Those who have abused alcohol over a long time are at real risk of developing alcoholic neuropathy symptoms. These unpleasant symptoms are due to permanent damage being caused to nerve cells.
What Causes Alcoholic Neuropathy Symptoms?
The link between alcohol addiction and nerve damage has been known for some time.Once nerves have been damaged, the symptoms are usually permanent; although some people may find an improvement following recovery from addiction and medical intervention.
There is some disagreement among the experts as to the exact cause of the nerve damage in alcoholic neuropathy. One school of thought believes that it is the ethanol itself that causes the damage to the nerves while others feel that it is due to the bad nutritional habits so often associated with long term alcohol abuse. There have been studies on rodents that do back the idea of alcohol actually damaging the nerves.
Common Alcoholic Neuropathy Symptoms
Alcoholic neuropathy does is not usually life threatening, but it can make living more difficult. There are common symptoms that are frequently observed with alcoholic neuropathy depending on the severity of the problem. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms.
- numbness
- difficulties swallowing
- sensations of pins and needles
- ulcers on the feet and legs
- clumsiness and frequent accidents
- impotence
- incontinent of urine
- strange sensations in the body
- muscle weakness
- inability to handle heat
- body cramps
Treatment for Alcoholic Neuropathy Symptoms
It is usually not possible to cure alcoholic neuropathy but it is possible to prevent further damage and make symptoms easier to manage. Some people do seem to have improvements in symptoms following abstinence from alcohol. The way to prevent further damage is to quit alcohol. Symptoms can be treated using different medical interventions and what is needed will depend on the damage that has occurred. Frequently prescribed treatments include:
- splints, which can provide support for weakened limbs and help with movement
- physical therapy sessions
- folic acid and thiamine (vitamin B1)
- a urinary catheter for those suffering with incontinence
- pain medication as needed
Accident prevention is very important for those with alcoholic neuropathy symptoms. Limb numbness can mean that individual fail to notice when they suffer wounds to areas of the body they are unable to see. This is dangerous and simple wounds left untreated can soon lead to ulcers which are harder to treat.
The most important thing with alcoholic neuropathy is to prevent further damage to the nerves. Individuals with the symptoms should be encouraged to get help for their addiction if they are still abusing alcohol. The longer the abuse continues the worse the symptoms will become.
Sources:
Paul Garrigan - I'm a full-time freelance writer. I originally come from Ireland, but spent my twenties in England and now live in Thailand; As well as ...
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