Peripheral neuropathy happens when the nerves that are located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) are damaged. This condition often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It also can affect other areas and body functions including digestion and urination. Electrical nerve stimulation sends a small electrical current through the skin and nerves that can help with sensitivities and pain, making it an option for treatment.
Vitamin E
Long-term heavy alcohol use, particularly when accompanied by nutritional deficiencies, can damage the body’s nerves, leading to a host of painful and debilitating symptoms. Alcoholic neuropathy can affect both sensory and motor nerves, causing pain, hypersensitivity, numbness, muscle weakness, and lack of coordination and fine motor controls, largely in the extremities. Nine studies reported EMG findings in alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy patients. Reduced recruitment pattern of motor units was a frequently reported outcome 16, 28, 67, 70. Active denervation (presence of positive waves and fibrillations) was also present in the majority of patients.
Treatment
This study aimed to investigate the association between NAION and the onset of depression using a large-scale nationwide cohort in South Korea. For those who have insurance, using health insurance to pay for rehab should cover at least some of the cost of addiction treatment. Depending on your individual insurance plan, treatment at a specific facility may or may not be covered.
Alcohol Use Disorders and Neurological Illnesses
There are several possible causes of neuropathy, and knowing about a person’s alcohol intake can help the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for alcohol-related neuropathy. By Heidi Moawad, MDHeidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders.
General Health
Physical therapy and orthopedic appliances (such as splints) may be needed to maintain muscle function and limb position. Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Seeking help for what causes alcoholic neuropathy addiction may seem daunting and possibly even scary, but there are several organizations that can provide support. We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain.
The data, however, is conflicting as to the role which malnutrition plays. 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. Deficiency of vitamins other than thiamine may also contribute to clinical features of alcoholic neuropathy. Chronic alcoholism can alter the intake, absorption and utilization of various nutrients (nicotinic acid, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate or vitamin E). Thus, these vitamin deficiencies were not considered to be major causal factors of neuropathy 26.
- People should note that while “alcoholic neuropathy” is the current medical term, some healthcare professionals are beginning to use the term “alcohol-related neuropathy” to decrease stigma surrounding the condition.
- Regarding the parasympathetic division of ANS, most of the studies are focused on the assessment of nerve conduction mainly in oculomotor and vagus nerves; these include pupil cycle time (PCT) and cardiovascular reflex tests correspondingly 160.
Our findings demonstrate a significant association between NAION and an increased risk of depression, especially in relatively younger patients aged 40 to 64 years. These results highlight the importance of regular monitoring and early intervention for depressive symptoms in patients with NAION. This is a retrospective, nationwide cohort study involving 145,020 subjects without NAION and 29,004 individuals with a previous NAION diagnosis. Multivariable adjustment models were employed to account for potential confounding factors.