According to the Foot Health Facts website, tingling in the feet usually indicates a problem with the nerves that supply the foot tissues. Nerve compression or chemical irritation of foot-related nerves can cause a tingling sensation in one or both feet. Tingling sensations in the foot are often accompanied by burning sensations or numbness, depending on the condition causing the abnormal sensations.
Diabetic Neuropathy
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, or NIDDK, diabetic neuropathies are a collection of nerve disorders caused by diabetes. Over time, a person with diabetes can develop nerve damage throughout the body. Commonly affected parts of the body include the hands, arms, feet and legs. Common signs and symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathies include a tingling or burning sensation in the affected areas, numbness or an inability to sense temperature in the feet and toes, a sharp, jabbing pain that is usually worse at night, pain with walking, muscle weakness and foot ulcers, infections and deformities. MayoClinic.com states that certain risk factors may increase the likelihood of developing diabetic neuropathies, including poor blood sugar control, having diabetes for many years, kidney disease and smoking.
Alcoholic Neuropathy
The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, states that alcoholic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Although the exact cause of alcoholic neuropathy is debated, it may be caused by both a direct poisoning of nerves by alcohol and the malnutrition that is usually associated with alcoholism. Risk factors for alcoholic neuropathy include long-term alcohol abuse and at least a 10-year history of alcoholism. Common signs and symptoms associated with alcoholic neuropathy include numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, legs and feet, muscle weakness, muscle cramps or aches, heat intolerance, impotence in men, urinary system problems, nausea, vomiting and speech impairment. According to the UMMC, avoiding or minimizing alcohol use is the best way to prevent alcoholic neuropathy.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome can cause tingling in one or both feet. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, tarsal tunnel syndrome involves entrapment or compression of the posterior tibial nerve, which supplies a portion of the foot. Tarsal tunnel syndrome is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a wrist condition. Both disorders manifest when a nerve passing through a narrow space is compressed. Anything that compresses the posterior tibial nerve can cause tarsal tunnel syndrome, including varicose veins, a ganglion cyst, a swollen tendon or a bone spur. Ankle sprains and other ankle injuries that cause swelling and inflammation can also cause tarsal tunnel syndrome. Common signs and symptoms associated with tarsal tunnel syndrome include tingling in the sole of the foot, pain that radiates into the foot's arch, foot pain that is worse when running and standing for prolonged periods and tenderness in the affected area.
