Burning feet syndrome. A clinical review.

BACKGROUND

Burning pain in the feet has been known to occur as a distinct clinical symptom for almost two centuries. Despite being a common and fascinating clinical entity, this syndrome has received scant attention in the medical literature and has been described only in anecdotal reports.

OBJECTIVE

This article describes and discusses the various aspects of this intriguing syndrome.

DISCUSSION: Burning feet syndrome (BFS) is a common disorder especially among the elderly and is frequently encountered in general practice. There is no specific aetiology and it can occur as an isolated symptom or as part of a symptom complex in a variety of clinical settings. In contrast to the presence of distressing subjective symptoms, the physical examination is marked by a paucity of objective signs. The pathophysiology of BFS is not very clear and treatment varies depending on the aetiology.