A burning sensation is a form of pain often described as a prickly, stinging, or intense heat that can occur anywhere in the body. Medically, this is known as paresthesia or dysesthesia, indicating a malfunction in how nerves transmit information. While sometimes temporary, a persistent or spreading burning feeling signals that the body’s communication network or tissues are irritated or damaged. Identifying the diverse origins of this symptom, from nerve damage to systemic disease, is necessary for proper treatment.
Causes Originating in the Nervous System
Burning sensations frequently arise when the peripheral nervous system (the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord) is damaged or compromised. This condition, known as neuropathy, causes sensory nerves to misfire, sending pain signals to the brain without an external injury. Damage may occur to the myelin sheath (the protective coating) or the nerve fiber itself, disrupting electrical impulses.
A common mechanism for this pain is nerve compression, where a specific nerve is physically pinched or squeezed. Carpal tunnel syndrome, for instance, causes burning, tingling, and numbness when the median nerve is compressed at the wrist. Similarly, a herniated disk can press on a nerve root, leading to radiating pain known as radiculopathy that travels down the leg or arm.
Another cause of nerve malfunction is viral infection, notably the varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles. The virus lies dormant after a chickenpox infection and can reactivate years later, traveling along a nerve pathway. This reactivation results in post-herpetic neuralgia, a severe, long-lasting burning pain that persists after the rash heals. Damage to the central nervous system (brain or spinal cord) can also generate this pain, such as in central pain syndrome.
Causes Related to Skin and Local Inflammation
Some burning sensations originate from irritation or inflammation on the body’s surface, contrasting with deep nerve damage. This involves activating superficial nerve endings due to direct trauma, chemical exposure, or localized infection. The sensation is typically localized and accompanied by visible changes like redness or swelling.
Contact dermatitis is a frequent culprit, occurring when the skin reacts to an irritating substance or allergen. This inflammatory response releases chemicals that stimulate pain receptors, resulting in localized burning and itching. Physical injuries like thermal or chemical burns also trigger immediate burning pain as skin cells are destroyed.
Localized infections, such as cellulitis (a bacterial infection of the deeper skin layers), can cause a hot, intense burning sensation accompanied by rapidly spreading redness and warmth. Conditions like rosacea, a chronic skin disorder, can also cause episodes of flushing and a persistent burning or stinging feeling on the face.
Systemic and Metabolic Drivers
Many internal diseases and imbalances can affect the entire body, creating environments damaging to nerve and tissue health. Diabetes Mellitus is the most common example, where consistently high blood glucose levels lead to diabetic neuropathy. This occurs by damaging the small blood vessels supplying nerves, causing them to slowly degenerate and resulting in characteristic burning pain and numbness in the feet and hands.
Deficiencies in specific nutrients are another systemic cause that compromises nerve structure and function. Vitamin B12 is necessary for maintaining the nerve’s protective myelin sheath. A lack of B12 can lead to demyelination and nerve dysfunction, often perceived as burning or pins-and-needles in the extremities. Other B vitamins, like thiamine (B1), are involved in nerve energy metabolism, and their deficiency can also result in painful neuropathy.
Organ dysfunction can also create a toxic environment that harms nerves. Chronic kidney disease can lead to uremia, a buildup of waste products the impaired kidneys cannot filter. These circulating toxins directly irritate or damage peripheral nerves, resulting in uremic neuropathy and systemic burning sensations. Similarly, hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) can cause fluid retention that compresses nerves or leads to generalized nerve damage.
Circulatory problems, such as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), restrict blood flow to the limbs, depriving tissues of necessary oxygen. This lack of oxygen, known as ischemia, causes significant pain, often described as a burning or cramping sensation during physical activity. Because these diseases are systemic, the resulting burning sensation is often symmetrical, affecting both sides of the body simultaneously.
Indicators for Urgent Medical Consultation
While many causes of burning sensations are managed routinely, certain accompanying symptoms signal a need for immediate professional evaluation. Urgent attention is required for the sudden, unexplained onset of a severe burning sensation, especially if it is rapidly progressing or spreading across the body.
The presence of muscle weakness alongside the burning suggests motor nerve involvement and potential functional impairment. Loss of control over bladder or bowel functions, regulated by autonomic nerves, is another red-flag symptom demanding emergency consultation. Burning accompanied by signs of acute systemic infection, such as a high fever or chills, must also be quickly assessed.
Immediate care is advisable if the burning sensation is accompanied by numbness that spreads quickly or follows a recent head or spinal injury. These symptoms may suggest a rapidly evolving neurological event or a severe inflammatory process. Timely diagnosis and intervention are necessary to prevent irreversible damage.