The two other patients died as a result of complications indirectly related to their hypoglycemia-induced neurological changes. Therefore, to avoid alcohol-related hypoglycemia and its consequences, diabetics should consume alcohol only with or shortly after meals. Alcoholic neuropathy is a primary axonal neuropathy characterized by wallerian degeneration of the axons and a reduction in the myelination of neural fibers. alcohol neuropathy 7 Controversy surrounds the pathogenic role of alcohol in development of this neuropathy.
Peripheral Neuropathy
- Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask about symptoms.
- Excessive alcohol consumption drains these nutrient stores, causing deficiencies.
- But if you have developed neuropathy as a result of alcohol use, it’s important to stop drinking as soon as possible.
- Therefore, alcoholic neuropathy may occur by a combination of the direct toxic effects of ethanol or its metabolites and nutritional deficiencies, including thiamine deficiency.
- If left untreated, alcoholic neuropathy can become more severe and affect a person’s overall quality of life.
- In three patients, those changes did not reverse, even after months or years.
Alcoholic polyneuropathy is a neurological disorder in which peripheral nerves throughout the body malfunction simultaneously. It is defined by axonal degeneration in neurons of both the sensory and motor systems and initially occurs at the distal ends of the longest axons in the body. This nerve damage causes an individual to experience pain and motor weakness, first in the feet and hands and then progressing centrally.
Causes of alcoholic neuropathy
26 This study used the sural sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude (ie, nerve conduction study) as the variable measure to detect significant neuropathy in a population of males and females with chronic alcoholism. This study suggested that females may demonstrate increased sensitivity to the toxic effects of alcohol on peripheral nerves. Behse & Buchthal 31 compared 37 Danish patients with alcoholic neuropathy with six patients with nonalcoholic post gastrectomy polyneuropathy.
Nutritional factors responsible for alcoholic neuropathy (indirect toxicity)
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. Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were also present with decreased mechanical threshold of C-fibres. The hyperalgesia was acutely attenuated by intradermal injection of nonselective PKC or selective PKCε inhibitors injected at the site of nociceptive testing. Western immunoblot analysis indicated a higher level of PKCε in dorsal root ganglia from alcohol-fed rats, supporting a role for enhanced PKCε second messenger signalling in nociceptors contributing to alcohol-induced hyperalgesia 16.
Treatment Planning
There is damage to the nerves due to the direct toxic effect of alcohol and the malnutrition induced by it. Patients present with pain, ataxia, and paresthesias in the lower extremities. This activity describes the evaluation and management of alcoholic neuropathy and reviews the role of the interprofessional team in improving care for patients with this condition. Generally, alcoholic neuropathy is a bit of an umbrella term used to describe any deterioration of the body’s nerve cells due to high levels of alcohol abuse. As such, you might be a bit confused if you hear the terms “alcoholic neuropathy” and “alcoholic polyneuropathy” used interchangeably.
It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional if you experience any symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Early diagnosis and treatment can help increase your chances of fully recovering. Alcoholism, now called alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a condition in which you have difficulty stopping or managing your alcohol intake despite experiencing negative consequences. Alcoholic neuropathy is a condition in which drinking too much alcohol causes damage to nerve tissue.
- Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of protein kinases consisting of approximately 10 isozymes.
- We’ve all heard the devastating effects of alcohol dependence on the body and the mind.
- For some people, alcoholic neuropathy may be partially reversible, but this depends on several factors.
- Parental family history is a risk factor for developing this condition.
Other areas of the body
It slows down our functional work and does not allow us to live fully. It has a negative effect and contributes to the reduction of gray matter, which is necessary. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol-related neuropathy or alcohol misuse or addiction, it’s important to know that help is available.
Abstinence from https://ecosoberhouse.com/ alcohol generally leads to normalization of the triglyceride levels, unless the person has an underlying genetic predisposition for hypertriglyceridemia. Proper nerve health depends on a balance of salts and chemicals in the blood. No matter what caused a particular person’s neuropathy, drinking makes things worse. That’s because the kidneys depend on having the right amount of water to function. Excessive alcohol consumption drains these nutrient stores, causing deficiencies.
In a milder form, ketoacidosis may even occur in people who are fasting. In those people, insulin levels are diminished, because the fasting has considerably lowered their blood sugar levels, thereby depriving the pancreas of its stimulus to produce and secrete insulin. Numerous studies have investigated alcohol’s effects on the control of blood sugar levels in diabetics.
This study is reported in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines 7. Statistical calculation of pooled proportions was conducted in R language, using the default settings of the “meta” package and the “metaprop” function with a random effects model 8. Your health care provider will perform a physical Drug rehabilitation exam and ask about symptoms. As axons break down, the nerve fibers become less dense and cannot function properly. By Heidi Moawad, MDHeidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders.