If you’re dealing with a burning or hot sensation in your feet and you’re not walking on the beach, there’s a chance you’re dealing with a condition known as Burning Feet Syndrome or Grierson-Gopalan syndrome. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the condition, why it develops and how it is best treated.
Causes and Symptoms Of Burning Feet Syndrome
Burning Feet Syndrome can develop for a few different reasons, so if you believe you may be dealing with the condition it’s important that you speak with a foot specialist to get to the bottom of root cause. Some of the causes of BFS include:
- Nerve damage or nerve impingement
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Morton’s neuroma
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Charcot Marie Tooth disorder
- Athlete’s Foot
- Hypothyroidism
Aside from the underlying health conditions listed above, you can also develop the condition as a result of improperly fitted shoes, allergies or a physical injury to the area.
A burning or hot sensation in the feet is the most common symptom, but it may not be the only symptom you’re dealing with if you’re suffering from Burning Foot Syndrome. Other symptoms include numbness in your feet or legs, a sharp pain in your foot, the feeling that your feet are heavier than normal, visible redness or a pins and needles-like sensation in your feet. Many patients also say that their symptoms get worse at night.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Doctors don’t have a reliable test to measure the intensity of the burning sensation, so the diagnostic process will begin with a review of your medical chart and a conversation about your symptoms. From there, your doctor will likely conduct some physical tests and an examination to check your reflexes, muscle movements and how certain actions cause symptom relief or onset. Finally, the specialist may order a couple of tests like a blood draw or a nerve function test to help determine what might be causing symptoms.
Treatment will revolve around your underlying cause. For individuals who are dealing with symptoms as a result of a another medical condition like diabetes, athlete’s foot or tarsal tunnel syndrome, treatment may be as simple as getting those conditions under control, as rectifying the underlying cause should provide you with symptom relief. Other treatment options depending on your root cause include medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, topical cremes, physical therapy, dietary changes, shoe inserts or a more breathable shoe and even surgery. Surgery is typically reserved for patients who don’t respond to multiple conservative care treatments, and even then it may not be right based on your underlying cause.