Alcoholic neuropathy: possible mechanisms and future treatment possibilities PMC

alcohol neuropathy treatment

The sometimes-conflicting findings between biopsy findings may be representative of the complex interplay of pathological factors in alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy and is indicative of the need for further research in this area. If your doctor confirms a diagnosis of alcoholic neuropathy, they will discuss treatment options, including help for alcohol use disorder. Because the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy can be similar to those of other conditions, your doctor may first rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. In general, it takes years for alcoholic neuropathy to develop, so a long-standing history of heavy alcohol use is typical.

The Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy and Treatment Options

alcohol neuropathy treatment

It has previously been considered in relationship to nutritional, especially thiamine, deficiencies seen in alcoholics. Thiamine deficiency is closely related to chronic alcoholism and can induce neuropathy in alcoholic patients. Ethanol diminishes thiamine absorption in the intestine, reduces hepatic stores of thiamine and affects the phosphorylation of thiamine, which converts it to its active form [12]. In addition, patients with chronic alcoholism tend to consume smaller amounts of essential nutrients and vitamins and/or exhibit impaired gastrointestinal absorption of these nutrients secondary to the direct effects of alcohol. These relationships make chronic alcoholism a risk factor for thiamine deficiency.

Decreased Sensation

  • Alcoholic polyneuropathy is progressive and gets worse over time, as the damage to the nerves increases with continued alcohol abuse.
  • This commonly presents with pain, paresthesias, and ataxia in the distal lower extremities.
  • Treatment of ALN aims to reduce further damage to the peripheral nerves and restore their normal functioning.
  • All RCTs that were included As well as this, where interventional studies are cited a clear description of their design is in text to allow the reader to evaluate that articles risk of bias.
  • A healthcare professional can offer support for people with alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol misuse can lead to neurological damage that can affect multiple areas of a person’s health and well-being. The best way to avoid the issue is to limit alcoholic consumption alcohol neuropathy to 2 or fewer drinks per day for males and 1 or fewer for females. You may need to be sedated for more than a week until the alcohol withdrawal symptoms go away.

Types and symptoms of alcohol-related neurologic disease

alcohol neuropathy treatment

In addition to thiamine deficiency, recent studies indicate a direct neurotoxic effect of ethanol or its metabolites. Axonal degeneration has been documented in rats receiving ethanol while maintaining normal thiamine status [5]. Human studies have also suggested a direct toxic effect, since a dose-dependent relationship has been observed between severity of neuropathy and total life time dose of ethanol [6, 13]. The exact mechanism behind alcoholic neuropathy is not well understood, but several explanations have been proposed.

alcohol neuropathy treatment

Later, the results have been supported by Victor and Adams (1961)—among 12 patients with ALN, neuropathic symptoms were alleviated just after thiamine supplementation, even though the alcohol consumption was previously completely reduced [149]. Koike et al. (2003) compared clinical and histological differences between ALN with and without thiamine deficiency [65]. Also, the results of the group of 32 patients with non-alcoholic thiamine deficiency neuropathy were considered. Thiamine deficiency resulted in the progression of sensory dysfunctions; further, histological examination of the sural nerves revealed the loss of small nerve fibers and segmental demyelination.

alcohol neuropathy treatment

Muscle Weakness

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  • This can be permanent, as alcohol can cause changes to the nerves themselves.
  • However, experts still do not have a full understanding of how alcoholic neuropathy happens, which can make treatment challenging.
  • The percentage of alcohol-dependent patients affected by ALN is estimated to be 66% [50, 51].
  • One patient with grade III neuropathy responded with the correction of low circulating vitamin B6.

Symptoms may include numbness and tingling in the limbs, muscle weakness, and loss of mobility. Alcoholic neuropathy occurs when too much alcohol damages the peripheral nerves. This can be permanent, as alcohol can cause changes to the nerves themselves. Deficiencies in B6 and B12, thiamine, folate, niacin, and vitamin E can make it worse. Caspases, or cysteine-aspartic acid proteases, are a family of cysteine proteases, which play an essential role in apoptosis (programmed cell death), necrosis and inflammation.

  • Avoiding alcohol is the best way to treat these conditions and relieve symptoms.
  • 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.
  • Nerves don’t have a resilient ability to regenerate if they are severely damaged.
  • While one may find relief from conventional treatment, the addictive nature or side effects of some medications makes it undesirable to use it for the long term.

Patients with non-alcoholic thiamine deficiency neuropathy showed more abrupt onset of symptoms, mainly in a form of motor dysfunctions; biopsy showed damage to greater fibers with subperineurial edema. ALN with thiamine deficiency https://ecosoberhouse.com/ was manifested as a variable mixture of these symptoms. It was proposed that ALN pathogenesis, besides thiamine deficiency itself, could be due to its inappropriate use in the organism or transketolase deficiency [150].

ALN and Gender

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