How Long Does Alcoholic Neuropathy Take To Go Away
Though not associated with alcohol in every single case, alcoholic neuropathy is often associated with chronic heavy drinking and a poor diet.
When an individual is afflicted with alcoholic neuropathy, they are known to have nerve damage – a serious issue that can worsen significantly and often take long periods of time to overcome.
Neuropathy itself refers to any nerve damage that occurs in areas of the body other than the brain and the spinal cord.
In many cases, the nerve damage caused by alcoholic neuropathy cannot be reversed and many individuals are left with lifelong nerve damage in specific areas.
Generally, alcoholic neuropathy is known to affect the feet and move upwards from there, though this can take years in some cases – especially if the individual is struggling with an alcohol addiction as well.
Also known as alcoholism, an alcohol addiction can greatly increase the risk of an individual developing alcoholic neuropathy due to the increased alcohol in the individual’s system, but this will be covered in more detail across this blog post.
Symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy
As mentioned in the introduction, alcoholic neuropathy often develops slowly and over a long period of time. This can make it hard to act on or to diagnose, so being aware of changes in the body such as this is vital for making an effective treatment programme if needed in the future.
Starting at the body’s lower extremities such as the feet and legs, alcoholic neuropathy can take years to develop in some cases, with symptoms slowly worsening over time.
In some cases, this is even more of an issue as the slow worsening of the issue may not warrant the individual’s concern until their symptoms are far more severe.
The following subheadings outline some of the main ways in which alcoholic neuropathy can affect an individual, split into the sensory, motor, and autonomic issues that the condition can cause.
1. Sensory effects
This is the main way in which an individual may begin to notice changes in their body as a result of alcoholic neuropathy.
When suffering from alcoholic neuropathy, individuals may experience such sensations as numbness in the feet or toes, the feeling of ‘pins and needles’ in the same areas, and extreme warmth pain radiating from the feet themselves.
This can cause extreme sensitivity in these areas also, making other areas of the individual’s life difficult to progress with.
For example, if the individual has pain and unpleasant tingling in their feet, then even the pressure of bedsheets or covers could cause them extreme pain – something which can begin to impact other areas of the individual’s life.
2. Motor effects
Once alcoholic neuropathy advances in severity, individuals may also begin to notice a number of other changes to their sensations and abilities.
For example, muscle cramps in the feet and legs are common amongst individuals struggling with alcoholic neuropathy. This can cause a lot of discomfort when the individual is trying to engage in other activities or responsibilities as a part of their daily life.
In addition, serious cases of alcoholic neuropathy can lead to weakness in the feet’s muscles (including toes and vital ligaments), as well as muscle loss (atrophy) and, as a result, develop issues with walking and/or balance.
This can seriously impact an individual’s quality of life, as well as their general mental wellbeing.
3. Autonomic effects
As a final category of effects, autonomic effects of alcoholic neuropathy are amongst the most serious.
Autonomic refers to processes that happen automatically within the body such the regulation of bodily functions including heart rate, breathing, and digestion.
When alcoholic neuropathy is left untreated or unacknowledged, it can advance significantly. In severe cases, this can lead to organ failure, breathing restrictions, irregular heartbeat, and many other issues – some of which can be life-threatening.
What causes alcoholic neuropathy?
So, what is the cause of alcoholic neuropathy?
In most studies, nutritional deficiency and the direct impact of ethanol in the body are found to be responsible, though this is also heavily influenced by the individual’s thiamine status (1).
Thiamine is a vital chemical within the body that helps the body to convert food into energy. This chemical is not stored or produced in large quantities, meaning that the constant level of this chemical is vital to an individual’s ability to process food and efficiently convert it into energy.
Alcohol is known to greatly impede thiamine’s role in the body, meaning that the nerves of the body that rely on energy to process correctly can experience a deficiency, leading to neuropathy.
How are individuals diagnosed with alcoholic neuropathy?
Often, the testing process for alcoholic neuropathy is extensive and occurs after a number of other tests to ensure that the individual is not suffering with a different condition or two or more co-occurring conditions, for example.
Common conditions that can be confused with alcoholic neuropathy include diabetes, kidney issues, and hypothyroidism, which must all be tested for and ruled out before beginning any additional treatment and/or making an official diagnosis.
Common tests to diagnose alcoholic neuropathy include:
- Blood tests
- Full physical examination
- Full neurological examination
- Nerve conduction studies/electromyography (EMG)
- Nerve biopsies (in some cases)
Treating alcoholic neuropathy: what is the process?
As mentioned previously across this blog post, nerve damage is often permanent and the effects of this can last many years in extreme cases.
Therefore, most treatment programmes focus on ensuring that no further damage is caused, and that any symptoms that the individual is currently struggling with are treated and managed as effectively as possible.
The following treatments are commonly suggested to individuals who are diagnosed with alcoholic neuropathy:
- Nutritional replenishment – often done in high doses, this treatment involves supporting the body in ‘restocking’ vital chemicals. This includes thiamine supplements, as well as other vitamin B-rich chemicals. These supplements are always prescribed.
- Pain management – as one of the main symptoms, ensuring that an individual is not in pain is a key feature of alcoholic neuropathy treatment. This can be done with over-the-counter prescriptions, as well as stronger prescription painkillers.
- Abstinence – as a final treatment style, individuals who are struggling with alcoholic neuropathy are often encouraged to stop consuming alcohol completely – though this should always be done in a safe and supported way to avoid such complications as alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) (2) and other alcohol withdrawal-related complications. These can be life-threatening if not managed and supported correctly, meaning that individuals should always seek professional medical advice before beginning any form of rehabilitation and/or withdrawal.
Further rehabilitative support through Rehab Recovery
To learn more about alcoholic neuropathy and its impacts on individuals, as well as more about addiction (alcoholism) and rehabilitation, get in touch with Rehab Recovery today.
With years of experience in helping individuals to find the most suitable rehabilitation and recovery programme for them, we aim to match individuals to the most suitable form of treatment or rehabilitation for them.
To find out how we can help you or someone you know, call us on 0800 088 66 86 today.
References
[1] Koike, H. and Sobue, G., 2006. Alcoholic neuropathy. Current opinion in neurology, 19(5), pp.481-486.
[2] Bayard, M., Mcintyre, J., Hill, K.R. and Woodside, J., 2004. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome. American family physician, 69(6), pp.1443-1450.
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