Burning and tingling sensations in the feet are called paresthesias. You experience these sensations because your nerves aren't processing signals properly. A paresthesia is caused by something interfering with the proper functioning of a nerve, either because the nerve is trapped, something is pressing against it or the nerve has been damaged through disease or injury. If you are experiencing burning and tingling in your feet, talk with your doctor or health care provider for a complete diagnostic evaluation.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy, also called diabetic peripheral neuropathy, is a medical condition which can damage the nerves of the feet. Diabetic neuropathy is a progressive disease which can often be minimized or prevented by tight glucose control. The greatest danger with diabetic neuropathy of the feet is losing sensation, which can allow serious injuries to go unnoticed; small injuries can become diabetic ulcers which can take years to heal or even lead to amputation. If you are a diabetic, ask your doctor how to check your feet for signs of injury or illness.
Inflammation
Inflammation can press on nerves in the feet, inhibiting their proper function. Inflammation can be acute, as in swollen feet at the end of a day of hiking, or chronic, as in swelling caused by arthritis or polyarteritis nodosa.
Trauma
Trauma can cause temporary or permanent injury to the nerves of the feet. Tingling in the foot can be an indication that you have a fracture in your foot or signs of another injury.
Diseases
There are a variety of diseases and conditions that can affect the nerves of the feet as well as elsewhere through the body. These include Fabry's disease (a rare systemic disease), Denny-Brown's syndrome (a rare, inherited disorder of the nervous system), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (an inherited nerve disorder), olivopontocerebellar atrophy (an inherited disease affecting the brain), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (an acquired immune disorder that damages the protective sheaths around nerves), porphyria (a disorder affecting blood formation), Buerger's disease (which causes swelling and clotting in small and medium blood vessels), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), systemic lupus erythematosus (a chronic autoimmune disease), Sjogren's syndrome (an autoimmune disorder affecting exocrine glands), multiple sclerosis (where the immune system attacks the central nervous system), Lyme disease (an infectious disease caused by ticks), leprosy (which affects peripheral nerves), polyneuritis (nerve inflammation), hypothyroidism (where the thyroid gland produces too few hormones), hypoparathyroidism (when the parathyroid glands produce too few hormones), vitamin B12 deficiency (a condition in which not enough of the vitamin is in diet or the body is unable to absorb it), vitamin B6 overdose (which can cause temporary loss of nerve sensation), heavy metal toxicity, malnutrition and alcoholism.
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