“At night, it feels like my feet are on fire. Is this from diabetes?”

A burning sensation in your feet could be due to nerve damage from diabetes called peripheral neuropathy. About 50 percent of people with diabetes develop nerve damage, and peripheral neuropathy is the most common kind, affecting toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms.

What’s happening

Over time, the nerves of PWDs can become damaged and misfire, causing pain. Eventually those nerves die off, resulting in loss of feeling. You may notice your feet are numb yet hurt at the same time. Although dead nerves cause numbness, remaining damaged nerves cause pain.

High blood sugar is to blame for some of the nerve inflammation and damage. Risk factors for atherosclerosis (build up in arteries), such as smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, that cause blood vessel blockages, can make the nerve damage worse, too. The longer you’ve had diabetes, the more likely you’ll experience neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is the leading cause of diabetic foot sores.

Symptoms

Neuropathy typically shows us first in toes and feet. You may notice tingling (pins and needles), a burning sensation, or shooting pain. These discomforts typically come and go, seem worse at night, and affect one or both sides of the body.

Over time, you may lose all sensation, such as to touch, heat, cold, and pain. Some people have nerve damage but don’t notice any symptoms.

Identify and treat

Your doc can do simple tests, such as testing ankle reflexes and ability to sense vibrations and hot and cold objects.

There aren’t any meds that can prevent or reverse neuropathy, though exercise improves blood flow to the feet and hands. Smoking and alcohol abuse up the risk of diabetic neuropathy and infected sores. Prescription drugs, such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and pregabalin (Lyrica), can help reduce – but not eliminate – pain.

Preventive Tips
  • Keep blood sugar as close to normal as possible.
  • Attain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
  • Keep normal blood pressure.
  • Always wear shoes or slippers.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Maintain healthy weight.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Check feet daily.