Alcoholic Neuropathy: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments

The diagnosis of alcoholic neuropathy involves a combination of medical history, physical examination, and possibly blood tests or nerve tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCV). Thiamine, folate, niacin, vitamins B6 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-neuropathy-symptoms-and-treatment/ and B12, and vitamin E are all needed for proper nerve function. Drinking too much can alter levels of these nutrients and affect the spread of alcoholic neuropathy. Fortunately, abstaining from alcohol can help restore your nutritional health.

These symptoms often respond poorly to treatment in people with alcoholic neuropathy. Medicines may be needed to treat pain or uncomfortable sensations due to nerve damage. They will be prescribed the smallest dose of medicine needed to reduce symptoms. This may help prevent drug dependence and other side effects of chronic use. Other studies have shown a direct, negative effect from alcohol and its many metabolites on the nervous system. Axonal degeneration and demyelination of neurons were seen in both humans and lab mice receiving alcohol.

Antidepressants for the alleviation of neuropathic pain symptoms

Apart from above function, over-activation of epsilon form of protein kinase C (PKCε) is known to be involved in mediating neuropathic pain, such as pain induced by cancer chemotherapy (vincristine) [56] and diabetes [57]. PKC and protein kinase A (PKA) are both known to be important in nociceptor function [57–59]. There are several studies suggesting the involvement of protein kinases in alcoholic neuropathy. Dina et al. [16] maintained rats on a diet to simulate chronic alcohol consumption in humans and found mechanical hyperalgesia by the fourth week which was maximal at 10 weeks.

People who drink too much may start to feel pain and tingling in their limbs. It doesn’t happen overnight, but diabetes can cause nerve damage, especially if your blood sugar is out of control. A restricted or poor diet or health problems such as Crohn’s disease are some reasons you may not get enough vitamins. This includes activities https://ecosoberhouse.com/ such as typing, playing tennis, or any activity that repeatedly uses a certain part of the body (like your wrist or elbow). This can cause your ligaments, tendons, and muscles to become inflamed and swollen. ALN can manifest differently, and patients might experience one, two, or even more clinical manifestations of ALN.

Continuing Education Activity

Four studies addressed the management of patients with alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy. These studies addressed abstinence from alcohol consumption and administration of vitamins. Based on these studies, it can be determined that there is a high rate of peripheral neuropathy amongst chronic alcohol abusers. It also appears that the addition of NCS may improve the identification of alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy.

Even though much research was done in this area, still we do not have a full understanding of the mechanism of alcoholic neuropathy. These include direct or indirect effects of alcohol metabolites, impaired axonal transport, suppressed excitatory nerve pathway activity, or imbalance in neurotransmitters. Activation of spinal cord microglia, mGlu5 spinal cord receptors, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis also seem to be implicated in the pathophysiology of this alcoholic neuropathy. The goal of treatment is to impede further damage to the peripheral nerves while also restoring their normal physiology.

Direct toxic effects of ethanol or its metabolites (direct toxicity)

This test is commonly used in studies of neuropathic disorders, and it is easily replicable. Regeneration of peripheral nerves takes time and requires the patient and interprofessional team to collaborate to improve the patient’s symptoms. Abstinence from alcohol as a part of the treatment plan will help provide the best outcome to enhance the patient’s quality of life. 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. Important in carbohydrate metabolism and neuron function, vitamin B3 (niacin) may also be decreased.

1 shows the intake profile of alcohol solution and water by the animals of the two groups. 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 3 billion people consume alcohol worldwide (Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, 2016). In order to diagnose ALN, usually, several tests are needed to be performed to provide a complete and reliable diagnosis.

Synthesis of results

These studies correlated the autonomic alterations with the total alcohol dose and the number of doses multiplied by the consumption period (El-Mas and Abdel-Rahman, 2013; de Zambotti et al., 2015). In our study, it was not possible to detect all autonomic alterations because the consumption period was not long enough to induce these types of alterations, which should occur after a consumption of alcohol greater than those observed in our animals. 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.

• Glutamate concentrations are elevated in the superficial dorsal horn of rats after chronic ligature of the sciatic nerve [79].
• Chronic alcoholism can alter the intake, absorption and utilization of various nutrients (nicotinic acid, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate or vitamin E).
• Since nutritional deficiencies are partly to blame for alcoholic neuropathy, supplementation with vitamin B12, folate, vitamin E, and thiamine may be recommended.
• These include vascular disorders (which affect your body’s blood vessels), kidney problems, cancer, benign tumors, and other diseases.
• An inpatient detox may be suggested when a person’s alcohol use disorder is very severe.