse, vegan diet, anorexia and inflammation of the gastric mucosa. A severe form of vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to demyelinating in the spinal cord, in the nerves of the arms and legs and in the optic nerve. This secondary disease is known as "funicular myelosis". Similar to a polyneuropathy, sensitive paresthesia initially appear on the feet, which slowly rise symmetrically and are bordered in the shape of a stocking. Motor spastic paralysis of the muscles can also occur. Burning soles of the feet are one of the first symptoms of this funicular myelosis.

Further information can be found here: Vitamin B12 deficiency

Herniated disc of the lumbar spine

In a herniated disc, the outer ring of the disc ruptures, allowing the liquid core to leak out. In the lumbar spine, herniated discs are most common, as this is where the greatest pressure and tensile loads prevail, and overload and lack of movement are the first to be noticed in the lumbar spine. In the context of the herniated disc, pressure can arise on the nerves emerging from the spinal cord on the affected vertebral body. These nerves are responsible for both the sensory and motor supply of the legs and, depending on the extent of the nerve damage, can cause symptoms such as burning feet, tingling, numbness and even paralysis. The pain is often described as pulling and can be felt along the course of the affected nerves to the spinal cord.

Read more at:

• Symptoms of a herniated disc
• Herniated disc of the lumbar spine

Burning soles of the feet from an autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which the body's immune system targets and attacks healthy tissues and natural components of the body.This faulty immune system response can have numerous triggers and potential causes, but the exact mechanism by which an autoimmune disease develops is unknown. Important autoimmune diseases are type 1 diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis. Both can lead to nerve damage and symptoms such as burning soles, tingling, pain, numbness and later also paralysis of the muscles. The symptoms often begin in the foot, as this is where the longest nerve fibers in the body are located, which are affected by such a disease early on.

Burning feet from multiple sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, the causes of which are unclear. This leads to chronic inflammatory changes in the brain, as well as demarking of nerve fibers. In most cases, the disease progresses in a series of attacks. MS can be associated with very different symptoms, but in advanced stages almost all sufferers experience spastic paralysis of the muscles, exhaustion and tiredness, as well as numerous other symptoms. An early symptom can be a sensory disorder of nerves remote from the trunk. In rare cases, burning soles of the feet can also be attributed to MS.

Read more on this topic at: multiple sclerosis

Symptoms accompanying burning soles of the feet

Burning soles of the feet can have numerous causes, accompanying circumstances or underlying diseases, and the accompanying symptoms vary accordingly, the combination of which can provide important information for making a diagnosis. If, in addition to the burning soles, the feet are sweating, reddened and overheated, a superficial problem or a circulatory disorder can be assumed. Itching, tingling, rashes and weeping wounds can also occur.

A disease of the nerves manifests itself in turn with numerous other symptoms. Pain, numbness, unsteadiness, muscle weakness and paralysis can also occur here. Depending on the underlying disease, there may be many symptoms typical of the disease. In the case of diabetes mellitus, for example, this can be thirst, weight loss, frequent urination, visual disturbances and many more. In MS, on the other hand, visual disturbances, pain in eye movements, chronic exhaustion and spasticity of the muscles can follow.

Tingling as an accompanying symptom with burning feet

Tingling sensation can be an accompanying symptom of the skin or nerve involvement. Superficial tingling sensation, as well as burning sensation and potential itching, may indicate a rash and inflammation of the skin of the foot. The tingling sensation can also be the first symptom of nerve damage. Tingling, pins and needles and numbness can be the first signs of a pressure-related nerve or circulatory disorder. This is the same feeling as when a limb "falls asleep".

If the feeling does not subside by itself within hours to a few days, there may be a blockage of the blood vessels or an entrapment and pressure on the nerve. This should be clarified by a doctor, as otherwise numbness, pain, muscle paralysis and long-term damage to the foot can result.

Burning soles of the feet itching

In most cases, itching occurs as a result of skin inflammation on the foot. Autoimmune diseases, circulatory disorders or nerve damage are rarely behind the itching. Itching on the skin of the foot can occur more favorably in summer when there is an increased tendency to sweat. Poor foot hygiene, certain textiles, incorrect footwear or wounds can also cause burning, itching and potential inflammation. Every now and then, the foot can become infected with fungi. These infections are often persistent and can cause the soles of the feet to be itchy and stinging.

Burning soles of the feet at night

An intensification of the symptoms, especially at night, is typical for burning soles of the feet. In the case of diseases and inflammation of the skin, this can mainly be due to the changed environment compared to the daytime. The symptoms are mainly noticeable barefoot and under a warm blanket, so that those affected often sleep poorly. With diabetes mellitus, too, the burning soles of the feet can intensify, especially at night.

Severe complaints at night, on the other hand, can in some cases be an important indicator of what is known as the “real burning feet syndrome”. This is a deficiency of a vitamin from the B complex, which can also be accompanied by muscle tension, stinging and numbness in the feet.

Burning palms and soles

If both the feet and the hands are affected by the burning sensation, this speaks against a local disease and in favor of a so-called "systemic" disease that affects the entire body. The burning sensation can in turn be accompanied by numbness, tingling and pain, which suggests a change in the sensitive nerves. Such a systemic nervous system disease can be a polyneuropathy or an autoimmune disease such as MS.

Polyneuropathy is comparatively common and can have many causes, including long-term alcohol consumption or diabetes mellitus. Typically, the burning sensation occurs symmetrically, begins on the feet and spreads towards the trunk of the body. The hands are often affected later than the feet.

Diagnosis of burning soles of the feet

The diagnosis is initially always based on an exact inquiry into the symptoms and a subsequent physical examination. Certain accompanying symptoms can already severely limit the potential causes. The physical exam should include a neurological exam in addition to examining the feet and checking for signs of inflammation. With targeted examination methods, nerve involvement, sensory and motor disorders can be determined.

With a subsequent blood test, potential infections, vitamin deficiencies and hormonal disorders can be identified as possible causes. With the help of an ultrasound examination, the blood circulation in the foot can also be examined more closely. Usually, most diagnoses can be made from these tests. Further radiological examinations or invasive procedures such as nerve biopsy are rarely necessary.