Hot feet preventing sleep

[Marthe]

My 84 year old mother, a non-smoker, non-drinker, with general good health and lots of vitality, has had this problem for several years: during the day her feet are usually cold - she has always been sensitive to cold weather and tends to wear many layers of warm clothes - but 30 minutes after going to bed her feet become extremely hot from the inside and prevent her from going to sleep. She has to bath them in cold water or wrap them in cold cloth, but the relief is brief and she spends hours re-doing the cold water process until she falls asleep in the morning.



She has tried lots of cold creams and homeopathic treatments, with no appreciable success. She has also consulted various doctors and all agree there is no cure.



We are very worried because as she is ageing the constant lack of sleep tends to get her weaker, fragile and even a bit confused. I found out that there are many people with the same problem and would like to know how to deal with it.

[maryheather]

Does she also complain of any burning, or tingling sensation in her feet?

[maryheather]

Wanted to add this post from a neurology webpage..



Sensory nerve damage can produce tingling, numbness, and pain. Pain associated with sensory nerve damage is variously described as:



Sensation of wearing an invisible "glove" or "sock"

Burning, freezing, or electric-like

Extreme sensitivity to touch



These are symptoms of a condition called neuropathy.  You can google it, and come up with lots of info.  My grandmother has neuropathy, and her only symptoms are in her feet, and they sound exactly like your mothers.  There are medications out there that can help...neurontin is one, it is prescription.  Hope this helps.

[myproblem]

I also thought of Neurontin when I read the idea of it being neuropathic. Ask her Dr. to try it on her, and see what happens.

[hyepod]

Yes, it could be due to neuropathy.  Is she diabetic?  Do her feet also become red during these episodes?  Could there be a vascular component to this problem?  If this is neuropathy, however, it is perplexing as to why it occurs when she tries to sleep.  In any case, I have tried a cream called "BioFreeze" on several neuropathic patients of mine.  I think the manufacturer claims that it helps with neuropathy.  I've asked these patients to tell me how it worked for them.  Most say it helped.  Others say it really helped.

[maryheather]

Thank you for naming that cream!!  That is what my grandmother uses, and she says it helps her also!  I was trying to remember the name for the original poster, but couldn't remember it.  

I agree with you completely.

[myproblem]

I found something for you while doing my own research.

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/t/tetany/symptoms.htm

Look up tetany.

[hyepod]

Ya, it seems to be good stuff and relatively affordable.

[carmen101]

i am 19 years old and i have had the problem of hot feet at night since i have been small. my mum has the same problem. at night we both have to get up and put our feet in cvold water in order to stop the burning sensation. Have no idea what it is caused by, it must obviously be genetic... anyone got anymore info on this weird symptom????

[whittlingcowboy]

I have suffered from this for years. I have found that adding an ounce of lemon juice per 8 ounce of water helped after several days. This is not always convient and I find that I end up sleeping with a frozen compress wrapped in a towel and placed under my feet6