It’s important to share any history of alcohol use with the doctor to receive an accurate diagnosis. Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for alcohol-related neuropathy. Most treatments for the issue, then, center around minimizing any future harm to the nerves. In essence, the treatment involves taking blood from your body, then removing antibodies and proteins from the Alcoholics Anonymous blood they took and placing the blood back into your body.

Health Conditions

Alcoholic neuropathy is suggested by certain patterns, including slowing of nerve activity, reduced amplitude of nerve waves, and diminished function in the hands and feet. Only the degree of nerve damage is determined by the nerve tests; the cause of neuropathy is not. Reflexes, muscle strength, sensibility (including light touch, pinprick, vibration, and position awareness), and coordination are all tested during a thorough physical and neurological examination. People with alcoholic neuropathy typically have decreased sensitivity and reflexes. Heat sensitivity, unusual feelings like “pins alcohol neuropathy and needles,” and numbness or painful sensations in the arms and legs are common signs of sensory problems. Individuals’ level of pain is determined by how severe their polyneuropathy is.

Managing the condition

• In very advanced cases of neuropathy, there may not be an improvement even after the transplant.
• You can find alcohol rehab treatment centers that will help with the detox process and provide ongoing care for your substance misuse.
• However, some people notice an improvement in symptoms a few months after discontinuing alcohol intake.
• Additionally, alcohol changes how the kidneys, liver, and stomach work, which makes it harder for the body to effectively detox waste.

Eventually, there will be a build-up of toxins in the bloodstream and tissues as the organs that process and flush out alcohol become less effective. Check out our blog posts and resource links for the latest information on substance abuse. So grab a non-alcoholic beverage, sit back, and let’s uncover the intriguing connection between alcohol and neuropathy. Motor nerves are the nerves responsible for all voluntary skeletal and somatic movement such as moving the leg or arm. Lauren Smith has worked as a journalist and copywriter for the last decade, covering a range of topics including health, energy, and technology in the US and UK.

Other areas of the body

For example, you might run your hand along a smooth surface, but your brain can’t recognize that sensation—or allow you to actually “feel” it—without the information it receives from your peripheral nerves. One such health condition among the many that heavy-sustained drinkers are potentially at risk of being diagnosed with is neuropathy, which tends to affect the peripheral nervous system in the human body. In this way, a high alcohol intake is able to both damage a person’s nervous system and, through malnutrition, prevent the body from properly maintaining and resolving that damage. Take charge of your health and make informed decisions to prevent and manage alcoholic neuropathy effectively. The challenges faced in this arena have provided her with a strong base of practice in assessment, treatment, and case management.

Sometimes alcohol causes such severe damage to the body that a liver transplant may be necessary. There are no medications that can help improve loss of sensation, strengthen muscle weakness, or assist with the coordination and balance problems caused by alcoholic neuropathy. However, some people notice an improvement in symptoms a few months after discontinuing alcohol intake. Speak with a healthcare professional if you experience symptoms of alcohol-related neuropathy or are struggling to stop drinking. Alcohol-related neuropathy is a condition caused by consuming large amounts of alcohol over a long period. The toxic effects of alcohol may damage your peripheral nerves, which play a role in movement and sensation.