Why Do Your Feet Always Feel Hot?
Posted on: 2 December 2016
When it's 90 degrees outside, and you're wearing boots or sneakers, and your feet feel hot, that's one thing. When it's 65 degrees in your house, and you're lounging around in socks, and your feet are still hot and perhaps sweaty—that's quite another thing. Perpetually hot feet can be a sign of a number of medical conditions, including the following.
Nerve Damage
One likely explanation is that the nerves in your feet have become damaged. As a result, they are sending mixed, incorrect signals to your brain. The nerves may be telling your brain that your feet are hot even when the temperature is perfectly fine. Usually, when the symptoms are attributed to nerve damage, the heat will feel almost like a burning sensation, sometimes accompanied by some tingling.
Nerve damage is usually brought on by another underlying condition—most commonly diabetes, hypothyroidism, or Lyme disease. Your doctor will likely start by conducting some tests on your feet to confirm that nerve damage is to blame, and then he or she may run some more specific blood tests and screenings to see what disease may ultimately be to blame.
If you already know you have an ongoing condition like diabetes or hypothyroidism, the burning sensation in your feet may be an indication that your condition is not being properly managed. Your doctor may suggest taking new medications or altering your dose to get your symptoms under better control.
Athlete's Foot
Look closely at the skin on your feet. Are there little blisters, lesions, or areas where the skin appears to be red and inflamed? If so, chances are good that you have athlete's foot, a fungal infection that can cause itching, soreness, and hot feet. This is really good news since athlete's foot is a lot easier to treat than the other ailments on this list. Apply a foot antifungal cream from your drugstore and go without shoes for as long as possible to let your feet "breathe." If the symptoms don't improve in a week or so, see a podiatrist. He or she can prescribe a more powerful antifungal medication to help fight the infection.
Peripheral Artery Disease
This is a condition in which circulation in the extremities becomes limited due to the buildup of plaque in arteries that carry blood to the tissues in the feet and hands. Usually when PAD is to blame, your feet will feel hottest when you're standing. Other symptoms of PAD include:
- Pain or numbness in the feet or hands
- Shiny skin on the legs and feet
- Loss of hair from your legs and feet
- Poor wound healing
If you are diagnosed with PAD, your doctor will recommend treatments like cholesterol-lowering medications, a healthy diet, and plenty of exercise to help improve your circulation.
Don't ignore feet that are always feeling hot! See a podiatrist, such as one from Mid Nebraska Foot Clinic, promptly for diagnosis and treatment.
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