Our teams of highly trained professionals are dedicated to each client’s success. It has been shown to reduce sensory neural loss and improve nerve regeneration after an injury. A deficiency in thiamine can cause pins and needles sensations in the feet, spreading proximally and to the distal arms. Also known as vitamin B1, thiamine is a coenzyme in carbohydrate metabolism, which is the main energy source for nerves to function. When this happens, the body prioritizes where the little existing amount of these nutrients go, and often the furthest nerves are not a priority, thus the effects of the nerves. Alcohol is an anti-nutrient, and too much intake can inhibit the absorption of crucial nutrients that promote nerve health.
Factors Affecting Recovery Time
And in most cases, the only method of treating the disease is to stop drinking entirely. While simply “cutting back” can be slightly beneficial, most sufferers of neuropathy from alcohol dependence will only see results after getting really and truly sober. Chronic drinking combined with the above risk factors can increase your chances of developing alcoholic neuropathy. People with this condition might find it challenging to perform daily tasks due to painful sensations and other nerve damage symptoms. If they’re unaware that excessive drinking is the cause of their symptoms, they may continue to drink more in an attempt to find relief from their pain. However, continuing to drink will only worsen their symptoms once the effects of alcohol have worn off.
How is Alcoholic Neuropathy Diagnosed?
While some cases may respond very well to prompt treatment and alcoholism show satisfactory recovery, some cases with extensive and severe nerve damage may be more challenging. Damage to the nerves in the body due to alcohol intake is called alcoholic neuropathy. Alcoholic polyneuropathy is nerve damage to more than one nerve at a time in the body, causing a number of symptoms in different areas of the body. Alcoholic neuropathy refers to nerve damage resulting from chronic heavy alcohol use.
Alcoholism and Nerve Damage: The Takeaways
- Pre-existing liver disease, such as alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis, can exacerbate nerve damage caused by alcohol.
- If you’re finding it difficult to quit on your own, our professional staff can provide you with treatments and resources to help you manage your addiction and help you reach a life of sobriety.
- Females can be more susceptible than males to many of the negative consequences of alcohol use, such as nerve damage, as they may begin to see effects from a lower amount of alcohol consumption.
- If there is a large amount of scar tissue or a space between the severed nerve ends, surgery is required.
Folate is essential for the biosynthesis of DNA and RNA and for DNA repair. These roles are essential for nerve cell division during nerve tissue repair and rapid growth. That’s why folic acid is essential in peripheral nerve injury repair. Myelin sheath is an insulating layer around the nerves that allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells. A deficiency can interfere with this process, causing the impulses to slow.
During an examination with your doctor, you must share your complete medical history, allowing your doctor to diagnose alcoholic neuropathy accurately. Alcoholic neuropathy damages sensory nerves, resulting in a decreased sensation in the hands and feet. Alcohol consumption decreases the absorption of nutrients like protein and vitamin B12. This results in significant vitamin deficiencies that affect many body areas, including the nerves. If it affects two or more nerves in different areas, it’s called multiple mononeuropathy, and if it affects many nerves, it’s called polyneuropathy. Several treatment options and interventions can help a person recover from alcohol dependence.
- Alcoholic neuropathy can cause an altered perception of touch, temperature, and vibration.
- This, however, is dependent on your risk of abusing the pills as many opioids can be highly addictive.
- This involves the healthcare provider looking out for any physical signs of alcoholic neuropathy by performing a complete neurological exam.
- Severe alcoholic neuropathy can induce motor weakness because it destroys nerves.
- Maintaining proper hydration throughout the day is essential for lowering inflammation and preventing pain receptor activation.
Treatment Options for Alcoholic Neuropathy
- At Healthgrades, our Editorial Team works hard to develop complete, objective and meaningful health information to help people choose the right doctor, right hospital and right care.
- If you’re suffering from ALN, it means your peripheral nerves have been damaged, which can lead to dysfunction in sensory, motor, and autonomic processes.
- Your healthcare team will also take strides to reduce the risk of injury.
Alcohol addiction can cause nutritional deficiencies, resulting in nerve damage. Alcohol can result in neuropathy because it has a direct toxic effect on the nerves, causing damage and dysfunction. Alcoholism also often leads to nutritional deficiencies which may impair nerve function. As with any medical condition, prompt treatment is key to heal existing damage and prevent further harm.
What is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or RSD or CRPS Type 1? How Common is it and What are its Triggers?
Alcoholic neuropathy is a condition that occurs as a result of excessive alcohol consumption over a prolonged period. It is a type of peripheral neuropathy that affects the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. Included below are just a few stories collected from alcoholic neuropathy forums and other alcoholism resources. These what is alcohol neuropathy excerpts help give a clearer picture of just what this disease entails, as well as how recovery is possible given the right steps are taken. This first story is about T, a touring musician whose heavy drinking quickly caught up with him.
Differential diagnosis
It can lead to symptoms such as tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, and gastrointestinal issues. Treating alcoholic neuropathy involves a comprehensive approach that combines medical, therapeutic, and lifestyle interventions. According to the article “Alcoholic Neuropathy” written by Sadowski.
Because of the diverse effects of alcohol on the body, these patients should be managed by an interprofessional team. The treatment rests on abstinence from alcohol and the replacement of key nutrients. Unfortunately, patient compliance is poor, and the condition often progresses, leading to poor quality of life. In this review, possible pathogenetic mechanisms are also discussed. A systematic, computer-based search was conducted using the PubMed database. 87 articles were included in this review, 29 case–control studies, 52 prospective/retrospective cohort studies and 2 randomised control trials, 1 cross sectional study, and 3 population-based studies.
Knee Flexion Pain
Alcoholic neuropathy is a condition in which drinking too much alcohol causes damage to nerve tissue. Treatment for alcoholism may include counseling, social support such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), or medications. Chronic alcohol consumption can increase various liver enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase. Increased liver enzymes are a warning sign of inflammation, irritation, or liver damage. How much you drink, how often, and for how long you’ve been drinking. A deficiency can cause nerve pain, difficulty in coordination, loss of reflexes in the legs, and loss of sensation in the extremities.
