Quick note: This article is for education only and does not diagnose. If your symptoms are persistent, worsening, or worrying, contact a clinician for personalized care.
You finally turn off the lights. You get comfortable. Then it starts.
Your feet feel hot. Burning. Like the sheets are suddenly too warm, even if the room is cool. You shift, you rub your feet together, you search online, and your mind goes straight to worst case scenarios.
Take a breath. Burning feet at night is a common symptom. The pattern matters, the clues matter, and there are safe next steps you can take without guessing.
If you are specifically worried about nerve pain, start here: our neuropathy care team helps people understand burning, tingling, numbness, and other nerve related symptoms in the feet.
Seek urgent care now if
Call 911 or go to urgent care or the ER now if you have any of the following:
- Sudden one sided weakness or numbness (face, arm, or leg), trouble speaking, or new confusion
- New loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the groin area
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or severe dizziness
- Severe swelling, rapidly spreading redness, fever, or red streaks up the leg
- A serious injury, open wound, or you cannot bear weight
- Severe pain with a cold, pale, or blue foot, or a foot that suddenly looks very different than the other
If none of those apply, keep reading for calm, practical guidance.
What “burning” usually means (plain English)
When people say “burning,” they often mean a hot, stinging, buzzing, or pins and needles feeling.
One simple way to think about it: nerves are like electrical wires. Their job is to send messages (touch, temperature, pain) to the brain. Sometimes the “wires” get irritated and start sending false alarms. Your foot can feel like it is burning even when nothing is actually heating it.
Neuropathy is a broad term that means nerve damage or nerve dysfunction, often causing burning, tingling, numbness, or sensitivity, commonly starting in the feet. If you want a deeper overview, see our peripheral neuropathy evaluation page.
Why burning feet often shows up at night
Nighttime symptoms can feel extra intense. A few reasons this can happen:
- Less distraction: In bed, your brain has fewer “noise” signals to compete with discomfort.
- Temperature and bedding: Warm blankets can trigger sensitive nerves or irritated skin.
- Circulation shifts: Lying down changes how blood flows and how fluid moves in the legs.
- End of day buildup: After a day of standing, walking, or tight shoes, feet can feel more reactive.
- Positioning and pressure: A bent knee, pressure on the heel, or a tucked foot can irritate nerves.
- Sleep disruption: Nowadays, stress and poor sleep are common, and both can lower your pain threshold.
If your symptoms repeatedly affect sleep, it is reasonable to ask about neuropathy and nerve pain care and broader pain management options.
Burning feet at night common causes (without diagnosing)
Many different issues can cause burning feet. Here are common categories and “clue” phrases to watch for.
- Peripheral neuropathy patterns
- Clues: burning plus tingling or numbness, “sock like” feeling, sensitivity to light touch, symptoms in both feet
- Learn more about neuropathy symptoms and care
- Nerve irritation from the back
- Clues: back pain, buttock pain, symptoms that travel down the leg, symptoms worse with certain positions
- Related reads: sciatica information and back pain care
- Circulation related issues
- Clues: cramping with walking, color changes, one foot colder than the other, swelling
- Important: circulation concerns deserve timely evaluation. Do not self diagnose.
- Skin irritation, dermatitis, or fungal issues
- Clues: itching, rash, peeling, cracking, redness between toes, visible skin changes
- Skin problems can mimic nerve pain, especially under warm covers.
- Overuse, standing all day, or footwear
- Clues: aching plus burning after long shifts, new shoes, tight toe box, pressure points, hot spots
- This can overlap with nerve sensitivity.
- Vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues, medication side effects
- Clues: new symptoms after starting a medication, fatigue, widespread tingling, changes in energy or weight
- A clinician may review labs and medications to rule out treatable contributors.
- Stress and sleep disruption amplifying pain perception
- Clues: symptoms flare during high stress weeks, worse when you cannot sleep, improved with relaxation
- This does not mean symptoms are “all in your head.” Stress can turn the volume up on real signals.
If you want help sorting these possibilities safely, our team can start with a neuropathy focused evaluation and build a stepwise pain management plan.
A quick, real world vignette (de identified)
A man in his 50s in the Seattle area noticed his feet felt “on fire” only after he got into bed. He started sleeping with his feet outside the covers. Some nights it helped, some nights it did not. Over a few weeks he also noticed mild tingling and that standing all day made evenings worse. He did not need a scary internet diagnosis. He needed a calm evaluation, a symptom tracker, and a plan.
Nerve pain vs not nerve pain quick self check
This is not a test that diagnoses. It is a way to describe your pattern clearly.
| Clue | More consistent with nerve sensitivity | More consistent with skin or circulation clues |
| Burning, tingling, numbness | Common | Can happen, but less typical |
| Light touch hurts (sheets hurt) | Common (allodynia) | Less common |
| Worse at night | Common | Also possible |
| Both feet affected | Common | Skin can be both, circulation may be one sided |
| Balance feels off or toes feel numb | Can occur | Not typical for simple skin irritation |
| Visible rash, peeling, cracking | Less typical | More typical |
| Color changes, one foot colder | Not typical | May suggest circulation evaluation |
If your symptoms sound nerve related, explore neuropathy treatment options and education and consider a visit with a clinician.
When should you see a doctor
Use this 3 level guide to decide your next step.
1) Monitor plus self care for 1 to 2 weeks
Consider this if symptoms are:
- Mild
- Improving
- Not affecting sleep much
- No red flags listed above
2) Schedule an appointment
Consider booking an evaluation if:
- Symptoms are persistent (most nights) or getting worse
- Sleep is disrupted
- Burning is spreading upward
- You notice numbness, weakness, or balance changes
- You have back pain with leg symptoms
- You have swelling, ongoing color changes, or new skin wounds
For an organized starting point, visit our pain management clinic page and our neuropathy services page.
3) Seek urgent care now
Use the red flags list near the top of this article.
What to do tonight (safe, non medical tips)
If your feet are burning right now, try these gentle steps. Stop anything that increases pain.
- Adjust your sleep position
- Avoid pressure on the heels
- Try a small pillow to slightly elevate the feet
- Keep knees and ankles in a neutral position (not tightly bent)
- Gentle cooling
- Use a cool (not icy) cloth for 5 to 10 minutes
- Do not put ice directly on skin, especially if you have numbness
- Loosen the “triggers”
- Choose looser socks or no socks
- Use lighter bedding or keep feet outside the covers if that helps
- Check for seams in socks that rub toes
- Simple evening habits
- Limit alcohol late in the evening (it can worsen sleep and sensitivity for some people)
- Hydrate earlier in the day
- Avoid very hot baths right before bed if heat makes symptoms flare
- Gentle movement, not aggressive stretching
- A short walk around the house
- Gentle ankle circles
- Calf stretches without forcing range
- Footwear check
- If you stand a lot, consider rotating shoes
- Look for a wider toe box and less pressure on the forefoot
- Start a symptom tracker (2 minutes)
- What time did it start
- Which foot or both
- Burning only, or burning plus tingling or numbness
- Under covers or even without covers
- After standing, exercise, or a new shoe
- Any back pain, leg pain, or cramping
- Anything that helped (cool cloth, elevation, walking)
A tracker makes your appointment more productive, whether you start with primary care or a personalized pain management plan.
What an evaluation looks like (and what clinicians look for)
A good evaluation is not about guessing. It is about pattern recognition and ruling out concerning causes.
Clinicians often ask about:
- Timing: when it starts, how long it lasts, why nighttime
- Distribution: toes only, soles, “sock like,” one foot vs both
- Associated symptoms: numbness, tingling, weakness, balance changes
- Triggers: standing, footwear, alcohol, heat, stress, sleep position
- Back symptoms: back pain, buttock pain, shooting pain down the leg (see sciatica and back pain)
- Medical context: blood sugar history, thyroid history, vitamin levels, medication changes, alcohol use, past injuries
They may do:
- Physical exam: reflexes, strength, sensation (light touch, vibration), balance
- Lab work: sometimes used to look for treatable contributors
- Imaging or nerve testing: only when the story suggests it is needed
You can also browse the clinic’s broader Procedures and Conditions page to understand common pain patterns we evaluate.
Treatment approach
Treatment depends on the cause, your symptoms, and your goals. A good plan is usually step by step:
- Education and confidence
- Understanding your pattern reduces fear and helps you sleep better
- Learning what to avoid (heat, pressure, certain positions) can reduce flares
- Lifestyle and supportive care
- Sleep routine support
- Footwear changes
- Gentle movement plans
- Physical therapy and movement based care
- May include mobility work, gait and balance support
- Sometimes includes nerve friendly movements when appropriate
- Targeted interventions
- Some patients may benefit from interventional options depending on the pain source
- The goal is function: walking, sleeping, working, and enjoying life
If you need help coordinating next steps, our team offers neuropathy focused care within a broader pain management strategy.
How Washington Center for Pain Management can help
Burning feet at night can be exhausting. We help patients across Washington by:
- Listening to the full story and identifying symptom patterns
- Performing a focused exam and recommending appropriate testing when needed
- Building a personalized plan aimed at sleep, function, and quality of life
- Coordinating care for nerve related symptoms through our neuropathy evaluation services
Meet our clinicians here: Providers.
FAQ: Burning feet at night
Why do my feet burn at night but not during the day?
At night there is less distraction, bedding warmth can trigger sensitivity, and end of day strain or swelling can make nerves feel more reactive.
Is burning feet a sign of neuropathy?
It can be. Burning, tingling, numbness, and a “sock like” pattern may fit neuropathy, but other causes can mimic it. A clinician can help sort it out. Start with neuropathy care information.
Can sciatica cause burning feet?
Sometimes nerve irritation from the low back can travel down the leg and into the foot. If you also have back or leg symptoms, see sciatica and back pain resources.
Can anxiety cause burning sensations?
Anxiety can amplify how the nervous system processes sensation, especially at night. That does not mean symptoms are imaginary. It means stress can turn the volume up.
Does walking help neuropathy?
Gentle movement helps some people, especially if symptoms are linked to stiffness or end of day buildup. If walking increases pain or you have balance issues, talk with a clinician.
What vitamins help burning feet?
Low vitamin levels can contribute to nerve symptoms, but it is not safe to self treat with high doses. Ask a clinician to review labs and medications and recommend what is appropriate for you.
When should I worry about burning feet?
Worry is understandable, but use clear thresholds: seek urgent care for red flags (fever with severe redness, sudden weakness, severe injury). Schedule a visit if symptoms persist, worsen, disrupt sleep, or include numbness, weakness, or balance changes.
Why do my feet burn under covers?
Warmth and light touch can trigger sensitive nerves or irritated skin. Try lighter bedding, looser socks, and a cool (not icy) cloth.
What doctor should I see for burning feet?
Start with primary care, especially if you have new symptoms or medical conditions to review. If symptoms look nerve related or persist, a pain specialist may help guide evaluation and treatment. See pain management services.
How do you test for neuropathy?
Testing often starts with history and a focused exam. Depending on your pattern, clinicians may recommend labs, nerve testing, or imaging. Learn more on our neuropathy evaluation page.
Can burning feet be from circulation problems?
It can be related. If you notice major color changes, one foot much colder, severe swelling, or cramping with walking, get evaluated promptly.
Can shoes cause burning feet at night?
Yes, tight shoes and long standing days can irritate tissues and nerves, making nighttime symptoms worse. Try a wider toe box and avoid pressure points.
Local next step
If burning feet at night is disrupting your sleep, lasting more than 1 to 2 weeks, or getting worse, consider scheduling an evaluation. Washington Center for Pain Management serves patients in Bellevue, Puyallup, and Olympia.
- Find a clinic near you: Locations
- Request an appointment: Contact us
