This condition can lead to a range of symptoms that impact sensory, motor, and autonomic functions. Alcohol is a neurotoxin that can damage the nerves in the body, including those in the hands. When alcohol is consumed, it can alter the way nerves communicate with each other, leading to impaired nerve function.
Treatment
- For our muscles to work, they must receive a signal from neighboring neurons.
- Although alcoholic neuropathy causes damage to the peripheral nerves, these nerves mainly supply the limbs, hence they are affected the most.
- Recognizing the early signs and seeking prompt treatment can significantly mitigate the condition’s impact, allowing for better treatment outcomes and reducing the risk of permanent damage.
- The symptoms are often painful and can be challenging to manage without help.
- Nerves that are part of the autonomic nervous system help to regulate heart rate, body temperature, respiration, and blood pressure.
- Professional support through rehabilitation programs can be beneficial in achieving and maintaining sobriety.
In addition, they may order blood tests to check for vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. When speaking with a doctor, a person should be honest about how much alcohol they consume. There are several possible causes of neuropathy, and knowing about a person’s alcohol intake can help the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Deficiencies in these nutrients can harm overall health and prevent nerves from functioning correctly. Alcoholic neuropathy is a condition in which drinking too much alcohol causes damage to nerve tissue. The higher age for those with DT aligns with previous findings and may indicate that these represent cases of more long-lasting, and perhaps more severe, AD 20, 33.
Effects of Alcoholic Neuropathy
The most important thing you can do to treat alcohol-related neuropathy is to stop consuming alcohol.
What Causes Alcoholic Neuropathy?
If you are experiencing weakness, reduced muscle function, or control, you may be given orthopedic appliances to improve your stability. You’ll likely also be asked to participate in physical therapy to help regain and maintain your strength. Alcoholic-related neuropathy (ALN) is a serious and irreversible condition that can lead to severe pain and physical disability.
Learn more about this condition, including its symptoms, how it’s treated, and ways to cope. Prevention of hand numbness after drinking alcohol involves moderating alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and seeking medical attention if symptoms persist. Additionally, individuals can reduce their risk by quitting smoking, reducing stress, and improving sleep habits. 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.
Our muscles need to receive a message from nearby nerves in order to function. When this message is interrupted due to damaged nerves, the muscles cannot function as they normally would. If the sensation is decreased enough, you may feel actual numbness after drinking alcohol. Both the toxicity of alcohol and nutritional deficiencies have been linked with alcoholic neuropathy, which is one of the most common but least recognizable consequences of heavy alcohol use.
- The psychological impact of chronic conditions such as alcoholic neuropathy should not be underestimated.
- Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and stiffness, fatigue, depression, and sleep problems.
- Peripheral nerves carry signals from the body to the brain and spinal cord and bring signals back to the body.
- Person’s compliance to treatment and consumption of alcohol is very crucial in the recovery process.
- A long history of excessive alcohol consumption is common since alcoholic neuropathy typically takes years to develop.
Alcoholic Neuropathy: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, & Prevention
- Alcoholic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that occurs as a result of long-term, excessive alcohol use.
- Heavy and chronic drinking is also often tied to nutritional deficiencies.
- If you’re experiencing side effects of alcoholism, you should speak to your doctor.
- A transplant has the potential to improve your symptoms, but this is usually when alcoholic neuropathy has progressed to a point where the damage is irreversible.
- The first step for addressing alcohol-related neuropathy is to go through alcohol rehab or otherwise stop drinking.
- Other factors include previous nerve damage, injuries or medical conditions that have caused nerve problems, neuropathies or nerve related complaints.
Progression of the disease leads to symmetrical ascending motor and sensory deficits. Alcohol causes neuropathy via multifactorial processes, many of which are still under investigation. Alcohol enters the bloodstream from the digestive system within 5 minutes of consumption, and peak absorption is seen within 30 to 90 minutes. One of the many inhibitory effects of chronic alcohol use is malnutrition. Patients who abuse alcohol tend to consume fewer calories and have poor absorption of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract.
By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health. Oral supplements are generally more appropriate for treating or preventing a deficiency or managing a specific health alcoholism concern. Study participants applied five sprays daily to each limb for 12 weeks and reported significantly fewer and less intense neuropathy symptoms by the eighth and 12th weeks. Small studies suggest topical magnesium may benefit specific conditions. Most treatments for the issue, then, center around minimizing any future harm to the nerves.
How much and how frequently you drink alcohol, the kind, intensity, and frequency of symptoms you have To get a proper diagnosis, it’s critical to let the doctor know about any past alcohol consumption. Additionally, alcohol changes how the kidneys, liver, and stomach work, which makes it harder for the body to effectively detox waste. After that, this waste accumulates and damages numerous body parts, including the nerves.
Nutritional/vitamin deficiencies
The road to recovering from alcoholic neuropathy may be difficult, but with the right support and resources, it is possible to regain control over one’s life and health. Quitting drinking is the most immediately effective way to combat alcoholic neuropathy—along with avoiding many other alcohol-related illnesses. Many doctors will recommend this as alcohol neuropathy a first step and, in fact, hold off on further or more invasive treatment until this is at least attempted. If your symptoms of alcoholism are extreme or persistent, a doctor may order one or several of these tests, to help determine if you have alcoholic neuropathy. The first step for addressing alcohol-related neuropathy is to go through alcohol rehab or otherwise stop drinking. From there, you can work with your healthcare team to determine the best treatment plan based on the severity of your condition.