Burning feet is a condition where the feet feel as if they are on fire or exceptionally warm. The sensation of burning feet only occurs when the nerves of the body are affected by something that irritates them. Burning sensations, hot sensations, cold sensations and the feeling of ants crawling are symptoms that occur when the nerves are disrupted. Cause There are several causes of burning feet: • Athlete’s foot, where the fungus causes the burning sensation • Chemotherapy, which alters the peripheral nerves and causes the burning feeling • Vitamin B12 deficiency • Alcoholism • Diabetic neuropathy • AIDS/HIV Treatment and Prevention The longer you wait for the cause of the burning feet to be diagnosed, the more you risk developing potential problems with the disorder. For example, if the cause is a vitamin B12 deficiency, the burning feet is a symptom that indicates nerve damage is occurring. If vitamin B12 deficiency continues, there can be irreversible changes in the nerves. The burning feet that occurs with alcoholism is the result of a vitamin B1 deficiency. Athlete’s foot is best treated with topical ointments and sometimes the addition of systemic antibiotics that are antifungals. While your Athlete’s foot is clearing up – which takes time – it may help to place orthotic inserts inside your shoes. These can act to cool down the foot, if they are made in a certain way with specific types of material for this purpose.
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