Also known as burning feet, hot feet at night can be a painful and very severe condition in some patients resulting in sleepless nights. The condition can occur due to varied causes ranging from mild and local to serious health problems. In most cases, hot feet at night can be treated with pain killers, medications, and home remedies.
Symptoms
Some of the signs and symptoms that may accompany hot feet at night are listed below:
- Stinging, severe ache, and burning sensations that affect the feet. This pain persists all through the day, but typically intensifies at night.
- The feet may experience sudden redness
- Women are more prone to suffering from hot feet at night than men. It is also more common in people older than 50 years but can also affect younger people.
- The pain and burning may only cause minor irritation and discomfort in some patients while it can be very intense in others. Mild pain normally does not affect the daily routine or the patient’s quality of life.
- Those with severe instances of hot feet at night may experience swelling, sweating, and inflammation of the feet. The area may also be hot to touch.
- In most cases, the burning sensations are restricted to the soles. Sometimes it may move on to the ankles and lower legs.
- Rarely, patients may experience a pins and needles pricking sensation in the body’s lower extremities
Hot Feet at Night – Causes
Some of the common causes of hot feet at night are listed below:
- It is a common issue in diabetic people as the disease tends to cause peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage.
- People with sweaty and hot feet may experience increased burning sensations and itchiness. Localized or mild instances of hot feet at night may sometimes occur due to foot dampness caused by retention of sweat in woolen or cotton socks.
- Mechanical overload on feet can cause aches and hot burning sensations of feet. This may especially be common in people whose work requires standing all day or in obese people who have to lug around their excess body weight.
- A medical condition called burning foot syndrome or Erythromelalgia is marked by intense aching and hot sensations. The condition is caused due to thiamine deficits or problems of the nervous and circulatory systems.
- Fungal infections of the feet can result in local burning sensations and hot feet at night. For example, Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that affects the feet, especially the moist part between the toes. It also caused symptoms like skin redness and inflammation, itchiness, and stinging sensations.
- Any trauma that triggers the development of reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Hypothyroidism is often marked by hot feet at night as well as cardiac conditions, joint aches, obesity, and burning sensations in feet.
- Arthritic patients with peripheral nerve entrapment or tarsal tunnel syndrome are at increased risk to suffering from hot feet at night.
- Allergic reactions or increased sensitivity to the fabric of socks or the dyes or chemicals used in leather shoes can cause burning feet
- Gastric bypass surgery can reduce the capacity to absorb nutrients and calories from eaten food. This can cause bone problems and weakening of muscles, thereby triggering hot feet at night.
- Heavy metal poisoning, blood diseases, and/or chronic alcohol abuse
Treatment of hot feet at night
Different treatment options for hot feet at night are listed below:
- Let the feet soak in cold water for some time to alleviate burning sensation. It is important to avoid exposing the feet to heat as that will worsen the issue.
- Instead of leather footwear, wear comfortable open mesh shoes with proper arch support. This will reduce the effect of increased workload on the feet. Magnetic therapy insoles may help ease the discomfort and pain. Using cotton socks and/or changing socks mid-way through the day can help the feet breathe as well as prevent excessive perspiration. Patients also need to avoid standing for long periods of time.
- Remedy for diabetic neuropathy includes control and management of blood glucose levels and diabetes with proper diet, healthy lifestyle, and medications.
- Hot feet at night caused by vitamin deficiencies can be corrected by intake of foods abundant in vitamin B. Patients can also go for vitamin supplements.
- Certain kinds of cooling ointments can help in temporary reduction of burning feet sensations.
- Massaging and regular exercise of the feet can enhance the blood circulation in the legs which in turn can alleviate pain and other symptoms.
- Patients with Athlete’s foot need to visit a doctor for antifungal powders and other medications to treat the fungal infection. Washing and drying the feet and keeping it clean will help prevent the disease.
- People addicted to alcohol may seek medical help, assistance of self-help groups, counseling, etc. to overcome chronic alcoholism.
Severe, chronic, or persistent cases of hot feet at night needs to be checked by a doctor for diagnosis and relevant drug therapy.
