Why do the thighs of the legs burn

The ankle joint is a movable connection of three bones and has a complex structure. When your ankle hurts, you have to give up sports, dress shoes and other usual things. Is it any wonder that you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible? You can find out the causes and undergo treatment for pain in the ankle joint at the CELT Pain Clinic. We have everything we need to diagnose the condition that is causing you ankle pain and focus our efforts on eliminating it!

Causal factors that can cause burning in the legs

There are several reasons that can cause burning sensations in the lower extremities. They are classified into:

External, they are also called external.
Internal.

The first factors include uncomfortable, constricting shoes; hosiery and trousers are not made of natural, but synthetic material; a specialty that involves being on your feet all the time.

Internal factors include:

Hormonal imbalance.
Blood sugar is higher than normal.
Avitaminosis. Particular attention is paid to the lack of B vitamins.
Pathology of the vascular system.
Pathology caused by impaired innervation (impaired nerve function). This is usually associated with previous injuries that affect the brain. This leads to impaired passage of nerve impulses.
Lesions of the skin on the legs caused by fungal microcells.

Hot flashes during menopause

The resulting feeling of heat, covering the face, neck, chest and accompanied by sweating, a feeling of shortness of breath, and often dizziness, is a common symptom of menopause. This rolling sensation of heat is called hot flashes. Hot flashes during menopause are associated with a violation of the general thermoregulation of the body caused by hormonal changes.

Unfortunately, it is rare that a woman does not experience hot flashes during menopause. However, the frequency of hot flashes can be reduced several times if you adhere to fairly simple rules: avoid overheating, do not wear excessively warm clothes, refrain from hot food and foods that increase the metabolic rate, such as tea, pepper, coffee, energy-based caffeine

Etiology

In addition, the cause of burning legs can be the following etiological factors that cannot be considered as separate diseases:

allergic reaction;
mechanical damage to the skin of the legs;
long-term physical, static loads;
wearing shoes that are uncomfortable, ill-fitting, or made of poor quality material;
stress, frequent nervous tension.

Also, a burning sensation in the legs can be felt during pregnancy, which is a natural reaction of the body to physiological changes in the body. In any case, you need to understand that only a doctor can determine why such a symptom occurs and prescribe the correct treatment.

What pathological processes are indicated by burning sensations in the legs?

A burning sensation can be diagnosed:

For diabetes mellitus.
For varicose veins of the lower extremities.
For fungal infections of the feet.
For prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate gland.
For diseases of the spinal column - osteochondrosis.
For vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD).
With neurosis.
With hereditary predisposition.
During pregnancy.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by the symptom of diabetic neuropathy, which occurs due to damage to the vessels of the capillary network. Their defeat leads to the fact that the nerve endings begin to have poor blood supply. As a result, the patient experiences a feeling of crawling, tingling and burning sensations in the legs. If you press on your toes, pain reflexively occurs, spreading from the foot and above.

With varicose veins, in addition to burning, there are other symptoms: swelling of the lower extremities, which manifests itself towards the end of the day, spider veins, muscle cramps, which often appear at night. Either pain or a feeling of fullness appears in the calves of the legs.

If a fungus appears, then the clinical picture has the following characteristics:

A burning and itching sensation appears at the site of the fungus.
Symptoms are present throughout the day.
The disease does not go away on its own. If antifungal therapy is not started in a timely manner, the clinical picture becomes clearer.

For prostatitis

If a man has a history of prostatitis, then the following manifestations are possible:

Aching pain appears in the projection of the inner thigh. In this case, patients report a feeling of squeezing of blood vessels.
There is a burning sensation and shooting sensations in the legs below the knee, as if they were burning with fire.
The pain symptom is not always present. It appears spontaneously and goes away on its own.

For osteochondrosis

The disease osteochondrosis is characterized by pain in the lumbar region, gradually the pain begins to spread towards the hips and calf muscles. Usually only one of the lower extremities is involved in the pathological process. In addition to pain, there is lameness, muscle cramps, weakness in the legs and numbness in the lower half of the body. During movement, tingling and burning sensations appear above the knee.

VSD is characterized by burning sensations of different localization (in the legs, torso, upper extremities, legs), but most often it is observed in the legs. With this disease, patients note increased weakness, fatigue, and problems sleeping. They are thrown either hot or cold. The sweat glands work more actively than usual, which leads to increased sweating. Hands and feet with VSD are always cold.

Neurosis

With neurosis, pain most often appears in the joints of the lower extremities. Such patients step on their feet with caution, because there is a feeling of paralysis of the legs. Their gait is uncertain and shaky. They cannot walk or even stand for a long time. Symptoms usually appear in the tissue below the knee and are characterized by numbness, squeezing and a stinging sensation as if stung by nettles.

In pregnant women

During pregnancy, not everyone experiences a burning sensation in their legs. This is usually a manifestation of gestosis (complication) in late pregnancy. Because the disease is characterized by severe swelling and increased pressure, compression of blood vessels occurs and deterioration of blood supply to the tissues of the lower extremities. This leads to pain and burning.

A burning sensation, tingling sensation in the thigh, accompanied by pain and numbness, may indicate diseases of the musculoskeletal system, impaired innervation and circulation of the lower extremities, inflammation of the tendons, as well as the development of systemic endocrine diseases. Among the main causes of burning in the thigh area are arthrosis of the hip joint, neuropathy of the femoral nerves, trochanteritis, piriformis syndrome and diabetes mellitus.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint, or coxarthrosis, is a slowly progressive disease accompanied by degenerative changes in the tissues of the joint. The disease develops most often in older people. Women during menopause are more susceptible to coxarthrosis than men.

The causes of the development of the disease may be hereditary predisposition, trauma, endocrine disorders in the body. Often coxarthrosis develops as a complication of another joint disease, both inflammatory and non-inflammatory. The disease can affect either one or both joints.

One of the symptoms of the disease, in addition to stiffness, limitation, pain in the area of the affected joint, may be a burning sensation that spreads to the lateral and front surface of the thigh, as well as radiating to the groin and buttocks. The burning sensation and pain intensify when walking or trying to sit or get up from a chair.

Damage to the hip joint of various etiologies leads to disruption of the conduction of nerve impulses. One of the most common causes of the development of neuropathy can be considered injuries and lesions, accompanied by compression of the nerve, as well as the formation of hematomas in the retroperitoneal region. Less commonly, the causes of neuropathy are neoplasms, circulatory disorders and complications after surgical interventions.

Trochanteritis

Older people are susceptible to inflammation of the hip tendons, especially women during menopause, when the muscles and ligaments weaken. Trochanteritis can also be caused by injury, infection, excessive physical activity, obesity and poor posture. Inflammation is accompanied by a burning sensation in the muscles of the affected leg, which spreads mainly to the outer surface of the thigh. The burning sensation and pain intensify when walking, as well as when lying on your side.

Compression-ischemic tunnel neuropathy causes compression of the trunk of the sciatic nerve and surrounding vessels in the infrapiriform space. Persistent pathological contraction of the piriformis muscle causes its thickening in the central part, which blocks the infrapiriformis hole in the pelvic bone.

The causes of the syndrome may be

excessive physical activity,
prolonged stay in an unphysiological position,
injuries,
diseases of the musculoskeletal system,
inflammatory and infectious diseases of the pelvic organs.

With piriformis syndrome, pain and burning are intense and spread to the back of the leg all the way to the foot. The patient may also feel a burning sensation on the inside of the thigh, in the sacrum and buttocks.

Disturbances in the blood supply to tissues in the thigh area of various etiologies can cause a burning sensation, numbness, and tingling in the thigh area. A burning sensation in the legs and, in particular, in the thigh, can occur both when the walls of blood vessels are weakened, and when there is a pathological narrowing of their lumen. With vascular ischemia, venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis, burning is accompanied by numbness, dryness and pallor of the skin, cramps, a feeling of heaviness and pain when walking.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease of the endocrine system, accompanied by many life-threatening complications. One of these complications is diabetic polyneuropathy. Systemic endocrine disorders in the body lead to dysfunction of peripheral nerves, which is expressed, among other things, in loss of sensitivity, burning sensation, itching, numbness, tingling.

When the thigh muscle ruptures, a large hematoma forms

A burning sensation in the thigh can be a consequence of muscle tissue injury received during sports or other physical activity. In this case, a burning sensation will be accompanied by sharp pain in the affected limb, swelling and redness of the skin. When a tear occurs, the integrity of the muscle tissue is compromised. In addition to pain and burning, such injuries may be accompanied by:

the formation of extensive hematomas in the affected area,
pathological mobility of the limb, accompanied by crunching and clicking,
inability to put weight on the injured leg

Methods of treating an unpleasant symptom

After identifying the causes of foot burning, treatment should begin.

Most often, if an unpleasant symptom occurs, it is recommended to avoid using warm and hot baths. To alleviate the condition, it is recommended to use a contrast shower. For this purpose, limbs should be immersed alternately in warm and cold water.

Measures taken to get rid of unpleasant symptoms and discomfort completely depend on the triggering reasons.

For treatment, the use of a variety of physical procedures is recommended. Such procedures are good to use if discomfort is caused by increased physical activity or general fatigue.

In addition to the contrast shower, you can use:

Rest with elevated lower limbs.
Massage.
Alternate flexion and extension of the fingers.
Massage using a special mat or sea pebbles.
Cooling with cool baths.
Conducting magnetic therapy and electrophoresis sessions on the surface of the feet.

If illnesses that provoke the formation of an unpleasant feeling are identified, attention should be paid to treating the root cause.

For this purpose, both classical conservative remedies and drugs prepared according to recipes of traditional and alternative medicine can be used.

Use of drug treatment

If an allergy is identified as the cause of the unpleasant feeling and pain, it is recommended to eliminate the effect of the allergen. And if severe itching occurs, antiallergic ointments or creams should be used.

Such drugs are Elokom and Advantan.

If the cause of discomfort is the development of varicose veins, you should first use medications that normalize the processes of venous circulation in the extremities.

The most commonly used medications for this purpose are those belonging to the group of venotonics. Such means are:

Venitan,
Antistax,
Phlebodia,
Detralex,
Fastum Gel,
Lyoton.

In addition, multivitamin complexes should be used to normalize the body’s condition.

If a burning symptom of a fungal infection is identified as the cause, the first step is to thoroughly disinfect the shoes and objects used to destroy the pathogenic flora.

To get rid of mycosis, you can use a variety of antimycotic agents in the form of ointments, mash, creams and solutions. Such local treatments should be used in the initial stages of progression of the infectious process. The most popular topical medications are Lamisil cream, Nizoral and some others.

If mycosis is detected in an advanced stage, oral antifungal drugs are required. For this purpose you can use:

Itraconazole
Lamisil spray.
Nystatin.
Fluconazole.

All drugs used in the treatment of fungal pathology have a whole list of contraindications and side effects, and are also toxic to the body, so before using these drugs it is recommended to visit your doctor and consult on the use of drugs and their dosages.

If the cause of discomfort is diabetes mellitus, then treatment should primarily be aimed at maintaining the required blood sugar level; for this purpose, a variety of hypoglycemic agents and injections of insulin-containing drugs are used.

If obliterating endarteritis is detected, treatment should be aimed at relieving vascular spasms. For this purpose, medications are taken to strengthen the walls of the vascular system; in addition, the use of blood thinning medications is recommended. Additionally, doctors recommend taking multivitamin complexes containing vitamins B, C, E, PP. In addition, antiallergic medications should be used.

Use of traditional medicine

Folk remedies for discomfort include various baths, applications with blue clay, a drink made from horse chestnut, alcohol compresses, lotions using lemon and some others.

To prepare a herbal bath, you need to prepare a collection containing a complex of herbs.

The collection contains antifungal herbs:

sagebrush,
hop,
pharmaceutical camomile,
marigold

All components are used in equal shares. For the bath you will need two tablespoons of the collection, pour a liter of boiling water and leave. After the infusion has cooled to room temperature, the limbs are lowered into it for 30 minutes.

Applications from blue clay are made for two hours. During the soaking period with applied blue clay, the limbs should be placed in a plastic bag. After washing off the composition, the skin should be moisturized with a special moisturizer. It is recommended to carry out the procedures once every three days.

A horse chestnut drink is a great help in case of burning sensation as a result of impaired circulatory processes. To prepare it, you will need to pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture with boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. The decoction should be taken throughout the day in equal portions.

To prepare an alcohol compress, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to 100 ml of alcohol, and rub the resulting mixture.

An excellent folk remedy is lemon lotion. To use it, simply rub the zest or juice on your feet and after a while take a cool bath.

Symptoms

In this case, there is no generally accepted clinical picture, since this is only a sign of a nonspecific nature, and not an independent pathological process. Symptoms will be characterized depending on the underlying factor.

A burning sensation in the legs with varicose veins will be accompanied by the following clinical picture:

burning of the legs may be replaced by a feeling of warmth;
pain, swelling in the legs at the end of the day;
heaviness;
dilated veins, which is especially clearly visible after prolonged physical activity;
night cramps in the legs;
the skin in the lower leg area takes on a blue tint, and lumps may appear.

Symptoms of varicose veins

As the pathological process becomes more complicated, a burning sensation is present almost constantly, and the clinical picture is supplemented by the following signs:

symptoms of skin nutritional disorders;
formation of trophic ulcers;
it becomes difficult for a person to move.

If this disease is not treated in a timely manner, then gangrene begins, that is, an irreversible pathological process.

As with varicose veins of the lower extremities, as the severity of the disease worsens, the symptoms will become more pronounced, even at rest. It should also be noted that the acute form of this pathological process can quickly turn into a gangrenous form, which leads to complete loss of a limb and associated complications.

With obliterating endarteritis, a burning sensation in the legs will be accompanied by the following symptoms:

feeling of coldness and “pins and needles” in the legs;
swelling of the limbs;
increased fatigue, even with minor physical exertion;
pale skin;
the formation of ulcers, and subsequently necrosis, which is an irreversible pathological process;
weakening of the pulse in the lower extremities.

It should be noted that in the last stages of the development of the disease, the pulse in the legs is practically not palpable. Treatment should be started immediately.

Periodic burning in the lower extremities can be caused by polyneuropathy, which is characterized by the following clinical picture:

feeling of weakness in the muscles of the legs, sometimes arms;
change in gait - it becomes shaky, unsure;
swelling of the lower extremities;
tremor;
the burning sensation may be replaced by cold;
redness or bluishness of the skin;
decreased sensitivity reflexes;
gastrointestinal tract disorders are possible;
exacerbation of existing chronic diseases.

A complication of such a pathological process in the legs can be a complete loss of the ability to move independently, and death is no exception.

Symptoms of diabetes

In some cases, this clinical picture is complemented by deterioration of vision and increased tearfulness.

With this disease, a burning sensation in the legs is felt periodically, since the disease itself is symptomatic.

It should be noted that this symptom is often one of the signs of the clinical picture of a disease such as gout. In such cases, the following clinical picture may occur:

pain in the metatarsophalangeal joint;
the skin in the affected area becomes red and swelling may occur;
the burning sensation may spread to the entire leg;
increased fatigue, even with minor static physical activity;
increased body temperature, which is accompanied by fever and chills;
signs of general intoxication of the body.

In case of systemic diseases, the clinical picture can be characterized as follows:

elevated or high body temperature for no apparent reason;
rashes randomly throughout the body (the nature and intensity of the rashes will depend on the identified root cause);
disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system;
sudden mood swings, possible attacks of aggression;
general deterioration of health;
weight loss or, on the contrary, a sharp increase in weight;
disorders in the musculoskeletal system;
local temperature increase.

You need to understand that a similar clinical picture can manifest itself in any other pathological process, so you should consult a doctor and not self-medicate.

If the cause of burning in the lower extremities is a bacterial infection in the body, then the clinical picture will be characterized by symptoms of general intoxication of the body, possible dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract and skin rashes.

With a fungal infection, this symptom will be accompanied by the following additional signs:

brittleness of nails, formation of dark spots on their surface;
spots on the skin that may itch and peel. As the pathological process develops, bubbles with liquid may form at the site of the spots, which burst and form crusts;
unpleasant odor from feet;
cracking of the skin in the area of the feet;
Possible subfebrile body temperature.

It is not rational to treat a fungal disease only with local remedies, as this is fraught with the development of serious complications.

If the manifestation of this symptom is not caused by a pathological process, but is a consequence of external negative factors, then only the manifestation of swelling of the legs and redness of the skin is possible. If this is an allergic reaction, the skin may itch and peel.

In any case, regardless of what clinical picture occurs, you should contact a qualified medical specialist and not self-medicate.

Main provoking factors

The most common factor that causes feet to burn is the use of new and unworn shoes.

If the discomfort is not caused by the use of shoes, then this may be a cause for concern, since most often in such a situation the symptom is associated with the development of diseases in the human body.

Discomfort at the end of the day may be due to high workload during the work day. This situation occurs when blood vessels narrow. The unpleasant symptom disappears quickly enough with rest.

Burning feet at night can be a signal that serious pathologies may be progressing in the body.

Impact of systemic pathologies

If burning feet are not an isolated symptom, then this may indicate the presence of systemic diseases.

One of these pathologies is an allergy to the action of irritants, and discomfort occurs as a local reaction.

Allergies develop to components used in the manufacture of insoles and shoes.

In addition, an allergy in the form of burning heels can appear under the influence of the foot deodorant used, compositions intended for hair removal, milk for nourishing the skin and some other products.

The following disorders can act as systemic pathologies that can provoke an unpleasant feeling:

endarteritis,
varicose veins,
mycosis,
diabetes,
vegetative-vascular dystonia,

Endarteritis is a disease associated with malfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. It can be provoked by stressful situations, psychological and infectious processes.

This disease is accompanied by a failure in the processes that ensure blood circulation. Such disruptions lead to numbness, swelling of soft tissues, burning and tingling. Additionally, periodic pain and redness occur.

When varicose veins occur, the following additional symptoms are observed:

Muscle cramps.
Burning in calves.
Development of swelling of the soft tissues of the extremities
Fatigue and some others.

In the case of diabetes development, discomfort is one of the earliest signs of pathology. This symptom is caused by elevated sugar levels that damage the capillary network.

If vegetative-vascular dystonia is detected, burning is caused by disruptions in the functioning of the central nervous system, provoked by various reasons. Factors contributing to pathology may include:

fatigue,
frequent lack of sleep,
the effect of stress on the body,
presence of bad habits,
excessive consumption of tonic drinks,
hereditary predisposition,
development of physical inactivity,
pathologies in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels,
disruptions in the functioning of the body's endocrine system.

In the presence of vegetative-vascular dystonia, the patient is able to feel temperature fluctuations of the skin simultaneously with bouts of burning; they can alternately become hot and cold.

The influence of fungal pathology

Fungal infection is one of the common causes of burning feet.

Fungi are almost constantly found on the surface of the sole; these microorganisms are opportunistic. If, due to the action of some negative factors, the protective function of the skin is weakened, rapid growth and development of microflora is observed, which leads to a pathological condition.

Despite the huge number of representatives of pathogenic fungi, the manifestations of fungal infection are almost always similar.

The progression of the infectious process begins from the interdigital space. In this area, peeling of the skin, redness and itching are observed. With further development, the mycotic infection attacks uninfected areas, which leads to the formation of microcracks and compactions. If there is a change in the color of the nail plates, and the nails themselves crumble and peel, this indicates the penetration of fungal mycelium into them.

When a fungal infection develops, burning in the feet can be one of the first signs of pathology, even when there are no visual symptoms of the spread of mycosis.

When the first signs of progression of the pathology are detected, treatment with antifungal agents should be started immediately.

What to do, which doctor to contact if there is a burning sensation in the legs

If more than 2 days have passed after the onset of burning sensations in the legs, but the symptom does not subside, this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor to diagnose the disease. With such a symptom, one doctor will not be able to make an accurate diagnosis; you need to consult with several specialists:

Vascular surgeon.
Endocrinologist.
Neurologist.
Dermatologist.

You can first make an appointment with a therapist, and he will give you a referral to other doctors. Specialists conduct a full examination and prescribe a set of necessary tests:

Laboratory testing of blood and urine. The blood test is not only general. Examine the level of glucose in it.
Analysis of the concentration of vitamins and microelements.
Blood test for hormone levels. Required if there is a suspicion of hormonal imbalance.
Electromyography, to study the functioning of muscle fibers.
Nerve conduction studies to confirm normal functioning of the nervous system.

Diagnostics

Methods and methods for treating burning sensation in the thigh area depend on the causes that cause it, so accurate diagnosis is very important. The first step is to contact a therapist, who will collect a complete history and refer you to the right specialist - a neurologist, phlebologist, surgeon, endocrinologist or orthopedist. The following tests may be needed to determine the exact cause:

X-ray examination of the pelvis, sacral and lumbar spine;
ultrasound examination of thigh tissues;
angiographic examination of the vessels of the lower extremities;
MRI of the spine;
electroneuromyography.

First of all, a physical examination of the patient is carried out, with the collection of a general history and current clinical picture. During the initial examination, the doctor must determine how long ago the symptoms began, under what circumstances, and whether additional signs are present. If the patient has taken any medications to eliminate burning, the doctor should be notified about this before starting diagnostic procedures.

Ultrasound procedure

general blood and urine examination;
detailed biochemical blood test;
blood sugar test;
neurological examination;
radiography;
Ultrasound of internal organs;
angiography with contrast agent;
CT;
MRI.

Diagnostics may include other research methods, depending on the current clinical picture. Based on the results of the study, the doctor can find out the provoking factor and select the optimal treatment.