The feeling of heaviness in the legs, fatigue, and swelling is familiar to many: after a long day, forced inactivity, under the influence of heat or drinking liquid, discomfort in the legs is not uncommon. But sometimes it seems as if the heels are on fire, although there are no burns to speak of. Why do my feet burn, what does it mean and is this condition dangerous to health?
The reasons why a burning sensation occurs in the feet are quite varied.
An allergic reaction to the materials from which clothing or shoes are made. Synthetics, dyes, and additives for treating shoes can cause severe irritation of the skin of the feet, which is manifested, among other things, by severe burning.
Treatment in this situation consists of replacing allergenic clothing or shoes and using local antihistamines.
Mycosis . Fungal infection of the skin of the feet is manifested by severe itching and burning on the feet, between the toes. The skin in these places becomes rough, peels, and cracks.
If the foot of only the left leg or only the right one burns, it is likely that we are talking about a fungal infection. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you need to get rid of the fungus.
Self-medication does not always bring the desired results; it is necessary to undergo tests, determine the pathogen, and then prepare for a long struggle.
Vascular diseases of the legs , pathological conditions - varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis prevent adequate blood supply (nutrition) to the extremities.
It is necessary to treat the cause, not the symptom; a comprehensive examination and competent therapy are required, including surgical intervention.
Skeletal deformation - flat feet, foot valgus, clubfoot - lead to an increase in the load on the bones, muscles, ligaments, the legs become very tired, and the skin on the feet “burns”. Treatment is prescribed by a surgeon or orthopedist.
Diabetes mellitus – elevated blood glucose levels have a detrimental effect on the formation of small blood vessels. Burning sensation in the feet due to diabetes mellitus is called “diabetic foot” and has become one of the complications of this disease. You need to contact an endocrinologist for help.
Obliterating endarteritis is an infectious lesion of the blood vessels of the legs, the symptom of which is burning and numbness of the feet.
In addition to the burning sensation, cramps appear in the calf muscles and ankle, leading to lameness. The patient feels heaviness in his legs and gets tired quickly. Insufficient blood supply leads to skin ulceration.
Treatment requires drugs that strengthen blood vessels and normalize blood circulation in the legs.
Gout is a metabolic disease in which the water-salt balance is disrupted. Uric acid salts are not completely eliminated from the body, accumulating in the form of crystals in cells and tissues. When affecting the feet, gout makes itself felt, starting with the big toes.
The feet burn with fire, they hurt, the joints become inflamed and swollen. The pain becomes especially severe at night. The sore leg needs rest; you can take painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Clean water, fruit drinks, and herbal teas will help remove excess salts.
When treating gout, a balanced diet without salt, seasonings, alcohol, fatty, sweet, or spicy foods is of great importance.
During pregnancy , women complain that in the third trimester their heels hurt and burn: the symptom indicates the development of a dangerous complication - preeclampsia , which threatens the health and life of the mother and child. Blood pressure rises, protein appears in the blood, legs, arms, face, and abdomen swell greatly.
If similar signs are detected, you should immediately contact an antenatal clinic followed by hospitalization. Early delivery helps save both, otherwise gestosis is fraught with preeclampsia, eclampsia and death.
The cause of heaviness and burning of the feet can be hormonal changes in the body - at the initial stage of pregnancy, during menopause, during adolescence.
The condition is not dangerous, but it is better to seek advice from a therapist or endocrinologist.
Excess weight (obesity) puts a lot of stress on the legs, as a result of which a person feels unpleasant symptoms - heaviness, burning, swelling. There is only one way out - to bring your weight back to normal.
Traditional medicine knows what to do if your feet are burning:
And among the people there are signs that give their own interpretation to burning in the feet. If the foot is burning, it means that a long journey awaits the person. However, before you go there, you should make sure that your feet are in good health. Otherwise, you will hardly be able to enjoy the road.
Burning and heaviness in the legs is not only an unpleasant and unpleasant effect, but also a symptom of various diseases. This article will discuss why your feet burn, in what cases you should worry, and how you can cool the heat in your feet.
The causes of a burning sensation in the legs should be sought in several main areas:
Let's take a closer look at each cause of burning in the legs separately.
Our feet, in response to bad shoes, cosmetics, or even socks, can react with a burning sensation in the feet. In addition to burning, itching, redness and even more obvious signs of allergies may appear. This symptom can be distinguished from others by the fact that the reaction does not appear just like that, but only upon contact with some unwanted irritant.
Treatment in this case is most often carried out by eliminating the allergen. In more severe cases, you may need ointments for allergies and itching, or even tablets.
With the expansion of veins, observed with varicose veins, by the evening the feet burn, and the space for them in the shoes seems to become tighter. Outwardly, this disease is difficult to miss: the veins in the legs either clearly swell or stand out due to their bright color. People most prone to varicose veins:
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Treatment in this case can be carried out in various ways.
Its essence is not only to get rid of veins and burning of the feet, but also to prevent them from returning. To do this, we eliminate as much as possible excessive stress on the legs, start eating a balanced diet, lose extra pounds, on the doctor’s recommendation, start wearing special tight socks or elastic bandages, and also try to engage in pleasant physical activity: swimming, walking at a calm pace, riding a bike. You will find more information here “Treatment of varicose veins at home.”
Includes medications - venotonics, aimed at combating varicose veins.
Moving on to treatment that can only be done in medicine. institutions, we will say that by injecting substances into a vein that clog the vessel, you can effectively get rid of dilated veins in the early stages.
Effective only for veins with a diameter not exceeding 1 millimeter.
This is the most extreme method and should be considered last. The doctor simply removes the altered vessels with an incision or puncture.
In answer to the question of why my feet burn, fungus is a very common occurrence. This should be especially borne in mind after visiting public places where you had to stand barefoot: swimming pools, public showers, gym, etc.
The beginning of a fungus manifests itself in the form of itching and redness between the toes, but it can reach the stage when the soles of the feet are on fire. To prevent this from happening, you need to immediately use anti-fungal medications (ointments, gels, sometimes tablets), and also try not to appear without replacement shoes where this may be necessary.
Such a phenomenon as damage to the blood vessels of the legs in diabetes can turn out to be very dangerous for the legs. Diabetic foot is exactly what causes the soles of your feet to burn, in this case. At first it is expressed by pain in the legs, which intensifies with long walking. Then the pain increases, causing the legs to burn even more; they can now appear even in a calm position. The consequences can be very serious: from excessive blueness of the feet to death of the toes.
To avoid developing diabetic foot, you need to maintain your blood sugar levels with medications or a healthy low-carbohydrate diet.
After all, if the soles of your feet are burning, you don't necessarily need to look for the reasons in medical reference books. It is quite possible that you are simply overtired, your legs are craving rest and care. And then you will be interested in the answers below to the question, your legs are burning, what to do.
If the cause of burning in the legs is not related to a specific disease, some simple ways will help get rid of this unpleasant symptom:
If you often encounter the problem of burning feet, you should not abuse carbonated drinks, beer, and also minimize the consumption of salt and hot seasonings.
If your feet are very hot, it causes you significant discomfort and the tried remedies do not help, consult a doctor. The doctor will quickly find out why your legs are burning, give practical advice and prescribe competent treatment.
Tell us in the comments below about a method that helps you cope with the burning sensation in your legs.
If your feet are burning, this can be caused by various reasons. It is possible that this is due to increased sensitivity to the material from which your socks or shoe insoles are made. In this case, try changing the insoles to a different material, and also choose socks, for example, made from natural fabric. Another possible cause for burning in the soles of the feet is fungal diseases. It is necessary to carefully care for your feet, change the shoes you wear more often so that they have time to dry well - since the fungus loves moisture. It is important to dry your feet well after washing, thereby not giving the fungus a chance to survive. Well, and, of course, the use of drugs to remove fungus. Peripheral neuropathy can be a serious cause of burning feet. Typically, such symptoms are found in diabetic patients. For this reason, if there is no other reason for burning in the feet, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and hint to him to do a blood test for diabetes. A burning sensation can also be caused by vascular pathology of the legs, but here only a vascular specialist (vascular surgeon) will help you identify the problem. It also happens that the feet burn due to cracks in the skin of the soles of the feet. Carefully examine the soles and, if necessary, begin treatment as soon as possible, since cracks are quite difficult to treat - you need to do moisturizing and healing procedures very regularly. Sometimes, if your feet and palms are burning, this indicates a serious lack of vitamin B. You can try taking medications with this particular group of vitamins. In middle-aged men, “erythromelalgia” is common, which usually appears after overheating of the legs or forced position of the lower extremities and is marked by redness of the foot and burning pain. In this case, cold compresses will bring relief, and it is also worth raising the limb upward for a short time. If no serious foot diseases are detected, you can do a relaxing foot massage, do stretching exercises in the morning, and baths with sea salt. If the burning sensation in the feet and palms is more like itching, then an allergy is possible. It happens that due to an allergic reaction to some source of irritation, the palms, feet, and ears itch. sometimes swelling of the respiratory tract, headache and nausea appear in parallel. Then it is necessary to check for possible allergies, as well as remove the source of irritation. Sometimes this burning and itching appears due to infectious diseases such as scabies, which occurs due to scabies mites getting under the skin. If this happens, then your soles may also burn, your arms and stomach may itch...
In fact, there can be many reasons; it’s a pity that the author of the question did not add an explanation. Well, since winter has come to our region, now, if you stay in the cold for a long time, limbs, legs and arms can freeze. Well, when you come home and start to warm up, that’s when your limbs start to “burn.” But don’t worry, this often happens to those who suddenly go from cold to warm. So you shouldn’t immediately pour hot water on your hands and feet after frost. The transition from cold to heat should be gradual. Your ears, nose, and cheeks may also “burn.” In general, everything that had contact with the cold.
Burning legs cause this symptom in women in sufficient numbers. This process involves the feet, legs above and below the knees.
Sometimes they are “burning with fire” and it is impossible to cool them down; more often the process does not go that far due to treatment started on time.
Why are your feet burning? Why are they burning? What can cause this symptom? Where can I find the reason?
We will try to answer the questions asked simply, understandably for everyone.
Usually they begin to suffer from this after 50 years, but all diseases are getting younger all the time, which means young people will not escape this fate.
This symptom is not harmless; it can cause painful insomnia and ongoing pain.
Feet burn after a hard day on your feet. Tight heeled shoes. All this aggravates excess weight.
Patients with diabetes mellitus suffer from this symptom. In the presence of neuropathy. The disease is very serious, the functioning of all internal organs is disrupted.
The most dangerous thing is the development of complications, diabetic foot, loss of vision, poor kidney function, practically stopped pancreatic function (you will begin to lose weight).
These drugs are good for treating burning in the feet, which is caused by diabetes.
In old age, almost everyone has a deficiency of vitamin B 12, tingling, burning, burning of the legs and arms appears.
There are difficulties when walking. Be sure to take a vitamin complex or vitamin B 12 separately.
This will save you from pain.
Chronic alcoholics suffer from this symptom due to constant poisoning of the body. Patients develop neuropathy - damage to nerve tissue.
Gradually, the functions of the nervous tissue are damaged, which also affects the legs. They begin to burn, hurt, and refuse.
Harmful production and heavy metal poisoning can also cause burning feet.
Blood diseases: thrombocytopenia:
Anemia is also very often to blame for burning legs:
Fungal diseases of the feet give a burning sensation of burning feet, as well as itching, sometimes unbearable. Feet burn severely due to mycosis of the feet.
They become infected with it in swimming pools, saunas, baths.
The disease begins with interdigital folds and peeling appears. It spreads to other areas of the skin, itching, redness, burning, burning begins.
Treatment of fungal infections is long but successful. You need to take a diagnostic test to determine a fungal infection. When you know your enemy, begin to destroy him.
On the side of the ankle joint there is compression of the nerve (inner side), which can cause a burning sensation.
Osteochondrosis is divided into:
There is a noticeable restriction of movement in the lumbar spine, tense muscles are visible, and painful points along the vertebrae are identified. It becomes difficult to walk, constant pain, sometimes unbearable, annoys me.
Impaired thyroid function also causes leg fires:
Kidney failure, which is common in our time, cannot be overlooked; naturally, self-poisoning of the body with processed products that should have been eliminated on time is observed.
Such patients are prescribed dialysis (artificial cleansing of the kidney). Our problem is that you cannot undergo this procedure in ordinary hospitals, it is simply not available.
Some liver diseases also cause this reaction, as do tumors and injuries.
Gout disease (salt deposits: also causes burning and burning of the legs, feet.
It is necessary to treat the underlying disease - gout - and all symptoms will go away.
Treatment may be prescribed:
Drugs that reduce the production of uric acid: anturan, colchicine, allopurinol.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: diclofenac, Nise, Celebrex, ketoprofen.
As a last resort, glucocorticosteroids: prednisolone.
It is very good to consume freshly squeezed lemon juice.
In patients with AIDS or HIV infection:
Every woman knows what dilated veins are; she suffers from pain, swelling in the legs, burning and burning.
Mandatory wearing of compression garments: stockings, tights, bandages. This helps blood circulation in the legs.
Venotonics: detralex, venarus, troxevasin, glivenol.
To strengthen the walls of blood vessels: ascorutin.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help: indomethacin, ortofen.
Antihypoxic drugs: Actovegin is prescribed.
Creams, gels, ointments are practically useless.
Horse chestnut or its preparation, aescusan, helps well.
Vegetative vascular dystonia:
With this disease, poor vascular tone and poor blood circulation. The lower extremities - legs - respond to any deviations in blood flow. Read in detail about this disease “Vegetative vascular disease in women.”
The reasons for our torment are burning:
Preparations for strengthening the vascular wall.
This treatment helps with burning leg disease.
Surgical treatment of the disease is used in severe cases.
The load on the legs with flat feet is noticeable, especially if you have to stand on your feet for a long time.
Wearing special orthopedic insoles or shoes will help. Your legs will stop hurting and burning.
We donate blood for biochemical analysis:
There are many reasons why your legs burn, get diagnosed on time, treatment is carried out constantly as prescribed by the doctor. The symptoms subside, the burning of the legs and the causes go away.
Get well soon, may your feet always be warm.
With respect, Tatyana Nikolaevna, author.
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