What is Alcoholic Neuropathy? Causes, symptoms, & treatment

The reason why some persons are more likely than others to experience this difficulty is not entirely understood. Vitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-soluble compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Treatment with vitamin E was found to be beneficial in the treatment of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy 104 and neuropathic pain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats 105.

Molecular mechanisms involved in alcoholic neuropathy

Progressively, the sensory and motor symptoms and signs extend proximally into the arms and legs and finally the gait may become impaired 11. Progression of symptoms is usually gradual, continuing over months or years 2, 4. Electrophysiologic and pathologic findings mainly indicate axonal neuropathy with reduced nerve fibre densities.

• Medicines may be needed to treat pain or uncomfortable sensations due to nerve damage.
• 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.
• Seeking treatment for alcohol addiction is an essential aspect of managing ALN.
• A significant decrease in the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and an increase in lipid peroxidation were observed in sciatic nerves of diabetic rats with established neuropathic pain 40.
• The majority of patients were middle-class, working men, and continuous drinkers were more affected than episodic drinkers.
• Although axonal degradation frequently starts before a person exhibits any symptoms, alcoholic polyneuropathy typically develops gradually over months or even years.

Pain

Alcoholic neuropathy, also known as alcoholic peripheral Substance abuse neuropathy, refers to damage of the nerves due to chronic and excessive alcohol consumption. Affected nerves include the peripheral nerves, primarily located in the arms and legs, and the autonomic nerves, which help regulate our internal body functions. The journal further reports that alcoholic polyneuropathy is likely caused by nutritional deficiencies and the depletion of thiamine that is caused by heavy and long-term drinking. It is most likely that drinking a lot of alcohol over several years causes direct damage to nerve cells and can also contribute to nutritional deficiencies in the body; these may both be factors in the onset of alcoholic polyneuropathy.

Alcohol’s diuretic properties, which cause the system to dry up, are another issue. Additionally, the kidneys may sustain significant harm and cease to function if they do not receive enough water. The body requires a steady balance of chemicals and salts in the blood for the nerves to work correctly. However, it becomes challenging to filter out all those toxins when renal disease is present.

Alcohol abuse causes a wide range of disorders that affect the nervous system. These include confusion, cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, and cognitive impairment. Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption is the primary cause of peripheral neuropathy. It is worth noting that peripheral neuropathy has no reliable treatment due to the poor understanding of its pathology. The symptoms of alcoholic peripheral neuropathy include impairments in sensory, motor, autonomic, and gait functioning that appear gradually over several months. The primary symptom of alcoholic neuropathy is pain, either with or without a burning feeling.

Malnutrition and Micronutrients Deficiency

A certain amount of acetaldehyde is not metabolized by the usual pathways (Figure 2) and binds irreversibly to proteins which results in the creation of cytotoxic proteins which adversely affect the function of nervous system cells. These abnormal proteins influence other cell populations especially the hepatocytes where the damage to hepatic mitochondria results in hepatic cirrhosis with reduction of energetic substrates in the liver. The action of these abnormal proteins is explained by competition with normal proteins causing the damage to function and metabolism of the cell 22. The nerves that run outside of the spinal cord and brain are called peripheral nerves. They work to send signals throughout the central nervous system and the rest of the body. Nerves help you to move (motor nerves) and feel physical sensations (sensory nerves).

Unfortunately, alcohol-dependent people’s symptoms cannot be reduced by taking vitamin supplements alone. Focusing on the various routes that have contributed to the development of the disease is crucial because of this. Patients must be taught how to control their habitual alcohol abuse, for example. Additionally, they must acquire a variety of therapeutic medications to aid in control and prevent nerve injury. Toxin accumulation in the body and dietary deficiencies are the causes of alcoholic neuropathy. Alcohol causes serious deficiencies that impact many parts of the body, including the nerves, by reducing the absorption of minerals like magnesium, selenium, and vitamins B1 and B2,6.

Rats with experimentally-induced diabetes for 2 months had a 20% reduction in nerve conduction velocity and 48% reduction in endoneurial blood flow. A mechanism of cisplatin chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy was elucidated in an in vitro mouse model. Apoptosis of neurones was induced by cisplatin, but pre-incubation with N-acetylcysteine completely blocked apoptosis 112. However, people with alcoholic neuropathy can make healthy changes to minimize symptoms and receive help for chronic alcohol use. Alcoholic neuropathy affects people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol over a long period of time.

Alcoholic neuropathy is usually not life threatening, but it can severely affect quality of life. Alcoholic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that results from excessive drinking of alcohol. The damage may affect the autonomic nerves (those that regulate internal body functions) and the nerves that control movement and sensation.

Other tests:

• Individuals’ level of pain is determined by how severe their polyneuropathy is.
• It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional if you experience any symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
• About 46% of all chronic alcohol users may eventually develop this condition.
• Thiamine deficiency resulted in the progression of sensory dysfunctions; further, histological examination of the sural nerves revealed the loss of small nerve fibers and segmental demyelination.

Recovery from alcoholic neuropathy also heavily depends on lifestyle and personal health variables. The rate of recovery can be influenced by a person’s nutritional status, metabolic rate, and treatment compliance. For example, increasing dietary intake can aid in the healing of nerve damage, but prolonged alcohol use can worsen symptoms and delay recovery. Regular exercise and abstinence from tobacco and other pollutants can help promote nerve healing and enhance general health, which can affect how long it takes for neuropathic symptoms to go away.

Alcohol abuse contributes to peripheral neuropathy development involving both somatic and autonomic nerves 154, 155. However, impairments of autonomic functions are scarcer and less intensified, and, usually, clinical symptoms are delayed 156. According to many studies, alcohol-induced autonomic neuropathy (AAN) not only leads to potential damage to internal organs but also increases the mortality rate of patients 157, 158. It was observed that abstinence may lead to the regression of several symptoms of AAN 159.

A healthcare professional can offer support for people with alcohol use disorder. A doctor may also recommend treatments to manage neurological symptoms, such as pain relief medications, physical therapy, and mobility aids. Alcoholic neuropathy refers to nerve damage resulting from chronic heavy alcohol use. Symptoms may include numbness and tingling in the limbs, muscle weakness, and loss of mobility.

Other causes can lead to neuropathy besides alcohol, so your healthcare provider may order additional tests to confirm what has caused your symptoms. For instance, they may check your thyroid function, neurons, electrolyte levels, and heart health. Alcoholic-related neuropathy (ALN) is a serious and irreversible condition that can lead to severe pain and physical disability. In order to diagnose ALN, usually, several tests are needed to be performed to provide a complete and reliable diagnosis. Besides blood chemistry test and complete blood count (CBC), esophagogastroduodenoscopy is needed when a patient vomits and has nausea for an unknown reason; X-rays of the gastrointestinal tract can also be performed.