Heat sensitivity, unusual feelings like “pins and needles,” and numbness or painful sensations in the arms and legs are common signs of sensory problems. Individuals’ level of pain is determined by how severe their polyneuropathy is. 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. In this way, a high alcohol intake is able to both damage a person’s nervous system and, through malnutrition, prevent the body from properly maintaining and resolving that damage. This is similar to how chronic alcoholism and alcohol toxicity dramatically increases one’s risk of developing a wide variety of different forms of cancer.

Does Alcohol Cause Polyneuropathy?

Vitamin B6 may help maintain the covering on nerve endings, but it is important not to exceed 200 milligrams per day as higher amounts can lead to nerve damage and cause neuropathy symptoms. Experts believe that chronic alcohol intake leads to oxidative stress, which then causes neuronal damage. This damage affects signaling functions, causes nutritional deficiency, and interferes with the endogenous antioxidants (metabolism) in the human body.

What kinds of test are needed for Alcoholic Neuropathy (Alcohol-related Nerve Damage)?

One of the most irritating symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy is persistent pain in the hands or feet. The severity of the pain https://ecosoberhouse.com/ may fluctuate as the disease worsens, occasionally going away for months before getting worse again. After drinking alcohol, you might feel numb if the sensation is reduced enough. However, individuals may require a liver transplant if the damage is too great, particularly to the liver. In situations like these, the transplant will give the body a healthy environment in which to start recovering from the toxic environment it was in before the transplant. Reflexes, muscle strength, sensibility (including light touch, pinprick, vibration, and position awareness), and coordination are all tested during a thorough physical and neurological examination.

Alcohol Neuropathy Treatment and Outlook

• They also ask questions to determine if you have any risk factors for neuropathy, so it’s best to be honest about your alcohol use.
• The most effective alcohol neuropathy treatment involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medical support, and symptom management strategies.
• Following detox, comprehensive rehabilitation programs, like those offered at Resurgence Behavioral Health, provide the necessary support and treatment to address the psychological aspects of addiction.
• These symptoms are progressive and can severely impact daily life if not addressed early.

Alcohol depresses the functioning of the brain and spinal cord and slows down the working of the nervous system which makes you feel numb. Other reasons include the deficiency of cobalamin and several other vitamins such as thiamine and niacin. Once you consume alcohol, it enters the bloodstream and travels through the entire body. Alcohol acts as a relaxant, it affects the nervous system and depresses it.

Impact on Daily Life

As an antioxidant, it helps protect cells against damage and can boost vitamin C and E levels, increasing the body’s supply of glutathione, another antioxidant. This combination may improve endothelial dysfunction and clear free radicals, which are molecules that can cause cell damage. B vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin), play a significant role in nerve regeneration and improving nerve function. These vitamins are also called “neurotropic” vitamins due to their important functions in the nervous system. Other than this, consumption of vitamin supplementation can help a lot in improving nerve health. However, complete nerve damage can’t be cured or reversed and would lead to permanent immobility of the affected region.

What is Alcoholic Neuropathy (Alcohol-related Nerve Damage)?

Studies show that alcohol neuropathy stages 25-66% of chronic alcohol users have neuropathy.2  This research indicates that alcohol misuse is a significant risk factor for developing nerve damage, including alcoholic polyneuropathy. The recommended dosages of thiamine and folic acid for treating alcoholic neuropathy may vary depending on individual needs and the severity of the condition. In the previously mentioned study, participants received oral B vitamins, including thiamine at a dosage of 250 mg three times a day, and folic acid at a dosage of 1 mg per day. However, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplementation, as they can provide personalized advice and monitoring. To address alcoholic neuropathy, it is crucial to stop consuming alcohol as soon as possible to prevent further nerve damage.

Alcohol misuse can lead to neurological damage that can affect multiple areas of a person’s health and well-being. The best way to avoid the issue is to limit alcoholic consumption to 2 or fewer drinks per day for males and 1 or fewer for females. Completely avoiding alcohol and eating a balanced diet can help minimize damage. Your chances for recovery depend on how early the disease is diagnosed and how much damage has already occurred. Avoiding alcohol is the best Alcoholics Anonymous way to treat these conditions and relieve symptoms. Some tests can be performed by a doctor to rule out other causes of neurologic symptoms.

What Are the Causes of This Type of Nerve Damage?

• People who struggle with alcoholism should try to eat a healthy and balanced diet, even if they don’t feel hungry.
• However, those who do not stop drinking or who have experienced too much nerve damage and degeneration before receiving treatment often experience permanent and irreversible effects of alcoholic neuropathy.
• Doctors can identify this condition from other similar nerve diseases by a patient’s medical history and physical examination.

For those who have insurance, using health insurance to pay for rehab should cover at least some of the cost of addiction treatment. Depending on your individual insurance plan, treatment at a specific facility may or may not be covered. It’s important that you know what is covered prior to attending a rehab. Use the free online insurance coverage checker tool below to find out if your health insurance provides coverage for addiction rehab  and other rehabilitation treatment plans for substance abuse recovery.

Initially, they may be barely noticeable but can progress to more severe and disabling conditions if alcohol consumption continues. Antidepressant drugs are frequently used to assist manage the pain of alcoholic neuropathy, even though they are not licensed expressly for this condition. Supplementing with vitamin B12, folate, vitamin E, and thiamine may be advised to address these deficits.