Burning feet: causes, neuropathy and what to do
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Short answer
Mayo Clinic says burning feet are most often a sign of nerve damage, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes is the leading cause. Other causes include vitamin deficiencies, alcohol use, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, athlete's foot, tarsal tunnel syndrome and, less often, Morton's neuroma or tight shoes. Burning that lasts, spreads or comes with numbness deserves a doctor's visit; undiagnosed diabetes can cause lasting nerve damage.
Common causes
Mayo Clinic lists: diabetic neuropathy, alcohol use disorder, athlete's foot, chemotherapy, chronic kidney disease, complex regional pain syndrome, hypothyroidism, tarsal tunnel syndrome, vitamin-deficiency anemia, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and HIV/AIDS. Cleveland Clinic adds Morton's neuroma, poorly fitting shoes and contact dermatitis from shoe materials.
If you have numb or burning feet: daily care
- Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, redness or swelling; use a mirror if needed (NIDDK).
- Always wear shoes and socks, including indoors; choose well-fitting, seam-free options and check inside shoes for debris.
- Avoid heating pads and hot water bottles on numb feet; you may not feel a burn (NIDDK). Heat from a foot massager could carry the same risk, so keep heat off or ask your doctor.
Illustration Deep, seam-free shoe (women's)
Orthofeet Coral Women's Sneaker
A deep, soft-sided sneaker built for feet that can't tolerate pressure points. The extra depth leaves room for thicker or prescribed inserts.
- Extra depth
- Removable 1/4" orthotic insole
- Stretch knit upper
- Widths up to 4E (select)
- Seam-free interior
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Illustration Deep, seam-free shoe (men's)
Orthofeet Edgewater Stretch Men's Sneaker
The men's counterpart: extra depth, removable insoles and spacers to fine-tune volume, and a stretch upper that doesn't press on bunions or hammer toes.
- Extra depth
- Removable insoles + spacers
- Stretch upper
- Widths D to 6E
See today's priceAmazon prices change often Check price at Amazon
More: best shoes for neuropathy and foot massagers for neuropathy.
Medicare and diabetic shoes
Medicare Part B covers one pair of therapeutic shoes (custom-molded or extra-depth) plus inserts per year for people with diabetes and severe diabetic foot disease, when the treating doctor certifies the need and a podiatrist or qualified doctor orders them. You get them from a Medicare-enrolled supplier and pay 20% after the Part B deductible (if the supplier accepts assignment). Neuropathy alone doesn't automatically qualify, and comfort shoes bought on your own don't count.
- Burning starts suddenly, or there's an infected wound, especially with diabetes (emergency care).
- It lasts beyond several weeks of self-care, gets stronger, spreads up the legs, or comes with numbness (Mayo).
- You have a cut or blister that isn't healing after a few days (NIDDK).