Allodynia is a condition in which a nonpainful stimulus causes pain or discomfort. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic and progressive condition involving young people and adults worldwide (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5; World Health Organization, 2018). A recent global alcohol abuse report indicated that approximately https://ecosoberhouse.com/ 3 billion people consume alcohol worldwide (Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, 2016). Patients may also have a deficiency in vitamin B12 (cobalamin), affecting the axon and causing muscle weakness, sensory disturbances, and anemia. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) levels tend to be decreased, reducing the density of small and large nerve fibers.
People who drink heavily on a regular basis and have one or more of the following symptoms should contact a doctor. Having a nurse come to your house to suit your needs can relieve a lot of added stress on you to keep track of your treatment plan alone.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Alcoholic neuropathy is a severe condition that can lead to chronic pain, loss of some bodily functions, and permanent disability. However, recognizing the symptoms and seeking medical attention early can minimize the impact of the condition. When speaking with a doctor, it is important to be honest about alcohol consumption. There are several possible causes of neuropathy, and knowing about a person’s alcohol intake can help the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Some researchers estimate that 65 percent of people in the United States who have been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder also have alcoholic neuropathy. The medical community has recognized that addiction is a disease and that some people are predisposed to it.
Alcoholic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by the toxic effect of alcohol on nerves. If your doctor confirms a diagnosis of alcoholic neuropathy, they will discuss treatment options, including help for alcohol use disorder. The damage from alcohol neuropathy can affect the nerves that control movement, senses, and organ function. This can result in a variety of symptoms that affect different areas of the body. This article provides an overview of alcoholic neuropathy, including symptoms, causes, and diagnosis. It also discusses treatment options, including how to get help for alcohol use disorder.
Risk factors
If you have tingling, numbness, loss of coordination, muscle weakness, or other things that don’t seem normal, see your doctor right away. In many cases, treating the condition or problem that causes your neuropathy can curb nerve damage and ease your symptoms. Antiepileptic drugs, such as the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue (gabapentin), have proven helpful in some cases of neuropathic pain. These drugs have central and peripheral anticholinergic alcohol neuropathy effects, as well as sedative effects, and they block the active re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. Recently, extended release gabapentin relieved symptoms of painful polyneuropathy [120]. Lamotrigine was effective in relieving central post stroke pain [121] and painful diabetic polyneuropathy [122], but recent larger studies have failed to show a pain relieving effect in mixed neuropathic pain [123] and painful polyneuropathy [124].
In vivo study on rats showed impaired retrograde axonal transport [107, 108]. Thus, ALN might be induced by the combination of the effects of the direct activity of alcohol metabolites on the nerve fibers along with nutritional deficiencies primarily in a form of thiamine deficiency. Accumulating evidence suggests a pivotal role for metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in nociceptive processing, inflammatory pain and hyperalgesia [74, 75]. Several mGluR subtypes have been identified in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord [76, 77] and on primary afferent fibres [78]. Glutamate concentrations are elevated in the superficial dorsal horn of rats after chronic ligature of the sciatic nerve [79].
Traumatic Brain Injury
Early diagnosis and treatment make it more likely that you will be able to recover. The potential of alcohol to act as a painkiller has been recognized for a long time, and many drinkers report that they consume alcohol to moderate pain. The first step in seeking help for alcohol addiction might be to consult your healthcare provider. They can perform an evaluation, help determine the appropriate setting based on your unique needs, and provide referrals to rehabs.
- The abnormalities were usually of reduced amplitude, in keeping with axonal loss [2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 16, 21, 27, 37–39, 47, 51, 53, 54, 56, 63–68].
- Other studies have shown a direct, negative effect from alcohol and its many metabolites on the nervous system.
- One of the most common adverse effects seen in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder is alcohol neuropathy.
The pathophysiology of ALN involves underlying mechanisms that include direct or indirect effects of alcohol metabolites, impaired axonal transport, suppressed excitatory nerve pathway activity, or imbalance in neurotransmitters [52,53,54]. An essential risk factor regarding the etiology of ALN is the amount of alcohol consumed throughout the years since alcohol displays direct toxicity on nerve fibers [55]. It is estimated that consumption of more than 100 ml of ethyl alcohol per day significantly increases the risk of ALN [56]. Recent studies show contradictory information about the role of malnutrition and micronutrients (thiamine) deficiency in the pathogenesis of ALN; however, it is assumed that these might induce the progression of ataxia or movement disorders [55, 57].
Thus, there is an urgent need to screen the vitamin E isoforms, especially tocotrienol for evaluating clinical efficacy in patients with alcoholic neuropathy. Thus, alpha-lipoic acid may have a potential in the treatment of patients with alcoholic neuropathy. In a study by Mellion et al. (2013) with three different strains of rats, they investigated the effects of alcohol exposure on nerves and muscles. Nursing care begins with establishing a rapport with the patient during the health history interview and head-to-toe assessment.
- Glutamate concentrations are elevated in the superficial dorsal horn of rats after chronic ligature of the sciatic nerve [79].
- The mouse model of the injection of β-estradiol in males resulted in higher activity of cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), microsomal aniline hydroxylase (ANH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) which are crucial in ethanol metabolism [138].
- No amount of alcohol is safe to drink while pregnant, according to the CDC.
- Drinking too much can alter levels of these nutrients and affect the spread of alcoholic neuropathy.