It’s not completely clear why some people are more prone to this complication than others. If the sensation is decreased enough, you may feel actual numbness after drinking alcohol. However, nerve damage is sometimes permanent, and your symptoms are likely to worsen if you don’t stop drinking. This could lead to disability, chronic pain, and damage to your arms and legs.
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However, it’s possible to prevent additional damage if you get treatment for your substance use disorder and improve your nutrition. Many people benefit from a period of medical detox followed by residential rehab. Once you’re in recovery, you can also attend support group meetings and receive professional outpatient care. Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to several vitamin deficiencies and preventable health conditions. Alcohol also has toxic effects on the nerves, making them more susceptible to damage. In some cases, neuropathy develops due to vitamin toxicity, which is when you take in much more of a vitamin than your body needs.
Even with treatment, alcoholic neuropathy is likely to be permanent to some degree. Heavy drinkers may find it difficult to cope but controlling alcohol consumption and co-operating with medical advice is required. Person’s compliance to treatment and consumption of alcohol is very crucial in the recovery process.
Muscle Weakness
- History of complaints, the nature, onset and the progress of symptoms and history of past or present medical conditions, injuries, surgeries or medications taken must be noted.
- From the duration and quantity of heavy alcohol use to genetic predispositions and nutritional deficiencies, below are some risk factors.
- The most effective alcohol neuropathy treatment involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medical support, and symptom management strategies.
Most patients with alcohol neuropathy initially present with symmetrical polyneuropathies in the lower distal extremities; however, heavier abuse can progress to distal upper extremity symptoms. The most common findings are sensory-related and vary, including pain, numbness, and paresthesias. Pain seems consistent in the literature as 1 of the most common complaints and alcohol neuropathy can be the first clinical indication of the disease.
How long does it take to develop alcoholic neuropathy?
If left untreated, alcoholic neuropathy can become more severe and affect a person’s overall quality of life. The prognosis of alcoholic neuropathy can be better in cases, which are mildly affected or have just began to cause nerve damage, than those with serious nerve damage. Also, other factors like the underlying cause of the condition is very important in considering whether alcoholic neuropathy can be reversed or not.
- Sometimes symptoms get better, especially if caused by a condition that can be treated.
- Use of antacids and other medicines for a longer period can affect the normal absorption of vitamins and nutrients, essential for nerve building.
- ROS triggers second messengers involved in central sensitization of dorsal horn cells 41 or they activate spinal glial cells which in turn play an important role in chronic pain 42.
- Recognizing alcohol neuropathy symptoms early is key to preventing further nerve damage.
Once you’ve addressed excessive drinking, your doctor can focus on the neuropathy. Alcoholic neuropathy can weaken the autonomic nerves, causing impairment of bowel and bladder function and sexual dysfunction. Light touch can feel exaggerated and painful, especially in the fingers and toes. If you are struggling with addiction and co-occurring mental health, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way.
It’s important to share any history of alcohol use with the doctor to receive an accurate diagnosis.
Some patients with several complications and extensive nerve damage may show recovery only to a certain extent as against those with lesser or no complications. As nerve cells can be regenerated, medicines and proper care can be taken to regenerate them and improve their function, which can help Twelve-step program to reverse alcoholic neuropathy. However, considering their limited ability to regenerate, if the nerves are severely damaged or almost lost all their strength, their recovery may also be limited and may take longer time. The best way to prevent alcoholic neuropathy is to avoid excessive alcohol consumption and to seek treatment for alcoholism if you have difficulty doing so.
Diagnosis usually involves a healthcare provider collecting a medical history, performing a medical https://gulija.lt/find-a-vivitrol-provider-near-you/ and neurological exam, and performing blood and urine tests. Treatment options include steps to quit alcohol use and managing symptoms of the disease. Since nutritional deficiencies are partly to blame for alcoholic neuropathy.
However, vulnerability to neuropathy and its severity and speed of progression varies. Women, continuous drinkers more so than episodic drinkers, and people with a family history of the disorder appear to be more vulnerable to alcoholic neuropathy and may develop more severe presentations. Recognizing alcohol neuropathy symptoms early is key to preventing further nerve damage.
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These studies addressed abstinence from alcohol consumption and administration of vitamins. The available data addressing the role of hepatic dysfunction is presently inconclusive. It is possible that hepatic dysfunction and alcoholic toxicity each cause neuropathy independently, and that there is frequently overlap between the two. It may also be that comorbid hepatic dysfunction is a risk factor for alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy. Further studies are required to develop a greater understanding of the interaction these entities. N-acetylcysteine, an amino acid, is a potent antioxidant and helps to enhance glutathione concentrations.
