After a long day, comfortably stretch your legs in a warm bed and fall asleep - that's it! But hot feet cause insomnia for you? Then you probably suffer from burning feet syndrome. You can find out everything you need to know about it here.
The feet itch, burn and hurt. Burning feet syndrome often deprives sufferers of sleep at night. The soles of the feet in particular feel hot and tingle.
Often the justified whining is not taken seriously and those affected have to suffer in silence. But not for much longer!
We show you what provides relief from hot feet, what burning feet syndrome actually is and what causes it.
Table of contents
What is Burning Feet Syndrome?
Burning feet syndrome is characterized by painful burning, severe itching, tingling and stinging in the feet. These symptoms usually occur at night due to the heat in bed and do not improve until the morning hours.
The feeling of warmth and pain occur on both feet at the same time. However, only the soles of the feet are affected. Only rarely does the burning spread to the ankles or lower legs.
In addition to the above symptoms, some sufferers also report numbness in their feet. In addition, the feet also swell in burning foot syndrome.
The skin reddens or discolors.
Burning foot syndrome is also known as burning foot syndrome, burning foot syndrome, Gopalan syndrome or Grierson-Gopalan syndrome.
Here we have listed the symptoms again for you:
- unpleasant sensation of heat and burning, which worsens at night
- dull, sharp or stabbing pain in the feet
- Redness of the skin and excessive heat
- Tingling or prickling sensation
- Feeling of heaviness in the feet
Since the discomfort occurs at night, many sufferers suffer from insomnia due to the hot feet.
People between the ages of 20 and 40 are affected by hot and burning feet. Women suffer from burning feet syndrome more often than men. It also frequently occurs in conjunction with pregnancy.
What is the cause of hot feet?
Unfortunately, the causes of this condition are numerous and difficult to identify. They can range from severe neurological diseases to a simple vitamin deficiency.
Vitamin B1 deficiency
People suffering from burning feet syndrome often also have a vitamin B deficiency at the same time.
In most cases, this is a deficiency of vitamin B5. With this deficiency, additional complaints often occur, such as stomach pain, anemia, depression, or increased susceptibility to infections.
If you really suffer from a vitamin B5 deficiency, you should have your doctor determine this by means of a blood test.
Alcohol and cigarettes
To avoid hot feet, you should avoid anything that can further damage the nerves. This includes especially alcohol and cigarettes.
Infections
Athlete's foot can not only make your feet unsightly, but also cause burning feet syndrome and hot feet trigger insomnia.
Especially in warm and humid areas of the foot the fungus likes to settle. The symptoms range from itching to stabbing pain.
Nerve damage or entrapment
Nerve damage or entrapment can be caused by a variety of factors. They can be caused by disease, injury, surgery, chemotherapy or other treatments, and contact with harmful substances.
Peripheral neuropathy
This is the most common cause of painful feet. It occurs when the peripheral sensory neurons that connect the spinal cord to the nerves are damaged.
Peripheral neuropathy usually occurs when a long undiagnosed diabetes is left untreated and blood glucose levels are poorly controlled.
Hypothyroidism can also trigger hot feet.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
This syndrome can also be the reason for burning feet, more precisely burning feet syndrome.
The tibial nerve runs in the tarsal tunnel, which is located between the ankle joint and the inside of the foot. Tingling in the foot can occur when this nerve is pinched or damaged.
The discomfort may extend high into the calves.
Morton-Neurom-Syndrome
This can also cause burning feet. Whereby here the metatarsal nerve is thickened by incorrect footwear, malpositions or overloading and thus provides pain in the metatarsus.
What can I do about hot feet at night?
To finally put an end to insomnia due to hot feet and to relieve the discomfort, these few tips and tricks can help.
Cool feet
When a Burning Feet attack occurs, it can usually be interrupted or stopped by cooling the feet.
There are several ways to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of burning feet:
- cooling sprays or creams
- Put damp cloths or cooling pads on the feet
- Cool foot baths
Acupuncture is also said to be very suitable for the supportive treatment of Burning Feet Syndrome.
Legs hanging out of bed
For burning foot syndrome, letting your legs hang out of bed can also help. In some cases, walking around or rubbing the feet can also help.
Elevating the legs can also provide relief.
Treat the cause
Otherwise, treatment of burning feet syndrome focuses on treating the underlying condition or correcting the deficiency.
If there is a severe deficiency of vitamin B5, the doctor may prescribe an appropriate remedy to compensate, which must be taken daily.
In addition, antispasmodic and/or pain relieving medications such as acetaminophen may be used in conjunction with a doctor's prescription for burning foot syndrome.
Relieve feet
To relieve the feet during the day, choose shoes and socks that offer the feet enough space. They should not be too tight, so that the blood can circulate freely in the feet.
When sitting, you should also place your legs parallel to each other and not cross them.
Crossing your legs can impair blood flow to your feet and/or block important nerve pathways. This in turn causes hot feet and insomnia.
When should I see a doctor for burning feet?
If the symptoms have been bothering you for a long time or have persisted for a long time, then you should definitely see a doctor. It is important to find out the underlying cause so that the symptoms can be treated properly.
The doctor will look at your legs, checking for skin changes, deformities, reflexes and blood work.
Depending on the cause, medication or orthotics may be prescribed, physical therapy may be prescribed, or a sports and nutrition plan may be put together.
Our conclusion
Burning, itchy, hot feet cause insomnia and drive you crazy? Even if some tips and tricks provide short-term relief, you should get to the bottom of the cause, so that you are also freed from the discomfort in the long term. The best way to do this is to consult a doctor and find a suitable treatment method with him.
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more
