Chronic alcohol consumption can be damaging to every part of your body. One possible outcome is alcoholic neuropathy, which occurs because of alcohol’s toxicity to nerve tissue. How long it takes for alcoholic neuropathy to develop depends on many factors, including the amount of daily alcohol consumed, a person’s age and overall health, their nutritional intake, and other individual factors. But in most cases, alcoholic neuropathy takes several years or even decades to develop, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. If you’ve been diagnosed with alcoholic neuropathy, the best thing you can do for yourself is to quit drinking, which we know is easier said than done, but you don’t have to do it alone. Consider joining a support group — there are a number online if your condition prevents you from leaving the house.
Alcohol-Related Neurological Effects and Diseases
The subgroup without thiamine deficiency consisted of 36 patients, while the subgroup with thiamine deficiency consisted of 28 patients. In addition, 32 patients with nonalcoholic thiamine deficiency neuropathy were also evaluated for comparison. The subgroup without thiamine deficiency, considered to be a pure form of alcoholic neuropathy, uniformly showed slowly progressive, sensory dominant symptoms.
- It can be difficult to say exactly how much alcohol causes neuropathy because every person’s body chemistry is different.
- This is why you may feel drunk after three drinks, but someone else may only feel slightly tipsy after the same amount.
- So, you will only have to deal with alcohol withdrawal, which is a smaller price to pay.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy?
Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were also present with decreased mechanical threshold of C-fibres. The hyperalgesia was acutely attenuated by intradermal injection of nonselective PKC or selective PKCε inhibitors injected at the site of nociceptive testing. Miyoshi et al. 15 found that a significant decrease in the mechanical nociceptive threshold was observed after 5 weeks of chronic ethanol consumption in rats. Injection of (S)-2,6-diamino-N-1-(oxotridecyl)-2-piperidinylmethyl hexanamide dihydrochloride (NPC15437), a selective PKC inhibitor, once a day for a week after 4 weeks of ethanol treatment.
How to Prevent Alcoholic Neuropathy
When dealing with alcoholic neuropathy, it is essential to understand the prognosis for recovery and what factors may influence the healing process. Your quality of life and the management of chronic pain are directly linked to your commitment to treatment and abstaining from alcohol. The best thing you can do to prevent nerve damage and other harmful effects of neuropathic pain is to take preventative measures before your drinking gets out of hand. Alcohol addiction treatment options are available and can help you along the way. Electrical nerve stimulation sends a small electrical current through the skin and nerves that can help with sensitivities and pain, making it an option for treatment. Alternative therapies like chiropractic care, body manipulation, acupuncture, meditation, and massage therapy can be helpful in managing pain and symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy.
Another theory is that oxidative Alcoholics Anonymous stress and increased free radical activity is the primary contributing factor when it comes to alcoholic neuropathy. Free radicals are unstable molecules with versatile structures, allowing them to initiate long-chain chemical reactions with a plethora of other molecules, causing cellular damage in the process. A doctor may also want to test the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and thyroid. In addition, they may order blood tests to check for vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. A systematic review suggests that 46.3% of people who engage in chronic heavy alcohol use have alcoholic neuropathy. People should note that while “alcoholic neuropathy” is the current medical term, some healthcare professionals are beginning to use the term “alcohol-related neuropathy” to decrease stigma surrounding the condition.
And what about some alcoholic neuropathy home remedies — do they exist? This means that people addicted to inhalants, like sniffing glue or paint thinner, are also at risk for neuropathy. It’s important to note that damage to sensory nerves is only one of many health problems that can impact chronic alcoholics. Avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol is the primary way to prevent alcoholic neuropathy. If you notice you are developing signs of alcoholic neuropathy (such as numbness after drinking alcohol), in addition to seeing a physician, try to stay away from alcohol altogether.
Understanding Alcoholic Neuropathy
Some of the most common symptoms are numbness or tingling sensation in the extremities, pain or a burning sensation in the extremities, difficulty walking, difficulty urinating, and difficulty talking or swallowing. Justin was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he began his clinical education at Colorado State University. He received his bachelor’s in health and exercise science with a concentration in sports medicine and eventually earned a master’s of psychology in addiction counseling. During his time as a therapist, Justin has worked in a residential addiction treatment facility, private practice, and outpatient settings. Hailing from Boulder County, Courtney embarked on her academic journey by earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
- The evidence of positive dynamics at peripheral and segmental nerve system level was supported by neurophysiological data.
- In severe alcohol-related neuropathy cases, muscle weakness appears as a result of heavy nerve damage.
- It also impacts the myelin, which is the fatty coating that protects the nerves.
- This type of degeneration, so called ‘dying-back’, resembles Wallerian degeneration.
- The toxic effects of alcohol may damage your peripheral nerves, which play a role in movement and sensation.
Medical Evaluation and Diagnosis
- You may also have to work with healthcare professionals, including going to physical therapy on an ongoing basis.
- The primary treatment for alcoholic neuropathy is seeking help for alcohol use disorder.
- We leave nothing to guesswork as we utilize therapeutically proven, evidence-based clinical practices.
- Fortunately, by reducing their alcohol intake and seeking out peripheral neuropathy treatment, these symptoms can often be reversed.
When you drink large amounts of alcohol, it depletes your body of nutrients you need, like vitamin B12 and protein. Other related nutrient and vitamin deficiencies include niacin, thiamine deficiency, folate (folic acid), vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and vitamins A and E. However, people with alcoholic neuropathy can make healthy changes to minimize symptoms and receive help for chronic alcohol use. There are no medications that can help improve loss of sensation, strengthen muscle weakness, or assist with the coordination and balance problems caused by alcoholic neuropathy. However, some people notice an improvement in symptoms a few months what does alcohol neuropathy feel like after discontinuing alcohol intake.