Do You Suffer From Burning Feet?

Recently I was reading the paper and came across an article about motivational speaker Tony Robbins and his seminar Unleash the Power Within. Part of the seminar the participants (thousands) can opt to walk across a four foot stretch of hot coals. The temperatures of these coals can reach as high as 1000 degrees. 21 people at the seminar ended up in the hospital with second and 3rd degree burns.

This article got me thinking of all the patients I see with complaints about burning sensations in the feet. There are many reasons someone can suffer from these symptoms but the most I see come from diabetic patients, most who have had diabetes for years. The vast majority of these patients suffer from diabetic neuropathy which can cause these symptoms. As the disease progresses the effects of the nerves get worse and cause many diabetics to suffer this type of pain. There are many treatment options such as certain medications, surgical procedures and custom made diabetic shoes to ease the pain.

Burning symptoms are not just for those with diabetes. We see a lot of patients that lay on the beach that forget to use sun block on their feet that end up with burns. We have seen patients from nails salons that dry the gel nail polish under UV light. Other causes can be from a condition called Mortons Neuroma which is a nerve entrapment usually found between the 3rd and 4th toes, and can cause severe pain and burning symptoms. Other symptoms of Neuromas are cramps, tingling, pins and needles and feels like walking on a rock. Some people feel a popping sensation as well.

Trauma to the foot or ankle can cause burning as well. A few days ago I saw a patient that has suffered severe fracture of the ankle and his main symptom was burning even though the fracture had been fixed at the hospital he still suffered the pain for months after. I sent him for a Nerve Conduction Study and sure enough the nerve along the area of the fracture was damaged and tangled up in scar tissue.

Compartment Syndrome is an extremely painful condition usually caused by trauma to the lower leg which can produce one of the most painful burning a patient can suffer. We usually treat this as a medical emergency and is relieved with surgery.

While I would never recommend you walk across burning coals, after reading the article I learned some interesting facts from professional coal walkers. They walk at a moderate pace and not linger on the coals. If you walk to fast, embers will be stirred up which will burn and most walk on wet grass beforehand.

These are just a few samples of why you can get these types of symptoms and know that your local podiatrist is well equipped to diagnose and treat your pain.

If you or someone you care for suffers from burning in the foot or ankle seek treatment by your foot doctor as soon as possible. Remember, foot pain is not normal and burning of the foot or ankle should be taken seriously.

Should you suffer from any of the above symptoms or have any questions, Dr. Bowman can be reached by calling 713-467-8886 or online at www.houstonfootspecialists.com.

Category: Foot Problems

Tags: Ankle Fracture, ankle pain, Ankle Problems, Ankle Surgery, Coal Walkers, Compartment Syndrome, Diabetes, Diabetic Neuropathy, Diabetic Shoes, Foot Burning, foot pain, Foot Problems, Foot Surgery, Morton's Neuroma, Nerve Conduction Study, Nerve Problems, Sun Burn