Burning legs and feet can result from a number of causes, including nerve damage in the legs from exposure to extreme heat or cold or to toxins. Burning legs can also be the result of a problem with circulation or blood flow to the legs, a leg injury or strenuous exercise. Another possible cause of burning legs is meralgia paresthetica, a condition that causes numbness, tingling and sometimes pain in the front and side of the thigh. Chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can also cause a burning sensation in the legs. Burning legs can also be caused by peripheral neuropathy, a condition in which the peripheral nerves that transmit signals between the body and the brain and spinal cord lose function. Peripheral neuropathy can result from a number of specific diseases and conditions, including alcoholism, diabetes and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

• Burning legs
• Symptoms of burning legs
• Alarm symptoms
• Causes of burning sensation in legs

• Nerve damage and/or skin injury
• Physical causes of burning legs
• Diseases or conditions
• Serious or life-threatening causes

• Burning arm and leg due to multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Blood vessels

• Peripheral arterial disease
• Deep vein thrombosis

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Electrolytic disturbance
• Back problems

• Sciatica
• Spinal stenosis
• Cauda equina syndrome

• Burning sensation in leg due to arthritis

• Arthrosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Vitamin deficiency

• Vitamin B6 deficiency
• Vitamin B12 deficiency

• Treatment of burning legs
• Complications of burning legs

 Burning lower leg / Source: Melodia plus photos/Shutterstock.com

Burning legs

Sore calves, burning legs, numbness in the feet, or pain and discomfort in the lower limbs is a common complaint that many people go to the doctor for. However, it is not always easy to determine the exact cause of these complaints.A burning sensation in the legs may be the only symptom you experience, but it may also be accompanied by other complaints such as tingling (paresthesia) and numbness or deafness. The duration and course of burning legs can vary greatly depending on the underlying condition. Burning legs caused by injury often have a sudden onset, while burning legs due to peripheral neuropathy develop slowly and persist or worsen over time.

Symptoms of burning legs

What other symptoms can occur with burning legs? Burning leg muscles may be accompanied by other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease or condition. Symptoms that may occur along with burning legs include the following:

• numbness
• tingling
• bleeding

excessive daytime sleepiness due to poor night’s sleep due to burning legs / Source: Istock.com/BartekSzewczyk

• blisters
• pain (sore legs)
• redness, warmth or swelling
• warm feeling in the legs or a warm glow
• pain in the groin or buttocks
• pain in the thigh or thigh
• sensitive to touch
• symptoms on one side of the body
• tingling or numbness in the thigh
• changes in feeling (altered sensation)
• difficulty walking
• excessive daytime sleepiness due to sleep deprivation
• extreme sensitivity to touch

Joint pain and burning sensation due to osteoarthritis of the knee / Source: Blausen.com staff, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0)

• foot problems, such as ulcers and bone and joint pain
• reduced coordination
• muscle weakness
• nerve pain
• sleep disorders
• tingling, numbness, or other unusual feelings in the legs

Alarm symptoms

Sudden burning legs accompanied by numbness or weakness on one side of the body may be a sign of a stroke. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience burning legs along with other serious symptoms, including:

• change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as fainting or (severely) reduced reaction time
• change in mental status, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
• incoherent or slurred speech or inability to speak

Blurred vision in combination with burning legs can indicate MS / Source: Martin Sulman

• paralysis or inability to move a body part
• sudden change in vision (for example double vision or blurred vision), vision loss or eye pain
• pounding headache

Causes of burning sensation in legs

Nerve damage and/or skin injury

Burning legs can be caused by nerve damage or skin injury in the legs and surrounding tissues. Burns from exposure to chemicals and extreme heat can lead to damage to the nerves in the skin, resulting in burning legs.Damage to the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy) can also cause a burning sensation in the legs. Peripheral neuropathy may be due to specific diseases or conditions, such as diabetes or alcoholism, that can damage the nerves, but it does not always have a known cause.

Physical causes of burning legs

Burning legs can be due to physical causes and factors including:

• burns, including sunburn

Sunburn can lead to a burning sensation / Source: Istock.com/mofles

• exposure to cold, including frostbite
• exposure to toxic or poisonous substances
• heavy sports exercise
• leg injury
• pressure on a nerve

Diseases or conditions

A number of diseases can cause burning legs, including:

• side effects of medication, especially chemotherapy
• alcoholic neuropathy (nerve damage associated with excessive alcohol consumption)
• cancer
• diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from high blood sugar levels in diabetes)
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (autoimmune nerve disorder)
• ischemia (reduced blood supply to organs or tissues, resulting in a shortage of oxygen and nutrients)
• meralgia paresthetica (condition causing numbness, tingling and sometimes pain in the front and side of the thigh)
• multiple sclerosis (a chronic disease of the central nervous system)
• claudication (peripheral arterial disease)
• rheumatoid arthritis (chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation)
• shingles (a local reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox at a young age)
• spinal stenosis (vertebral canal narrowing)
• systemic lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease that can affect your skin, joints and internal organs)
• vitamin deficiencies
• Lyme disease, a bacterial infection caused by a tick bite, which can lead to local complaints such as itching, a burning sensation (in the leg and foot) and pain

Serious or life-threatening causes

In some cases, burning legs can be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that needs immediate evaluation by a doctor. This concerns the following conditions:

• partial or complete occlusion of an artery (arterial thrombosis), vein (venous thrombosis) or a blood vessel in the heart (cardiac or cornary thrombosis), brain (cerebral thrombosis)

There can be three types of stroke / Source: Martin Sulman

• stroke
• TIA (transient ischemic attack or a temporary blockage of a blood vessel in the brain)

Burning arm and leg due to multiple sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms include eye problems (blurred vision); sensory problems in arms and legs, such as prickling, tingling, numbness; bladder problems; fatigue; burning sensation in arms and legs; and lower back pain.

Blood vessels

Peripheral arterial disease

Pain that occurs while walking or exercising can be the result of intermittent claudication, or reduced blood flow to the legs. Colloquially known as mannequin legs. This condition is usually a symptom of peripheral arterial disease, in which arteriosclerosis causes a narrowing of the arteries in the leg arteries. Smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and overweight/obesity are important risk factors for peripheral arterial disease.Complaints due to peripheral arterial disease usually occur when you are active. When you exercise, muscles need more blood. Insufficient blood supply causes pain, which is known as intermittent claudication. Once you stop moving, the pain usually goes away.

Deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, a blood clot in a deep vein that develops after prolonged periods of inactivity. DVT can also cause significant pain in the legs. Long plane flights or car rides make it difficult for the leg to return blood to the heart. If this process slows or stops, it can cause a clot in the vein. And if part of a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism, a serious and potentially fatal blockage of blood flow to the lungs. DVT usually occurs in only one leg, causing it to swell and take on a bluish tint. The pain develops gradually over a few hours.

Peripheral neuropathy

In some people, pain in the legs and feet (and sometimes arms and hands) can be the result of neuropathy: the malfunctioning of one or more nerves. Neuropathy can cause numbness, tingling and a feeling of heaviness. It usually starts in the feet and can cause a burning sensation in the legs. In some cases, you lose all feeling in your legs, putting you at increased risk for injury and infection.Neuropathy can be caused by many factors, including infection, toxins and the effects of alcoholism, but diabetes is the most common cause. About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes will develop peripheral neuropathy at some point. It can also affect people who have prediabetes and may not have other diabetic symptoms.

Electrolytic disturbance

Healthy muscle function depends on the nerves being supported by a balanced mix of electrolytes; minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium that have an electrical charge. Electrolytes send signals that support nerve, heart and muscle function, and also affect the amount of water in your body. But certain medications, dehydration and severe diarrhea, and kidney disease can alter and disrupt electrolyte balance. When electrolyte levels become too low, it can cause pain in the legs. For example, if there is too little sodium in the body, which attracts water to cells, cells may try to compensate for the lack of fluid, causing painful cramps.Diuretics or water pills prescribed to control blood pressure are the most common culprits because they can deplete the electrolytes in the blood. Potassium and calcium are necessary for muscle contraction. An imbalance in either or both can cause muscle cramps.Dehydration disrupts electrolyte balance and can cause cramps. Likewise, too much fluid intake can cause electrolytes to be washed away, leading to complaints.

Back problems

Sciatic Neuralgia / Source: Henry Vandyke Carter, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Sciatica

Sciatica, a painful inflammation or irritation of the sciatic nerve, is usually experienced on one side of the body and the pain can radiate from the lower back down your leg to your feet or even toes.

Spinal stenosis

Conditions that affect your back often lead to leg pain as well. Spinal stenosis, or spinal canal narrowing, is a condition in which the spinal canal gradually narrows, which puts pressure on the nerves. This condition usually affects people over the age of 50 and can be caused by arthritis, scoliosis, or spinal injuries. The irritated nerves can cause significant pain.

Cauda equina syndrome

If leg pain is accompanied by loss of bladder or bowel control or numbness near the anus or vagina, contact a doctor immediately. You may suffer from cauda equina syndrome, where a number of nerve roots in the cauda equina (the lower part of the spine) are compromised at the same time. Without immediate treatment, the spinal cord can become disabled and you can become permanently paralyzed.Stages of osteoarthritis in the knee / Source: Designua/Shutterstock.com

Burning sensation in leg due to arthritis

Arthrosis

There are many types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, reduces the quality of the cartilage in the joints, which can lead to cartilage loss, inflammation or pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by severe inflammation in the joints and also causes pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which joints become inflamed. Your hands, wrists, ankles and/or feet are painful, swollen and stiff, making it difficult to bend or stretch. Larger joints such as knees or elbows can also be inflamed and swollen. You may also experience burning sensations.

Vitamin deficiency

Vitamin B6 deficiency

A vitamin B6 deficiency can cause nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms include burning, stabbing, and tingling pain in your arms, legs, hands, and feet. Some describe it as a ‘pins and needles’ feeling. The nerve damage can also result in clumsiness, balance problems and difficulty walking.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

With long-term vitamin B12 deficiency, the nerves that connect the brain to the rest of the body suffer damage, resulting in a condition known as peripheral neuropathy. As these nerves become damaged, they can either stop functioning, resulting in a feeling of numbness, or malfunction causing them to send incorrect signals to the brain. This results in unusual sensations, such as burning or tingling sensations. These symptoms usually develop first in the longest nerves in the body, the nerves that lead to the feet and hands. Later you can also observe it in arms and legs.

Treatment of burning legs

The appropriate treatment for burning legs depends on the underlying cause. Diabetics may need to improve their blood glucose control to prevent diabetic neuropathy, while patients with arthritis may need medications or surgery. All treatments are aimed at long-term control of symptoms. In any case, take all leg and foot complaints seriously. Pain means that part of the body is not working properly.

Complications of burning legs

Because burning legs can be the result of serious illnesses, failure to consult a doctor in time can lead to serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause has been diagnosed, it is important to be adherent and follow the treatment plan outlined by the doctor to reduce the risk of possible complications, including:

• brain damage (if the burning sensation in the legs is due to a stroke)
• chronic pain or painful itching
• loss of limbs
• permanent or permanent nerve damage

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