Introduction
It would help if you didn’t disregard your grandparents’ or parents’ frequent complaints about burning feet. Even though it could seem harmless, it could result from a medical ailment. Burning foot syndrome and Grierson-Gopalan syndrome are other names for it. Also, we discuss home remedies for burning feet.
Despite being a frequent problem, it has historically received very little medical attention. It can be caused by several unrelated medical issues and is characterized by heaviness and a burning feeling in the legs.
The tips of the feet, the knees, as well as the lower thigh could be affected by the heat and discomfort as well as the bottoms of the feet. This article will look at the Best 10 Home Remedies For Burning Feet.
What is Burning Feet Syndrome?
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Burning feet syndrome, also called Grierson-Gopalan syndrome, is a group of signs and symptoms where the feet repeatedly feel uncomfortable, hot, and painful. While there may be some alleviation throughout the day, the burning feeling may worsen at night.
Mild to severe symptoms may be present. The tips of the legs, the ankles, as well as the lower legs may experience heat and soreness in addition to the soles of the feet.
What Causes Burning Feet?
The most common reason for tingling pain in your feet is nerve injury, which is commonly related to diabetes. However, there are also other potential causes. Burning feet can cause pains, ranging from mild to severe, which may be sporadic or chronic.
It’s possible for your feet to feel hot, tingly, prickly, or numb. Frequently, the pain is worse at night. Depending on the underlying reason, the treatment for burning feet will vary.
1. Diabetic Neuropathy
Your blood vessels and nerves might be gradually harmed by years of unchecked high blood sugar. High blood sugar slows down the nerves’ ability to transmit information. The body’s capacity to feel various parts, particularly the feet, may be hampered by this.
Additionally, high blood sugar weakens the walls of the blood vessels that provide the nerves with oxygen and nutrients, and your entire body could sustain nerve damage. The National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) estimate that 60 to 70 percent of diabetic people also have neuropathy.
The most typical kind of diabetic neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy. When there is nerve injury in the legs and feet, peripheral neuropathy is employed. Your feet may experience a burning sensation if you have this kind of neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy can less frequently affect the hands and arms.
2. Alcohol
Alcoholic neuropathy is a different kind of nerve injury that can result from drinking excessively. Symptoms, in addition to burning feet, include:
- Loss of muscular function, muscle spasms, and muscle weakening.
- Bowel and urinary dysfunction.
- Dizziness.
- Speech impairment.
Alcohol abstinence can help stop symptoms from getting worse. Some nerve damage, though, can be irreversible.
3. Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy (SFSN)
Severe neuropathy known as SFSN frequently causes burning in the feet. Short-lived pain bursts and a lack of feeling in the feet are other symptoms. It happens when the myelin sheath, which covers and shields nerve fibers, is lost. In most cases, the reason is unknown, but diabetes is sometimes a factor.
4. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
The most prevalent hereditary nerve disease is CMT. It has an impact on the muscles’ controllable nerves. Because the illness progresses, symptoms get worse over time. Burning or pins and needles in the hands or feet are among its initial symptoms.
Additional symptoms include clumsiness and muscular atrophy. About 1 in 2,500 Americans have CMT, as per the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The names of the three doctors who first described it in 1886 are on it. Other terms for this condition include peroneal muscle atrophy and hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.
5. Nutritional Deficiencies
Although this used to be more common, burning feet caused by malnutrition are still observed in places hit by famine or other disasters. According to estimates, burning feet syndrome, which was brought on by malnutrition, affected one-third of American POWs in the Pacific during World War II.
Nerve injury in the modern population, particularly among the elderly, may be linked to deficiencies in the:
- Vitamin B-6
- Folate or Vitamin B-9
- Vitamin B-12
These vitamin B deficits might bring on Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome and issues with muscle coordination. Vitamin B deficits may also contribute to anemia, a shortage of healthy red blood cells. Fatigue, lightheadedness, and breathing difficulties are some other signs of vitamin deficiency anemia.
6. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
The disorder known as tarsal tunnel syndrome occurs when an injury or swelling squeezes the nerve that travels from the ankle to the foot. Foot pain and burning may result from this. The leg may also experience pain. Before the nerve damage in this condition becomes irreversible, it’s critical to receive early therapy.
7. Toxin Exposure
Peripheral neuropathy symptoms might develop due to prolonged exposure to heavy metals and other industrial pollutants. In addition to causing nerve damage, some medicines designed to treat illnesses like HIV or seizures can also do so.
8. Athlete’s Foot
The athlete’s foot is a contagious fungus that usually affects athletes. Tinea pedis, another name for it, can also affect the hands and toenails. One of the most common symptoms of an athlete’s foot is an unpleasant burning, stinging, or itching feeling between both toes or even on the soles of the feet. Added symptoms include:
- The skin that is between the toes or on the soles of the feet is peeling and breaking.
- Toenails are crumbly, thick, discolored, or pulled away from the nail bed.
- Raw skin on the feet.
- Itchy blisters on the feet.
- Dry skin on the sides or soles of the feet.
9. Hereditary Causes
Due to the hereditary nature of burning feet syndrome, it occasionally runs in families. Therefore, if someone in your family has this ailment, there is a possibility that you will as well.
10. Other Causes
Other less common causes of Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome include erythromelalgia, which causes sporadic heat and discomfort in numerous body areas, Leishmaniasis, a parasitic invasion of the body, chronic mountain sickness, which affects people who live at high elevations, multiple sclerosis, and Gitelman syndrome (kidney disorders due to imbalance in electrolyte ions). Patients who are receiving long-term dialysis treatment are also affected by it.
Symptoms of Burning Feet
Along with Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome, some people also experience the following symptoms:
- Foot heaviness may be felt.
- You could feel “pins and needles,” tingling, or prickling in your feet.
- Burning in the feet, which could get worse at night.
- A warm feeling in the feet.
- The types of pain include dull aching, acute, and shooting.
- Redness, excessive heat, or numbness in the feet.
Best 10 Home Remedies For Burning Feet
Below we list the best home remedies for burning feet. These have been proven to be very effective, hence reducing the symptoms.
1. Turmeric
Curcumin is a substance found in turmeric. Curcumin, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties can be used to treat various skin problems and neurological disorders.
You can take 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper and turmeric as a supplement or in powder form. It can be taken three times per day. According to a 2013 study, using curcumin in the early stages of neuropathy may have a favorable effect and assist in stopping the development of chronic neuropathy.
2. Lidocaine or Capsaicin
Medical practitioners frequently use lidocaine, a local anesthetic, to numb the skin before operations like blood sampling. Some medical experts advise using lidocaine patches and topical creams with capsaicin to treat the signs and symptoms of diabetic neuropathic pain. Both of these are frequently prescribed for people with diabetes who get BFS.
3. Ginkgo
An herb called ginkgo possesses nerve-protective effects. It was discovered to work well in treating ailments like dementia and localized cerebral ischemia (decreased blood flow to brain parts). Ginkgo’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and certain enzyme-inhibiting qualities give it its ability to protect nerves. It can help with burning feet brought on by peripheral nerve injury.
4. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is frequently used to treat several conditions, such as pain and athlete’s foot symptoms. Magnesium sulfate is a natural substance found in Epsom salt. It can be used for several things, such as:
- Reducing odor
- Relieving constipation
- Reducing inflammation
- Exfoliating the skin
- Decreasing the symptoms of athlete’s foot.
People experiencing hot feet should be given Epsom salt that has been mixed in warm water, and they should soak their feet in the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Epsom salt foot baths can aid with BFS symptoms. However, a diabetic person should consult their doctor first before consuming an Epsom salt bath. This is because it’s possible that Epsom salt makes diabetics more susceptible to foot injuries.
5. Black Cumin
Diabetes is one of the causes of Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome; black cumin is known to lower blood sugar levels. Additionally, it makes more insulin readily available. This impact greatly benefits the nerves in the feet. In animal trials, black cumin was also proven to lessen pain, but additional human studies are needed to confirm this.
6. Exercise
Regular exercise, such as jogging, running, and walking, helps to reduce the burning and discomfort in your legs since it enhances blood flow throughout the body.
7. Citrullus Colocynthis
The bitter apple plant, Citrullus colocynthis, is used to relieve pain. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. According to studies, eating bitter apples can help lessen the pain associated with severe diabetic polyneuropathy (PDPN; nerve damage due to diabetes). can help with pain relief by applying sour apples to the affected area.
8. Holy Basil or Tulsi
Holy basil is known by the scientific name Ocimum sanctum. It has long been used to cure a variety of illnesses in India. Tulsi has been shown in a study to help lower sciatica-related leg discomfort. The discomfort brought on by peripheral nerve injury, a significant cause of burning feet, can also be effectively reduced.
9. Ginger
Due to its therapeutic qualities, ginger is used to cure various illnesses, including burning feet. Since ginger oil has anti-inflammatory qualities, it might help heal burning feet. With a teaspoon of ginger juice combined with coconut or olive oil, you can massage your feet for up to 20 minutes. A cup of ginger tea is also quite beneficial in such a situation.
10. Foot Massage
Any part of the body receives more blood flow after a massage. So, if someone has BFS, they can massage their feet to increase blood flow and circulation to the affected areas. This can aid in the treatment of a few BFS symptoms. According to one 2015 study, Thai foot massage improved diabetic neuropathy patients’ balance, foot range of motion, and foot feeling.
Conclusion
Several factors can contribute to Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome. Whatever the cause, a few simple home remedies for burning feet can ease pain and suffering. However, it is necessary to identify and address the underlying reason. The secret to relieving burning feet daily is self-care.
FAQs
Q. Is the Heat a Factor in Burning Feet?
Ans: No evidence exists that hot weather contributes to burning feet syndrome. It is mainly brought on by damage to the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy), which are located closer to the skin. This is found in several illnesses, including diabetes and the compression of nerves in tarsal tunnel syndrome, among others.
Q. Can Pregnancy Cause Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome?
Ans: Pregnant women may suffer hot feet due to hormonal changes that raise body temperature. Hot feet during pregnancy may also be brought on by a natural weight gain that puts more strain on the feet and a rise in total body fluid.
Q. If My Feet Are Burning, When Should I Visit a Doctor?
Ans: The type, symptoms, and severity of foot disorders might vary. If a foot ailment interferes with your daily activities or if home remedies don’t seem to be working, you should visit a doctor.
Q. What Kind of Doctor Can I Go to if My Feet are Burning?
Ans: Podiatrist. An expert in diagnosing and treating foot issues is known as a podiatrist. They can provide you with tips on how to look after your feet and relieve discomfort.
Q. Does Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome Fade Away?
Ans: Antifungal drugs can treat the fungus that causes the burning feet brought on by the athlete’s foot and reduce the symptoms of the ailment. Try over-the-counter medications first, such as miconazole (Micatin) or terbinafine (Lamisil AT).
Q. How Do I Monitor Foot Neuropathy?
Ans: Check your feet or have a loved one check you once or twice a day (use a mirror if necessary) if you suspect to have neuropathy at any time to evaluate the situation. You can also keep track of any unpleasant feelings you have while walking.
When you are not in pain, you could forget to examine your feet for any potential problems with them. Regular foot inspection and seeking medical assistance if you discover a little issue is crucial to preventive therapy.
Q. Can Menopause Cause Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome?
Ans: Hormonal changes brought on by menopause might result in hot feet and increased body temperature. Menopause usually occurs in older mid-aged women between 45 and 55.
Q. Can HIV/AIDS Cause Burning Feet?
Ans: Peripheral neuropathy and Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome are two signs of AIDS or late-stage HIV. One-third or less of HIV patients are thought to have nerve damage. Some AIDS drugs, particularly nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), also induce neuropathy, claims the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy.
