Differential Diagnosis for Crawling Sensations on Feet
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Peripheral neuropathy: This condition is characterized by damage to the peripheral nerves, often causing abnormal sensations such as crawling, tingling, or burning in the feet. It can be due to various factors like diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, or alcohol abuse.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): A disorder that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations like crawling, itching, or tingling, usually worsening at night.
- Dry skin (xerosis): Severe dryness of the skin can cause sensations of crawling or itching, especially on the feet.
- Athlete's foot (tinea pedis): A fungal infection that can cause itching, burning, and sometimes a crawling sensation on the feet.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Diabetic neuropathy: A serious complication of diabetes that can lead to loss of sensation, pain, and other symptoms like crawling sensations in the feet. Early detection is crucial to prevent further complications.
- Vitamin B12 deficiency: A deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause neurological symptoms, including abnormal sensations in the feet. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent nerve damage.
- Lyme disease: A bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, which can cause neurological symptoms, including abnormal sensations in the feet, if not treated promptly.
- Rare diagnoses
- Erythromelalgia: A rare disorder characterized by burning pain, heat, and redness in the hands and feet, sometimes accompanied by crawling sensations.
- Paresthesia due to multiple sclerosis: Multiple sclerosis can cause a variety of neurological symptoms, including paresthesia (abnormal sensations like crawling, tingling, or numbness) in the feet, although this is less common.
- Fabry disease: A rare genetic disorder that can cause a range of symptoms, including burning or crawling sensations in the feet due to nerve damage.