Do You Have a Burning Pain in Your Foot? You May Have Peripheral Neuropathy

Experiencing chronic pain in your foot that feels like a burning sensation can be uncomfortable, frustrating, and make it difficult to go about your day. Getting burning pain in one or both feet can have multiple causes, but one of the most common reasons for this symptom is peripheral neuropathy.

Podiatrist Thomas Rambacher, DPM, who practices at Mission Viejo, California-based Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle, regularly diagnoses and treats patients with peripheral neuropathy. Read on to learn more about the most common symptoms and treatment options for this condition.

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy develops as the result of damage occurring within your peripheral nerves in the nervous system. Your peripheral nerves are the nerves located in your spinal cord and brain.

When the peripheral nerves get damaged, they’re no longer able to send the proper sensations to certain areas of your body, which can cause you to feel burning, pain, and numbness in those body parts. You’re most likely to get peripheral neuropathy in your feet, but it can also occur in your hands.

Most common symptoms of peripheral neuropathy

The symptoms below are the ones you’re most likely to experience if you have peripheral neuropathy. Make an appointment at Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle for an evaluation if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms.

Burning and pain in the impacted foot

The pain you experience can feel like it is burning, sharp, throbbing, or tinging. You might also find yourself experiencing pain doing activities that wouldn’t normally cause it, such as anytime you put weight on your foot.

Foot tingling and numbness

The nerve damage from peripheral neuropathy can cause the damaged area to feel as if it’s tingling or getting numb. Numbness from peripheral neuropathy usually comes on gradually, and you might feel it in your legs as well as your feet.

Weakness and coordination problems in your foot

Your foot impacted with peripheral neuropathy can feel week, and you might experience reduced coordination in your feet compared with your previous levels.

Underlying conditions that can cause peripheral neuropathy

People with certain diagnoses are more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy. The most common co-occurring condition is diabetes. You’re also at an increased risk if you have certain autoimmune or viral diseases, vitamin deficiency, have had tumors and certain cancer treatments, or have a family history of peripheral neuropathy.

Treatment options for peripheral neuropathy

To get a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, make an appointment with Dr. Rambacher for a thorough evaluation. You’ll have the best outcome and be less likely to incur permanent nerve damage if you seek treatment soon after symptoms start.

Dr. Rambacher’s personalized treatment plan depends on what underlying conditions are causing your peripheral neuropathy and the severity of your nerve damage. If, for instance, diabetes is the cause of your peripheral neuropathy, Dr. Rambacher develops a treatment plan that helps you control your diabetes.

Medications, including pain medication, antidepressants, antiseizure medication, and topical creams, can help control the burning sensation and pain you experience. Dr. Rambacher also sometimes prescribes regenerative medicine and physical therapy to lessen pain and reduce other symptoms.

If you’re experiencing burning pain in your foot that won’t go away and is impacting your quality of life, make an appointment online or over the phone at Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle for an evaluation. Dr. Rambacher also offers telemedicine appointments.