ALCOHOL-RELATED PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY: NUTRITIONAL, TOXIC, OR BOTH?

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is a condition where nerves start to malfunction in the body due to chronic alcohol consumption. It can cause pain, muscle weakness, and reduced coordination in affected areas, sometimes to the point where it is difficult to walk and stand. Consumption of alcohol can alter the levels of certain nutrients that are essential to proper nerve function, including vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and vitamin E.

Can alcohol cause pain in your feet?

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• Antiepileptic drugs, such as the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue (gabapentin), have proven helpful in some cases of neuropathic pain.
• When this message is interrupted due to damaged nerves, the muscles cannot function as they normally would.
• Alcoholic neuropathy is one of the most common adverse effects of chronic alcohol consumption.
• This could lead to disability, chronic pain, and damage to your arms and legs.

Does alcoholic neuropathy go away?

• Thus, there is an urgent need to screen the vitamin E isoforms, especially tocotrienol for evaluating clinical efficacy in patients with alcoholic neuropathy.
• We do not know precisely how many people are affected by alcohol neuropathy, but research has shown that at least 66% of chronic alcohol abusers may have some form of neuropathy.
• Symptoms of AAN are non-specific; in the sympathetic division, these include impairments in perspiration, orthostatic hypotension, whereas in parasympathetic hoarseness, swallowing difficulties, or cardiac arrhythmias 111, 166.

This hypothesis is largely based on observations first made over eight decades ago when it was demonstrated that thiamine deficiency (beriberi) neuropathy was clinically similar to ALN. We reviewed the evidence on both sides and conclude that ALN should be regarded as a toxic rather than nutritional neuropathy. Malnutrition has been implicated in the pathology of alcohol-related neuropathy by several authors. The majority of studies which investigate the relationship between malnutrition and neuropathy focus on thiamine deficiency as an aetiological factor, drawing upon existing knowledge of Beri Beri. A smaller number of publications do attribute thiamine deficiency, but generally speaking these studies were older or of lower quality evidence 4, 6, 30, 58, 76, 77.

• Epidermal nerve fibre density was assessed in two studies, both of which supported decremental nerve fibre density distally in the lower limb, anecdotally supportive of a length-dependent pattern 53, 63.
• ALN has clinical and electrophysiological features distinct from but overlapping with neuropathy from pure thia-mine deficiency (beriberi).
• Glutamate concentrations are elevated in the superficial dorsal horn of rats after chronic ligature of the sciatic nerve 79.
• Thiamine deficiency is closely related to chronic alcoholism and can induce neuropathy in alcoholic patients.

Related MedlinePlus Health Topics

Alcohol-related neuropathy is characterized by damage to the peripheral nerves, which transmit signals between the body, spinal marijuana addiction cord, and brain. Secondly, alcohol toxicity in the blood damages myelin sheath, the protective covering around nerves. Over time, enough damage occurs to disrupt electrical transmissions between nerve cells. In order to diagnose ALN, usually, several tests are needed to be performed to provide a complete and reliable diagnosis.

Alcoholic neuropathy, also known as alcoholic peripheral neuropathy, refers to damage of the nerves due to chronic and excessive alcohol consumption. Affected nerves include the peripheral nerves, alcoholic neuropathy primarily located in the arms and legs, and the autonomic nerves, which help regulate our internal body functions. Treatment of ALN aims to reduce further damage to the peripheral nerves and restore their normal functioning. What is crucial during ALN treatment is the alleviation of the major causation of ALN which is alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse treatment might lead to a resolution of neuropathic pain and alleviation of its symptoms. This can be achieved by complete alcohol abstinence and a balanced diet primarily supplemented by B6, B12, and E vitamins, as well as folate, thiamine, and niacin.