My Feet! What Is That Burning Sensation?

That burning sensation

“What do my feet burn?” That’s a pretty common question in my practice. The answer is usually Diabetic Neuropathy, (also called polyneuropathy, or peripheral neuropathy). That still doesn’t really explain the burning sensation though.

And it doesn’t answer the underlying questions, like “Why do I have Diabetic Neuropathy?” – especially in people who haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes. So do you want the REAL answer? Okay, here we go.

Small fiber nerves (categorized as C fibers) are small peripheral nerve fibers found in skin and organs. These little guys send transmissions to the brain telling you about heat, cold, vibration, light touch, and pain. That is when they are working well. If they become sick and damaged then all bets are off. They will send exaggerated signals, or reduced signals, and the way the brain interprets them is how you feel.

How your feet feel

People with diabetic neuropathy report crazy sensations. They have numb, tingling, burning, freezing, electric shocks, feeling like socks are bunched up, and loss of balance (especially in the dark)

All of these symptoms are caused by the damage to the nerves, messing with the signals they send, which jumbles what your brain thinks is going on. This is bad news, and there is no known cure for peripheral neuropathy. When patients arrive in my office they have often been told that “It’s progressive.” And you need to “adapt your life” to get used to this problem.

Sure, there are some drugs that can help for a short time, like Gabapentin, or even Lyrica. But as the condition worsens, they stop working.

The picture is pretty bleak. One might almost think there’s no hope.

The Real Why

The real reason you have the neuropathy and burning sensation isn’t that you are diseased, and sick, and can’t do anything about it. Granted, it’s not your fault – but there is a lot you can do to get those little nerves happier and healthier. That’s what I’ve been helping people do in my practice for the past 5 years, and you can do it too. It’s simple, but it’s going to take some work.

People with small fiber neuropathy typically wound up there because of:

1. Diabetes (or poor blood sugar control)

Having blood sugar that runs high is toxic to the small fiber nerves (among other tissues) and is the primary cause among diabetics. Having poorly controlled blood sugar leads you straight down the neuropathy road. If you are diabetic, you need to get tight control over your blood sugar, or your neuropathy will continually get worse.

2. Smoking – smoking reduces blood flow (everywhere guys, so take note). This causes the small nerves to die off due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. Your burning sensation will worsen if you don’t stop smoking now.

3. Pharmaceutical drugs – Many drugs have been shown to damage nerves – Blood pressure medications, Chemotherapy, and especially Statin (cholesterol) drugs. The longer you are on these drugs, the more damage they can do.

4. Nutritional deficiencies – Lacking B12 can be a direct cause of neuropathy. Getting it back into your diet, or taking a supplement will quickly get those nerves healing. Neuropathic pain has been shown to rapidly improve with Vitamin D supplementation. Lacking omega 3 can lead to many issues, including nerve problems.

The Road Back

Okay, so you’ve got the numb, tingly, burning sensations. You have neuropathy. You’ve been told there’s nothing you can do, except get worse. Where do you go now?

First, know there is hope. A lot of hope. In my practice, 98% of my patients improve, sometimes significantly. It takes some work, but you can do it too. How?

Download a copy of my 3 neuropathy tips. That will get you started on the path, and coming soon is an entire course on how to reverse your neuropathy.

As I mention in my eBook, and in the words of Captain Peter Quincy Taggart from Galaxy Quest – “Never give up, never surrender!”