Numbness or burning in your leg, feet or toes

If you notice a strange tingling in your foot, or you feel like your entire leg is on fire, pay attention to what your body is telling you and see a health care professional. Don’t ignore these kinds of unusual sensations, especially if they get progressively worse or more painful – they could be signs of a larger issue that requires a doctor’s attention.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can cause uncomfortable numbness or burning sensations in your feet and legs. The restricted blood flow brought on by PAD can harm your body in a variety of ways, including damaging your nerves, which transmit messages between your brain and the rest of your body.

When your nerves are damaged – a condition called neuropathy – you may begin to feel numbness or a burning sensation in your arms, hands, legs or feet. Nerve damage is also associated with diabetes,¹⁹ which is one of the primary risk factors for PAD.²¹

Nerve damage can be painful

Pain from nerve damage could be an indicator of critical limb ischemia (CLI), the worst form of PAD. The obstructed blood flow to the feet and legs can be so considerable and widespread with CLI that many patients are at significant risk for amputation if they don’t seek treatment. Things can get worse from there – CLI can also put a patient’s life at risk.