Alcohol Neuropathy: Understanding Causes
Alcohol is toxic to your body and can cause a range of conditions including alcoholic neuropathy. Alcoholic neuropathy is damage to the nerves stemming from excessive alcohol intake. The exact cause is unknown, but it is most likely to be a direct poisoning of the nerves and the effects of poor nutrition associated with alcoholism.
It usually starts as an annoyance of tingling in your feet or legs that refuses to fade even after shaking them out. It can be tempting to dismiss the numbness as poor circulation or just sleeping funny. But it can actually point to something more serious.
Alcohol neuropathy occurs when long-term heavy drinking slowly strips away vital insulation from your nerves, leaving them raw and exposed to misfire. The damage often progresses slowly and silently for a while before it begins to affect how you work or hold objects.
It is a common adverse effect of chronic alcohol consumption and affects more people than most realize. In fact, almost half of heavy long-term alcohol users eventually develop this condition.
Alcoholic Neuropathy
According to the National Institute on Health, in 2021, about 29 million people in the US had an alcohol use disorder. Excessive heavy drinking can lead to the development of alcohol neuropathy. It is characterized by damage to the peripheral nerves, which helps to transmit signals between the body, spinal cord and brain.
Peripheral nerves help the body to manage important sensory and motor functions such as feeling pain and touch, moving your arms and legs, and controlling your bladder and bowel.
The burning or tingling sensations usually get your attention first leaving you feeling very uncomfortable. Alcohol damages the nerves by stripping away the protective layer around them and making them raw and exposed, similar to an exposed wire. Exposed wiring hurts.
Studies have found that up to 66% of people with a chronic alcohol use disorder may have developed some form of alcoholic neuropathy.
Often, everyday routine activities can be impacted by neuropathy. Buttoning a shirt. Gauging if the shower water is too hot before stepping in. Navigating uneven ground without tripping. Picking up small objects like coins from a flat table. All of these small movements can be impacted.
Alcoholic Neuropathy Symptoms
- Arms and Legs – numbness, muscle spasms, cramps, abnormal sensations like pins and needles, foot drop, weakness and loss of balance and coordination
- Urinary and Bowel – constipation, diarrhea, difficulty urinating and feeling when the bladder hasn’t been fully emptied
- Slow reflexes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Heat intolerance
What causes Alcoholic Neuropathy?
Alcohol neuropathy is caused by multiple factors. It can be linked to nutritional deficiencies, alcohol metabolism and direct toxic effects on neurons in the body. When alcohol enters the bloodstream from the digestive system, it can take up to 5 minutes or so after consumption. Peak absorption reaches around 30 to 90 minutes. This is when alcohol starts to do its damage.
Alcohol toxicity. Alcohol is a toxic substance. It is harmful to the body, especially when taken excessively. It causes all kinds of issues, ranging from oxidative stress and inflammation throughout various systems in the body.
The direct chemical attack works to slowly dissolve the protective insulation known as the myelin. This coating surrounding the nerves helps to ensure electrical signals travel quickly and accurately throughout the body. Without this shield, nerve impulses begin to leak or short-circuit. This causes the painful misfires leading to the sensations of tingling and needles.
Lack of nutrition. Excessive alcohol consumption can make you feel less hungry and also makes it more difficult for the body to absorb essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. It essentially causes malnutrition. When drinking alcohol, you are basically starving your body of the materials (vitamins and minerals) needed to fix the damaged nerves.
Many alcoholics become deficient in Thiamine. Thiamine is an important vitamin essential for carbohydrate metabolism and neuron development. Your nerves need thiamine to function properly and communicate effectively. Lack of thiamine can damage the nervous system and impact your entire cellular structure.
Ultimately, your body is being attacked on two different fronts: the toxins destroying the existing infrastructure, and the nutritional blockage preventing repairs to the damage. The damage will accelerate and the body will lose its natural ability to heal itself.
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How long does it take to develop and can you heal from Alcoholic Neuropathy?
There is no set amount of time for alcoholic neuropathy to develop. It can vary based on factors such as the amount of alcohol you drink daily and how often you drink.
Can nerve damage from alcoholic neuropathy be reversed once alcohol consumption stops? The answer is not as simple as yes or no. It is dependent on how long the nerves have been exposed to toxins from alcohol, whether the damage is just the coating or at the nerve core and how quickly your body can restore vitamin B levels.
Nerves are not like skin cells that take a few days to heal. They regenerate at a very slow pace. It usually takes around 90 days of sobriety and proper nutrition for you to notice any significant changes or a reduction in tingling or burning sensations due to neuropathy. Of course, the timeline also varies from person to person in how long it will take to recover and how much of the damage can be reversed.
Strategies for Managing Chronic Nerve Pain
The only way to stop or prevent alcohol neuropathy from developing is to stop drinking alcohol. Some people are frustrated to discover standard painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are not effective in treating pain or managing alcohol related nerve pain. This is because the pain is not caused by muscle inflammation.
It is important to seek professional care when dealing with nerve issues. It may be recommended to start including targeted supplements in your diet that help boost vitamin B12 and B6. These vitamins help to repair the damaged nerve insulation.
Other changes you can make are by adjusting your daily environment. Use lukewarm water to soak your foot to soothe nerve endings without burning your skin. Switch to loose-fitting clothing or seamless socks to prevent constriction and friction against sensitive skin where nerves tingle and prick. Wear shoes with a wider toe box to prevent crowding and triggering shooting pains. And perform gentle movement daily to stretch and improve blood flow throughout the body.
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcoholic neuropathy doesn’t have to be a permanent sentence of decline. Every day without alcohol gives time for your nerves to heal. In order to start that process, you need to recognize that your relationship with alcohol is dangerous.
Professional behavioral programs like Hotel California by the Sea provide treatment for those with alcohol use disorder. We offer treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT and family therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals in sobriety and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000714.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499856
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/alcohol-related-neuropathy
https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/alcoholic-neuropathy
https://www.verywellhealth.com/alcoholic-neuropathy-5225168
