subject: Why Are My Feet On Fire? [print this page] Many people express that they have pain in their feet in many different sensations. Unsure how to treat the problem these people will usually go to see their doctor. Often times this pain is caused by a problem called neuropathy. Neuropathy is a common problem that tends to occur in diabetics, but is not always caused by that. It can also be caused by alcohol, chemical exposure, and sometimes by bacteria and viruses.
Neuropathy is classified as a nerve problem which has many characteristics. The type of pains associated with this diagnosis can be burning, pins and needles, and a feeling you are being poked on your feet. These sensations tend to occur in the foot and ankle area, but are not limited to these areas. These sensations can also occur in the fingers and other parts of the body.
One of the problems with neuropathy, particularly in the foot, is that there is a deterioration of the nerves, many times leading to the loss of sensation in the foot. This can lead to a break down of the skin called ulceration. Ulcers usually occur in the foot due to a buildup of dead skin. Due to the inability to feel where there is pressure being applied on the foot dead skin begins to develop. The skin gets thicker until it breaks open and a wound develops.
Another problem that can occur with neuropathy is developing a fracture because the body does not sense where pressure is in the foot and ankle area. Because of this there are broken bones and unfortunately a chronic state of change in the foot structure may occur. This symptom complex is called Charcot Arthropathy. This is a problem where on the top of the foot the bones are breaking and the foot swells up. The swelling occurs because it is trying to heal the fracture and wearing a shoe can become quite problematic. The treatment for this is to protect the foot with a cast and decrease weight bearing until the foot heels. Many times this complex set of events is mistaken for infection, so often a MRI is necessary to rule out Charcot foot.
Since neuropathy is such a complex problem, the first thing that needs to be done is to be evaluated by a specialist, such as a podiatrist. Many times diagnosis is made by a simple exam. Other times a diagnosis may not be so clear. There are a multitude of tests which use a machine to test many sensory nerves and clearly diagnose the problem. One of the newest, most efficient ways of diagnosing neuropathy is with a nerve biopsy. To do this the foot and ankle is anesthetized and a small skin biopsy is taken. A sample of the skin and nerves is sent out to a lab for diagnosis. The diagnosis is made by a pathologist, a medical specialist who takes body parts and evaluates diseases. The will evaluate the nerve under a microscope. A clear cut diagnosis is made this way and the pathologist can tell how severe the neuropathy is.
Neuropathy or burning sensations can be tested in many ways. If you are diabetic your sugar levels need to be determined. Sometimes by simply controlling your sugars your symptoms can be decreased. Other times if sugars are controlled we may need to prescribe nerve medication, which affects hormones that can have an effect on nerve function. Pain control with patients that have long term pain can be controlled with a physical therapy unit that works on your nerves by blocking the pain sensations that travel to the brain.
Lastly, there are numerous oral medications that are considered nutrients and when taken nourish the nerves. This type of treatment has proven to provide relief to many patients. If you are feeling these types of sensations make sure you see your doctor for a diagnosis.
