A burning sensation in the feet, also known as burning feet syndrome or Grierson-Gopalan syndrome. It is very common in people who have diabetes. During the day, your feet might seem fairly normal to you because you’re active and busy, but the minute you lie down at night and fall asleep, the burning, tingling, or aching begins.
The root cause of this condition is diabetic peripheral neuropathy, where your nerves are damaged due to high blood sugar levels and reduced blood flow. It is a very common complication of diabetes, but it can be managed with the right medical care.
First, let’s understand what Diabetic Burning Feet Syndrome is
Diabetic burning foot syndrome is a condition where an individual feels burning, heat, or prickling in their feet.
This discomfort is caused by a high amount of blood sugar in your body for a long period of time, which causes damage to your peripheral nerves.
What are the common symptoms of diabetic burning feet syndrome?
The common symptoms of diabetic burning feet syndrome do not feel the same for everyone, and they can change from day to day. Here are some common signs you should notice:
- Intense burning sensation: A burning sensation is felt in the bottom part of the feet once you lie down on your bed.
- Sharp pain: A very sharp pain or tingling sensation, exactly like the sensation you feel when your feet fall asleep and wake up suddenly.
- Extreme Sensitivity: The feet become extremely sensitive even to the lightest sensation. For example, the weight of a bedsheet resting on your feet might even hurt.
- Electric Shock-like Pain: You may feel a shock-like sensation, like a mild electrical shock, which makes your leg muscles involuntarily twitch.
- Cold burn: A strange sensation where your feet have a burning feeling from the inside but are cold to the touch.
What are the main causes of diabetic burning feet syndrome?
To understand why your feet burn, we have to look at what diabetes does to your nerves and blood vessels over time.
1. High blood sugar levels: Your nerves function like wires with a protective layer around them. So when there is too much sugar in the blood, it erodes this covering, much like sandpaper will wear away the coating of an electric wire. Once this protective layer is gone, the nerve will short-circuit and send false signals to your brain, like burning pain. And in some cases, the nerves die, and your feet become numb.
2. Nerve damage: Nerves require blood and an adequate supply of oxygen to stay healthy, and they receive oxygen from tiny blood vessels. High levels of sugar in the blood will cause these vessels to narrow and become damaged. Since less blood flow is directed to your feet, there is no or very little oxygen supply. This starvation of oxygen supply causes the nerves to become inflamed and cause pain.
3. Why do your feet burn at night?
- Because during the day, there are distractions, and your mind gets distracted.
- While you sleep, the temperature of your body is comparatively warmer, so you feel more sensation.
- Lying down flat reduces blood pressure and circulation, thereby reducing blood flow to the lower body.
When should you see a doctor?
Many people think they can just ignore their foot pain and will get better over time. During the early stages of nerve pain, it’s simply an indicator that your foot tissue is in distress. If you wait too long, there could be long-lasting damage to your nerves. Below are some indications that it is time to seek medical help:
- Difficulty falling asleep: You either cannot fall asleep at all or wake frequently from sleep due to pain.
- Loss of sensation: A burning feet syndrome over time can eventually become permanent if not treated on time, and leave you with numbness in your feet.
- Changes in skin color or texture: Your feet could be unusually red, dry, or pale or bluish in color.
- Any wound or ulcer that is not healing: A small cut, blister, or scratch on your foot that remains red, swollen, or is oozing pus for longer than 24 hours is an indication that it is time to seek immediate medical attention.
What are the treatment options for diabetic burning feet syndrome?
- Pharmacological and Medical Treatments:
- Oral Treatments: Your doctor can prescribe oral medications such as gabapentin or pregabalin. These medications work by reducing excessive nerve activity and blocking constant burning sensations from nerves.
- Topical Treatments: Creams like lidocaine or capsaicin will also help with your burning symptoms. Lidocaine is available by prescription as a 5% patch that is placed directly on your skin. Capsaicin can be purchased from any pharmacist; apply it daily to the burning areas of your feet to create a warming sensation that often diminishes neuropathic pain.
- Blood Glucose Management: The most important thing you can do for your feet in the long run is to keep your blood sugar at a steady, healthy level. When your blood glucose is well-managed, it stops the nerve damage from getting any worse and gives your body a chance to rest and recover. To manage your blood sugar levels, make sure you are taking balanced meals, staying active, and working closely with your doctor to adjust your insulin or daily diabetes medications.
- Personal Care and Daily Foot Care:
- Daily Foot Inspection: Each day, check your feet. This can help you identify pressure spots or sores early. Wear more comfortable footwear. Wear thick, seamless 100% cotton socks and properly fitting shoes with good arch support to reduce friction and pressure on your feet.
- Manage your diet: Avoid sugary foods and high-carbohydrate foods that are highly processed in your diet. Eating small, frequent meals 4-5 times per day will help to control your blood sugar level.
- Therapeutic Alternatives:
- Clinical HBOT: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a highly effective treatment that fills your body with pure oxygen in a presurized environment. This pure oxygen dissolves directly into your blood, allowing it to bypass blocked or narrowed blood vessels so it can reach and heal the damaged nerve tissues.
- Nerve Stimulation: Devices like TENS units send gentle electrical pulses through your legs. These pulses temporarily disrupt the pain signals traveling from your feet, stopping them before they can reach your brain.
How can TenMed Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine help?
At TenMed Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine, we focus on treating the physical root cause of your burning feet. First, we check your feet completely; we check your nerve health and blood circulation, and see exactly why your feet hurt. Then we create a personalized plan, which may include advanced therapeutic techniques like HBOT.
Our certified physicians build customized medical plans to restore your comfort and protect your long-term mobility.
Book an appointment with us today!
Conclusion
If you have suffered from diabetic burning feet syndrome, then you know this is a very difficult situation to be in. However, there is no need for you to suffer through endless pain.
You can avoid the difficult effects of this condition just by taking a few steps: maintaining good control of your blood sugar, taking care of your feet on a daily basis, and utilizing advanced techniques like HBOT.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1. Why do burning feet get worse at night?
Answer. Symptoms often spike at night because. Without daily distractions, your brain becomes more relaxed to feel the nerve pain. Additionally, your body temperature fluctuates at night, and lower nighttime activity can reduce blood circulation, causing nerve endings to misfire and create a burning, tingling, or prickling sensation.
Question 2. Will I eventually lose my feet if this burning doesn’t stop?
Answer. The burning itself will not cause you to lose your feet, but it is an urgent warning sign. The real danger happens if the burning turns into complete numbness. When you cannot feel your feet, you can easily step on something sharp or get a blister without knowing it, which can turn into a serious, slow-healing sore, that later needs amputation.
Question 3. I have had diabetes for 5 years and just started feeling this burning and sharp pain at night. When should I see a doctor?
Answer. You should schedule a medical evaluation right away. The sharp pain and evening burning are early warning signs that your foot tissues are in distress. Seeing a specialist now ensures you can improve your blood flow and stop the nerve damage before it turns into permanent numbness or slow-healing sores.
Question 4. Can I just rub lotion or a cooling cream on my feet to stop the burning?
Answer. Lotion helps with dry skin, but it won’t fix the burning because the problem is deep inside your nerves. Numbing creams like lidocaine can give you temporary relief on the skin surface, but they do not fix the root issue.