The sensation of burning tingling feet can be cause for distress is many healthy women. Sometimes, the sensations can even be debilitating enough to disrupt their routines, making it impossible to proceed with day-to-day activities without extreme discomfort. Continue reading to discover more about burning tingling feet and the symptom's causes and treatment options to get back on your feet today.
What are Burning Tingling Feet?
In the broader perspective, burning tingling feet are part of a symptom known as tingling extremities. Tingling extremities, also known as paresthesia, cause a feeling similar to that of pins and needles paired with numbness, reduced feeling, and prickling in the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Accordingly, burning tingling feet can be considered a variation of tingling extremities, in which burning, numbing, and prickling sensations are only felt in the feet. Nevertheless, suffering from these sensations make it difficult for women to sleep, walk, or perform everyday activities.
Read along for more specifics on burning tingling feet.
What Causes Burning Tingling Feet?
Hormonal Causes
The occurrence of tingling extremities, including feet that tingle and burn, is attributed to hormonal fluctuations of estrogen. Although the exact implications of how estrogen affects the central nervous system are still unclear, tingling extremities transpire often during periods of reproductive significance, such menopause, leading researchers to believe there is a connection between hormones and paresthesia.
At the same time, many menopausal women also report feeling “creepy-crawly” sensations on the feet even with nothing touching them. These sensations of insects crawling on the skin are known as formication.
Other Causes
Various other causes of tingling extremities include, but are not limited to:
Nutritional deficiencies of iron, B vitamins, calcium, and potassium
Chronic health conditions, such as kidney disease, hypothyroidism, HIV/AIDS, athlete's foot, and migraines
Nervous system disorders, like complex regional pain syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, seizures, multiple sclerosis, and strokes
Certain procedures, like radiation therapy
Use of certain medications
Pressure on nerves
Solutions for Burning Tingling Feet
Natural
Be certain to consume a diet rich in nutrients necessary to amend any deficiencies and support nervous system health, like aforementioned vitamins and minerals in addition to vitamins E and C. For women suffering from tingling burning feet due to hormonal imbalance, add some phytoestrogens into daily meals to raise estrogen levels.
Partake in regular exercise - yoga, Pilates, strength training, etc. - to increase blood flow to the feet. Also, perform self-foot massages and practice daily stretches before, after, and in-between workouts to improve circulation as well as relieve any accumulated tension.
Furthermore, start implementing practical habits. Sleep in the right position to avoid pinching nerves; elevate your feet every so often if you're sedentary throughout the day, and wear specially designed footwear. Consider attending acupuncture sessions to improve nerve conduction as well.
Pharmaceutical
For those suffering from tingling extremities and burning tingling feet due to other causes, check with a doctor for treatment options. Your specific treatment regimen for symptoms will depend upon the health condition causing the paresthesia.
Key Takeaways
Experiencing tingling burning sensations of the feet and other extremities are symptoms that can be evoked from a variety of health conditions. For women passing through the menopausal transition, hormonal imbalance is usually the culprit. However, for others suffering from the same sensations, diagnosis may be more multifaceted. With an improved diet, frequent exercises, and practical habits, it may be possible to manage the sensations without pharmaceutical assistance.
However, although abovementioned management techniques will help temporarily resolve feelings of burning tingling feet, they don't directly address the underlying cause. For those suffering from hormonal imbalance, there are several treatments for burning tingling feet.
Rest assured that with proper management and care, you can soon be back up and enjoying what you do best.
Sources
- Kaufman, J. (2013). Treating nerve damage with acupuncture. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from http://www.nccaom.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Effect%20Peripheral%20neuropathy.pdf
- Mayo Clinic. (2018). Burning feet: Definition. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/burning-feet/basics/definition/sym-20050809
- MedlinePlus. (2017). Numbness and tingling. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003206.htm
- Simpson, K.R. & Bredesen, D.E. (2006). The Perimenopause & Menopause Workbook. CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Available from Google Books.