Diabetic and alcoholic polyneuropathy with nerve damage. Alcoholic polyneuropathy

– multiple damage to peripheral nerves in alcoholism. Usually occurs in the later stages of alcoholism. Accompanied by muscle weakness, sensory disturbances and ataxia. Increased sweating is possible. Swelling, changes in temperature and coloration of the distal extremities are often observed. In some cases, mental disorders occur. It develops gradually, less often acutely. With treatment, symptoms are reduced over several months or years. Vitamin therapy, metabolic therapy and physiotherapy are provided. If you give up alcohol, the prognosis is quite favorable.

ICD-10

G62.1

General information

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is a disease accompanied by simultaneous damage to a large number of peripheral nerves. According to statistics, polyneuropathy, accompanied by neurological symptoms, is detected in 10-30% of patients suffering from alcoholism. When conducting a comprehensive electromyographic study, certain disorders indicating the presence of an asymptomatic form of alcoholic polyneuropathy are detected in the majority of chronic alcoholics.

Men suffer from clinical forms of polyneuropathy more often than women. In most cases, a chronic or subacute course is observed. Sometimes the disease develops acutely, against the background of binge drinking or hypothermia. The duration of the disease can vary significantly and range from several months to several years. The outcome largely depends on timely treatment and cessation of alcohol consumption. Alcoholic polyneuropathy often causes disability, which can subsequently be removed if treatment results are satisfactory. Treatment of this disease is carried out by neurologists in collaboration with specialists in the field of addiction.

Reasons for development

The main reasons for the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy are: the toxic effect of alcohol on the body, lack of B vitamins, nutritional disorders, increased blood sugar and hereditary characteristics of the patient’s metabolism. Pathology, as a rule, occurs in patients with the third, less often – with the second stage of alcoholism. The likelihood of symptoms of polyneuropathy increases when taking low-quality alcohol, denatured alcohol and all kinds of chemical liquids containing ethyl alcohol.

With constant consumption of alcohol, a toxic intermediate product of the breakdown of ethanol, acetaldehyde, accumulates in the patient’s body. It has a destructive effect on all organs and tissues, including the axons of nerve cells. The rate of accumulation of acetaldehyde is largely determined by hereditarily determined metabolic characteristics - the body’s ability to produce acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase (enzymes involved in the processing of ethanol).

The situation is aggravated by a deficiency of vitamin B1, which is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses, acts as an antioxidant, prevents cell destruction (including nerve tissue cells) and affects the processing of alcohol in the liver. Lack of vitamin B1 is due to a whole range of reasons, including insufficient or unbalanced nutrition associated with decreased appetite, binge drinking, financial difficulties and inattention to one’s health; deterioration in the absorption of vitamin B1 in the intestine; dysfunction of liver cells, etc.

Classification

All disorders develop gradually, pathological changes in the peripheral nervous system occur long before the appearance of the first clinical symptoms. Taking into account the severity of these changes, as well as the presence or absence of clinical symptoms, 4 stages of polyneuropathy are distinguished:

Stage 0– polyneuropathy is absent. Signs of pathology are not detected even during special studies (electromyography, quantitative vegetative and sensory testing).
Stage 1– asymptomatic polyneuropathy. There are no clinical signs, but special studies indicate the presence of pathological changes.
Stage 2– clinically significant polyneuropathy. The disease can be diagnosed based on complaints and objective examination; there is no pronounced functional defect.
Stage 3– polyneuropathy with severe functional impairment. Working capacity is reduced or lost.

Symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy

The first manifestations of alcoholic polyneuropathy are usually paresthesia - sensory disturbances, manifested by a feeling of slight numbness, crawling and tingling. Patients complain that they “rested their leg” when sitting for a long time or “rested their arm” while sleeping. In the initial stages of polyneuropathy, paresthesia appears only after prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position, and therefore often does not cause much concern in patients.

Subsequently, the incidence and severity of paresthesia increases. Temperature and pain sensitivity decrease, numbness becomes constant and gradually spreads in the proximal direction. Patients with severe polyneuropathy say that their hands and feet feel as if they are wearing gloves and socks that reduce sensitivity. When walking, a feeling of movement “on a cushion of air” is created. When working with your hands, objects are difficult to perceive by touch. The symptom can progress either abruptly (over about a month) or gradually (over a year or more).

Paresthesia can be combined with progressive muscle weakness, which also spreads in an ascending direction. In some cases, the clinical picture is dominated by muscle weakness, and paresthesia fades into the background. Sensory and muscle disorders in the lower extremities are detected in almost all patients. The upper extremities are involved in the process in approximately 50% of cases. When thick, fast-conducting nerve fibers are damaged, not only temperature and pain, but also vibration sensitivity, as well as muscle-articular sensation, are affected. In severe cases, paralysis occurs.

Diagnostics

A neurological examination reveals an increase in tendon reflexes in the early stages, and a decrease in the later stages. Skin and pain sensitivity is reduced. Muscle tone is reduced, and in the presence of muscle disorders, atrophy quickly develops. Sometimes contractures form in the distal limbs. Damage to the calf muscles is often observed, accompanied by increased pain upon palpation of the muscles and pressure on the area of passage of the nerves innervating this anatomical region. As an additional method to confirm the diagnosis of polyneuropathy, electromyography, quantitative autonomic and sensory testing are used.

Treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy

Treatment includes complete abstinence from drinking alcohol and proper nutrition. Patients are prescribed B vitamins in tablets and injections, antioxidants, antihypoxants, and agents to improve microcirculation and nerve conduction. For intense pain, analgesics are used, sometimes anticonvulsants and antidepressants. Conduct

Numerous studies indicate that over 75% of the total number of identified cases of neuropathy are caused by the body’s response to long-term (from 5 years) consumption of drinks containing ethyl alcohol. The severity of the disease is directly related to the amount of ethanol regularly consumed by a person.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is a toxic lesion of the peripheral nervous system of non-inflammatory origin, manifested by dysfunction of many nerves, as well as disruption of the activity of the brain and spinal cord.

The disease causes structural changes in neurons - the functional units of the nervous system. It is difficult to predict how many nerves such a lesion will affect.

The severity of the disease can be determined by the severity of neurological disorders.

Forms and varieties of the disease

Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system as a result of the development of alcoholic neuropathy lead to changes in the functionality of human limbs. In this regard, doctors identify several forms of the disease:

sensory form - a stage of neuropathy in which a change in the sensitivity of the tissues and muscles of the limbs occurs. Most often, the disease begins in the legs, but sometimes it also affects the arms. It manifests itself not only as discomfort, but also as painful sensations that periodically increase. In addition, over time, the limbs are affected by vegetative-vascular pathologies;
motor form - characterized by impaired motor function of the lower and upper extremities. As a rule, it is accompanied by a feeling of numbness and burning in the tissues, but the patient is most worried about poor flexion of the knees, elbow joints, hands and feet; even muscle atrophy is possible;
mixed form - both changes are observed. This worsening of the disease occurs in the later stages in the absence of treatment. The patient develops hypotension and decreased reflexes in the limbs.

Most often, patients are affected by alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities, which is caused by constant stress on the legs, even if the person leads a passive lifestyle. However, in advanced cases, the hands also lose sensitivity and their mobility is impaired.

A doctor can determine the form of the disease based on the patient’s symptoms and complaints. The later you seek help from a specialist, the more difficult and longer the treatment process will be.

Briefly about the process of disease recognition

Diagnosis of polyneuropathy is carried out by a doctor by interviewing and examining the patient, considering the results of a venous blood test (laboratory tests can reveal the degree of liver damage by determining the level of transaminases). Vitamin deficiency is clarified by studying blood serum.

The dynamics of the disease is monitored by ENMG. Electroneuromyography allows us to identify the presence of a degenerative process in peripheral nerves and the degree of tissue damage to the latter.

The most important signs on the basis of which a diagnosis is made include:

progressive muscle weakness;
tendon areflexia;
symmetry of violations.

Symptoms of the disease

In the observed patients, the disease manifests itself at the initial stage with acute tingling in the feet and toes, the legs begin to go numb, and a sharp tension occurs in the calf muscles.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy at the initial stage can affect itself during a sudden change in body position or excessive physical stress on a weak, alcohol-soaked body.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities occurs as a result of complete or partial depletion of muscle mass and their fibrous structure, which ultimately leads to complete paralysis and complete inability to move independently. The same picture can be observed with the upper limbs, but this is observed in rare cases.

At the onset of the disease, symptoms of neuropathy can manifest themselves as pain in the calves, sometimes cramps in the fingers and weakness in the lower extremities. A person may feel as if he has been knocked down.

He breaks out in a sweat. The whole body is covered with perspiration.

Blue discoloration is observed on the surface of the skin in the foot area. Speech becomes sluggish and incoherent.

The manifestation of dry skin and excessive peeling of the lower extremities leads to itching and constant scratching, resulting in the formation of small wounds and ulcers on the body. The patient cannot shake the feeling that he is wearing mittens and socks.

Such symptoms can lead to mental disorders and depression. It is possible that a person with such symptoms begins to talk, talk about a non-existent reality, and loses orientation in space.

The main danger of alcoholic polyneuropathy is that patients, while under the influence of alcohol, rarely pay attention to their own sensations until severe pain or serious discomfort appears.

Such symptoms are typical for late, advanced stages of neuropathy, when medical intervention is vital to preserve the patient’s health.

Alcoholic neuropathy is a disease whose symptoms increase gradually. Alcoholic polyneuropathy affects the nervous system, and this is a determining factor in the clinical course of the disease.

At the very beginning of the disease, the patient feels unpleasant tingling, numbness and “pins and needles” in the fingers and toes. Over time, these feelings spread to the hands and feet.

Poor circulation leads to a feeling of coldness in the legs. Muscle atrophy leads to their visually observable reduction.

Cramping cramps appear in the limbs, which intensify at night. The skin of the legs takes on a bluish, “dead” tint.

As the disease progresses, it leads to paralysis of the arms and legs. The person becomes unable to stand, cannot perform daily tasks, and is often confined to the confines of his or her bed.

Added to this is a general weakening of the body, phantom pain, similar to what people experience after amputation, pain in the calf muscles. In especially severe cases, the disease can be aggravated by mental disorders.

The disease also affects other nerves, so patients may experience visual disturbances, arrhythmias, and respiratory problems. Alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities primarily affects the legs, so with this form of the disease it becomes more difficult for a person to walk every day.

It is worth noting that, depending on the reasons for which the disease began, specific symptoms may differ, but the general ones - cramps, muscle atrophy and paralysis - remain unchanged.

When treating alcoholic neuropathy, the symptoms are gradually reduced and disappear, but in some cases residual effects similar to those in the first stage of the disease are observed.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy can have a very different clinical picture, largely depending on which nerves are involved in the pathological process. For example, the signs of damage to the ulnar nerve will be different than those with impaired functioning of the nerves of the lower extremities.

In the first case, the innervation of the arms is disrupted, in the second, swelling of the legs, unsteadiness when walking and severe pain appear. By the way, alcoholic polyneuritis has similar clinical symptoms.

Characteristic signs of alcoholic polyneuropathy:

neuropathic pain;
swelling of the arms and legs;
sensory disturbance;
decreased muscle strength;
muscle wasting;
paresthesia;
paralysis and paresis (incomplete paralysis).

The first thing a person feels is weakness in the muscles, usually manifesting itself in the morning after sleep, first the lower limbs go numb, and after a few minutes the arms begin to go numb. In some cases, numbness affects all limbs at once.

The patient's tendon reflex first sharply decreases, after which it completely stops, the Achilles reflex is most susceptible, and muscle tone deteriorates.

Alcoholic neuropathy in its advanced form is manifested by symptoms such as: muscle weakness, paresis of the lower extremities, paralysis of the hands or feet, a person may not feel objects.

At the last stage, urination worsens, the person suffers from nervous disorders, breathing is impaired, tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia appear, and blood pressure drops sharply.

A person can feel pain even in such forms of the disease when there is enough vitamin B and it settles in the foot. The nature of the pain is aching, burning sensations appear.

Along with this, a person’s gait is disturbed due to the fact that the feet become too sensitive, the foot cannot be bent inward, marbling, cyanosis, tingling, numbness in the calves, and cramps are visible on the legs.

Alcoholic neuropathy is not the only disease in which severe numbness of the limbs occurs; there are clones of this disease, namely diabetic polyneuropathy:

Diabetic polyneuropathy is characterized by blockage of blood vessels in the extremities. A person with this disease, depending on the stage, feels periodic numbness in the hands or feet, the muscles become weak, and the long sciatic, femoral, and ulnar nerves are affected. People with diabetes feel the same pain in their legs as alcoholics; they experience redness of the skin, cyanosis of the feet, the skin becomes dry, ulcers and rotting wounds form. Such patients should not drink alcohol under any circumstances. This disease is scary because, unlike alcoholic polyneuropathy, diabetic polyneuropathy cannot be cured; it progresses slowly.
Neuropathy of the lower extremities - the disease is characterized by a constant attack of numbness in the extremities, especially after a long walk, at which time the legs begin to break out, twist, and you want to constantly touch and massage them. This occurs as a result of compression of the peripheral nerves.
Neuropathy of the upper extremities is a disease similar to neuropathy of the lower extremities, the only difference being that the first disease can affect several nerves at the same time, which can lead to temporary loss of sensation in the hands.

Early diagnosis

In order to identify the disease in the early stages, the patient must have symptoms such as tendon flaccidity, muscle weakness; only on the basis of the clinical picture of the first signs can an analysis of the disease be carried out. This usually occurs when the patient is examined by a doctor at the first appointment.

Electroneuromyography allows you to identify the first signs of the disease, determines how severely the disease has developed, and whether the patient has nerve inflammation. For another examination, your doctor may order a nerve fiber biopsy. Such an examination must be done to exclude other types of polyneuropathy.

In patients with toxic alcoholic polyneuropathy, predominantly weakly myelinated fibers are affected. The clinical picture of the disease is dominated by autonomic and sensory disorders. In most patients, the earliest clinical symptoms of the disease are:

paresthesia (sensations of “tingling”, “crawling”);
numbness in the distal parts of the lower extremities;
periodic convulsive twitching of the muscles of the legs and feet.

At the same time or somewhat later, a “burning” feeling is added, neuropathic pain in the extremities, which is excruciating “burning”, “shooting” in nature, intensifies at night.

Restless legs syndrome may develop. Its clinical basis is an imperative desire to move the limbs due to unpleasant sensations in them, more pronounced at night.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The main ways to diagnose alcoholic neuropathy are by taking a medical history, analyzing complaints about existing symptoms, and examining the patient. They allow us to draw a conclusion about the presence of the disease.

Additional diagnostic methods can only confirm the initial diagnosis, identify the stage and degree of development of neuropathy, as well as other features that enable the specialist to prescribe competent and effective treatment. These examination methods include:

biopsy of a piece of nerve - taken to analyze and understand the general clinical picture of the disease;
Electroneuromyography is a hardware diagnostic method that shows detailed features of the disorder and allows you to track the dynamics of the disease.

Using a survey, the doctor collects facts about the patient’s lifestyle, finds out additional diseases that could lead to polyneuropathy (alcoholism, diabetes) and conducts a neurological examination to identify pathologies.

The exact extent of the lesion is determined using electroneuromyography (ENMG). It reveals the degree of damage to peripheral nerves, its distribution and type - chronic or acute.

ENMG also makes it possible to identify diseases such as muscle dystrophy, carpal tunnel syndrome, and amyotrophic sclerosis. ENMG also helps to monitor treatment and monitor the process of disease regression.

In some cases, a biopsy of the nerve tissue may be performed. It is also carried out if more serious diseases are suspected, in particular cancer, which helps eliminate errors in diagnosing the disease.

Together, these methods make it possible to determine the spread and severity of the disease with maximum accuracy and begin treatment in a short time.

Accurate diagnosis will allow the doctor to prescribe effective treatment. When examining, it is important to remember about diseases that are clinically similar to alcoholic polyneuropathy. This is about:

diabetic polyneuropathy;
Guillain-Barre syndrome;
chronic demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy;
hereditary forms of damage to the peripheral nervous system.

The following methods will allow you to diagnose the condition as accurately as possible and choose the right treatment:

Complete neurological examination to check the strength and sensitivity of the muscles of the legs and arms, identifying tendon reflexes;
Electroneuromyography, which allows you to determine the speed of impulse transmission to the nerve.
Computed tomography, MRI and nerve biopsy, which will confirm the accuracy of the diagnosis and exclude other serious illnesses.

The clinical symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy are nonspecific, therefore, when making a diagnosis, neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital evaluate the patient’s drug status and nutrition.

Laboratory indicators reflect the degree of damage to the liver tissue due to alcohol intoxication. Patients have elevated levels of liver transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase) or gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.

To clarify the presence of a deficiency of thiamine and other B vitamins, their concentrations in the blood serum are examined. Thiamine deficiency is confirmed by a decrease in transketolase activity of erythrocytes.

Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid reveals no changes.
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The main method for diagnosing alcoholic polyneuropathy is electroneuromyography. This innovative research method allows you to determine the level, nature and extent of damage to peripheral nerves.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is characterized by generalized symmetrical sensory-motor, predominantly distal axonopathy with signs of secondary myelinopathy.
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When conducting stimulation electroneuromyography, a decrease in the amplitude of action potentials of sensory and motor nerves can be determined. This reflects damage to the axial cylinder of the nerve fiber - axonopathy.

There is a decrease in the speed of propagation of excitation along the sensory and motor fibers of all nerves of the extremities, which is a sign of myelinopathy. These changes can be observed in patients who do not have clinical signs of alcoholic polyneuropathy.

In the diagnosis of various clinical forms of alcoholic polyneuropathy, neurophysiologists at the Yusupov Hospital use needle electromyography. It allows you to quantitatively assess the parameters of action potentials of motor units and identify signs of denervation in the muscle that are caused by axon damage - fibrillation potentials, positive sharp waves.

The electroneuromyography method allows you to assess the condition of thick myelinated fibers of peripheral nerves. To diagnose damage to thin fibers of peripheral nerves in the presence of alcoholic polyneuropathy, functional diagnostic doctors use the following methods:

quantitative sensory testing;
laser evoked potentials;
evoked potentials to thermal stimulation;
study of intraepidermal nerve fibers.

In cases that are difficult to diagnose, neurologists collectively establish a diagnosis and take an individual approach to the choice of treatment method.

Treatment of the disease

Depending on the nature of neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, the course of the disease and its stages of detection, a prognosis can be made. Everything depends primarily on the patient himself, on his complete refusal to drink alcohol.

Secondly, with chronic alcoholism, recovery will occur much later. But adhering to a certain diet, taking medications prescribed by your doctor, and completely abstaining from alcohol guarantee victory over the disease.

Observations have shown that the manifestation of the disease and its development do not occur abruptly. Polyneuropathy approaches the patient in small steps and is very difficult to identify in the early stages if a person does not see a doctor.

But if such a diagnosis was made by a doctor at an early stage of the development of the disease, then if the patient himself wishes, and if he completely and unconditionally refuses alcohol-containing drinks, the disease can be defeated.

But there are times when, after another binge, a person suddenly feels numbness in the legs or their complete paralysis. Such treatment will take longer, and it will be difficult to defeat the disease without the desire of the patient himself.

During treatment, patients are prescribed a strict diet, which includes completely abstaining from alcoholic beverages, mandatory maintenance of the body with vitamins, and the patient’s diet must include fresh vegetables, cereals and cream soups.

The attending physician prescribes medications that remove toxins from the blood, cleanse it and saturate it with oxygen. During treatment, psychotropic drugs and painkillers may be prescribed to relieve pain and mental syndrome in the patient.

Treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy is a complex and time-consuming task. In addition to taking medications, the patient is prescribed a massage of the lower and upper extremities, especially the feet, where the nerve endings are located.

A visit to a psychologist is an integral part of treatment. The patient should feel cared for by family and friends, their moral and sometimes physical support and assistance.

The doctor can prescribe therapeutic gymnastic exercises that will help strengthen muscles and prevent bedsores from developing, but without the help of relatives, it will be much more difficult to do such gymnastics.

When treating such a serious disease as alcoholic polyneuropathy, you can resort to traditional methods. Basically, these are decoctions and infusions of various medicinal herbs.

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To completely get rid of alcoholic neuropathy and stop the destruction of the body, you need to stop drinking. All efforts will be useless if you continue to abuse alcohol.

Not all patients, especially those who suffer from alcohol addiction, can stop and change something in their lives. Therefore, an integrated approach and daily efforts to restore your own health are important.

An important factor in effective treatment is the support of loved ones.

The entire range of measures for the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy includes three areas of influence on the patient’s body: drugs, non-drug treatment and folk remedies. Only a doctor can prescribe medications based on the diagnosis. Often, patients with alcoholic neuropathy are prescribed the following medications:

drugs that normalize blood microcirculation;
vitamin complexes to restore immunity, especially vitamin B and ascorbic acid;
antihypoxants and antioxidants that help cleanse the body of toxins;
medications to strengthen blood vessels and maintain neural connections, since they cannot be restored;
analgesics and non-steroidal drugs that stop inflammatory processes in the body.

In addition to medications, the patient needs to review and adjust his diet. The diet should include a maximum of healthy foods rich in vitamins and microelements. At the same time, it is better to exclude dishes that are difficult for the stomach - fried, spicy, smoked - from the menu altogether.

For full active recovery during the treatment period, it is necessary to exercise. Strengthening muscles, developing joints, and returning comfortable mobility is impossible without training. In addition, physiotherapeutic methods prescribed by the doctor will be useful.

The use of traditional medicine methods for the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy is possible only as an adjuvant in parallel with taking medications. Decoctions and tinctures will not give the desired effect if you drink them separately and not regularly.

The use of traditional medicine must be agreed with a doctor. Most tinctures are made with alcohol, and in case of alcoholic neuropathy, its use is strictly prohibited.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is treated by completely stopping the use of alcoholic beverages. As the disease worsens, symptoms increase, but the sooner you see a doctor, the easier and faster the treatment process will be. Therefore, it is important to be attentive to yourself and take care of your health.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is usually treated at home, according to your doctor's instructions. If the disease threatens the patient’s life, measures must be taken to admit the patient to a hospital. Various drugs are used to treat the disease.

Treatment depends on what is causing the disease. If this reason is alcoholism, then first of all you need to stop drinking alcohol forever, even in limited quantities.

This is the first and most necessary step, without which any treatment will be practically useless. Most often, a person who has been abusing alcohol for many years is unable to give up this harmful habit on his own.

Coding, psychotherapy and family support can help here, which should be carried out in combination to prevent breakdowns.

After giving up alcohol, it is necessary to establish a healthy lifestyle. A proper daily routine and proper nutrition, combined with competent treatment, can quickly get the patient back on his feet.

A nutritious diet for alcoholic polyneuropathy includes food rich in proteins and vitamins, but only a doctor who examines the patient and prescribes treatment can give recommendations on diet.

Diet and abstinence from alcohol are combined with drug treatment. The drugs used to treat alcoholic polyneuropathy are varied. They can be divided into several groups:

vitamin complexes rich in B vitamins (Pentovit, Complivit) have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
neurotropic drugs;
nootropics are able to stimulate mental activity, increase resistance to toxic effects on the brain and help cope with mental dysfunction in polyneuropathy (Piracetam, Phenibut, Glycine);
antidepressants help to give up alcohol and relieve pain (Amitriptyline);
metabolic agents (Amiridin, Dibazol) are prescribed during the recovery period and are used in combination with physiotherapy.

The doctor may prescribe hepatoprotective drugs, if liver damage is detected, and antioxidants as general tonics. Traditional medicine can be an auxiliary remedy in the fight against the disease: clove tincture, milk thistle seeds, carrot juice, olive oil.

Among the non-drug treatment methods, physiotherapeutic procedures should be noted. Electrical stimulation of nerve fibers and the spinal cord can be performed. Massage, acupuncture and exercise therapy have proven themselves to be excellent aids.

Have you tried many methods, but nothing helps?
Another coding turned out to be ineffective?
Is alcoholism destroying your family?

Suppression of the development of alcoholic neuropathy occurs through the use of complex treatment regimens, including the use of medical products in combination with physical therapy, exercise therapy, massage and a number of other methods.

Medication

Symptoms of the disease are eliminated using various groups of drugs. The names of the main medications are shown in the table below.

List of funds	Purpose of prescribing the medication
Vitamins (C, B1, B6, etc.), folic acid - injections and pills	Replenishment of the deficiency that develops in chronic alcoholism; ensuring the normal functioning of the structures of the nervous system.
Antihypoxants (Actovegin)	Increasing tissue resistance to oxygen deficiency.
Anticholinesterase drugs	Elimination of sensory and movement disorders.
Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Amitriptyline and Carbamazepine	Reducing the intensity of pain.
Anticonvulsants	Elimination of painful cramps.
Antidepressants	Improved emotional state.
Neuromidin	Acceleration of neuromuscular transmission.
Cytoflavin	Improving microcirculation, restoring metabolism.
Vinpocetine, Curantil	Facilitating venous outflow, strengthening blood vessels.
Hepaprotectors	Normalization of liver function.

Autonomic disorders are corrected through the use of symptomatic therapy.

It is prohibited to use medications without a doctor’s prescription: the use of drugs unsupervised by a specialist can lead to the development of complications, deterioration of the patient’s condition, and death.

Non-drug treatment

As additional rehabilitation measures, acupuncture and magnetic therapy, and physiotherapeutic procedures (to stimulate the spinal cord and nerve fibers) are prescribed. To restore muscle tone, massage is used.

Another non-drug method - physical therapy - helps prevent the development of contractures and strengthen the body.

The first step in treatment should be complete abstinence from drinking alcohol. Therefore, an alcoholic needs to be coded. This should be done by a narcologist with the consent of the person. In this case, filing or injection of disulfiram-containing agents is best. Drugs that normalize the activity of the nervous system are also prescribed.

A balanced diet is very important. You need to limit the amount of salt and liquid - this will help remove swelling faster. You should also provide the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. B vitamins are especially beneficial for the nervous system.

Alcoholic neuropathy requires the following medications:

vitamins B1, B6, folic acid (Benfotiamine);
antioxidants (Berlition, Octolipen, Thiogamma);
neurometabolic drugs (Solcoseryl, Gliatilin);
agents that improve neuromuscular conduction (Neuromidin);
drugs that improve blood supply to the nervous system (Cavinton, Curantil);
diuretics (prescribed only when it is necessary to remove swelling of the legs);
if necessary, hepatoprotectors, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants and antidepressants are used.

Medicines that help relieve swelling and pain do not promote recovery. They are necessary in order to remove the symptoms that bother a person (this treatment is called symptomatic).

To restore the functions of the nervous system, B vitamins, neurometabolic drugs and agents that improve blood supply to peripheral nerves are needed. They are the basis of etiological treatment.

Once a diagnosis of alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities is made, the doctor determines what treatment will help the patient.

The surest way to give up alcohol on time, but very often an addicted person cannot stop in time.

And alcoholic polyneuropathy makes itself felt.

In such cases, there are three ways to solve this problem, which are effective only in combination with each other:

drug treatment;
changes in diet and lifestyle;
as well as folk remedies.

Let's consider all the options in more detail.

Drugs that are prescribed if a patient is diagnosed with alcoholic polyneuropathy:

Since during the course of the disease the patient experiences a deficiency of vitamin B, during treatment it is prescribed to take it in large doses, which helps restore metabolic processes, that is, the metabolic process. The patient is also prescribed ascorbic acid.
Drugs that promote microcirculation are prescribed, as well as antihypoxants and antioxidants that will help remove toxins from the body.
To restore immunity, the patient is prescribed various microelements.
The blood vessels are strengthened and the main nerve connections are restored, since complete nerve endings cannot be restored.
If blood pressure is abnormal, it is normalized and swelling is relieved.
In case of severe pain, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal drugs designed to fight inflammation, simple analgesics, and, if necessary, antidepressants.

Non-drug methods

It should also be remembered that even after long-term therapy, a return to alcohol has disastrous consequences - all the symptoms of polyneuropathy return, and they become more pronounced, and treatment must be started again.

The patient's diet requires careful review. To restore the digestive system, he must take soups for lunch.

ethnoscience

There are many different folk methods of combating polyneuropathy. But before using any of them, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Here are some popular recipes:

To 100 ml of carrot juice add 1 yolk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of honey. Mix everything well and take before breakfast and dinner 40 minutes before meals.
1 tbsp. Brew a spoonful of cloves in a thermos, leave for a couple of hours and take 200 ml three times a day. Repeat for 15 days, take a 10-day break, after which the course can be repeated.
4 tbsp. Grind tablespoons of milk thistle seeds in a mortar, add 150 ml of warm olive oil and 2 tbsp. spoons of regular dry mint powder. Take 2 tbsp three times a day, half an hour before meals. spoons of mixture. The course of treatment is three weeks.
Mix 300 ml of low-fat kefir, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, half a glass of fresh, coarsely chopped parsley and take on an empty stomach in the morning, about 40 minutes before meals.

The disease can appear only after prolonged drinking. Depending on how severe the symptoms of the disease are and with what complications all this occurs, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Alcoholic neuropathy is most effectively treated at an early stage. When prescribing various drugs, specialists first of all try to restore the lost function of nerve endings and improve blood circulation in this area. In this case, the doctor needs to be especially careful in prescribing medications to avoid allergies.

The following drugs are prescribed:

Among non-drug methods, physiotherapy is distinguished, in this case electrical stimulation of nerve endings occurs. The doctor also prescribes massage to quickly restore muscle activity. You should engage in health-improving physical exercises and take acupuncture courses.

Traditional treatment

Folk remedies are good for complex treatment of the disease. There are a large number of recipes for this disease; let’s look at the most effective ones. You can prepare a cocktail based on fresh carrot juice (100 g), add one yolk, a few drops of olive oil, two teaspoons of honey.

At the first symptoms of the disease, as soon as your legs begin to hurt and go numb, you should immediately consult a doctor. In parallel with this, it is important to completely give up alcohol, eat well, and maintain a sleep-wake schedule. These are the main points, without which it is simply pointless to hope for a miracle and the effectiveness of therapy.

Considering the multifactorial mechanisms of the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy, combined damage to the liver and gastrointestinal tract, neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital provide complex therapy for the disease.

Patients are observed by a neurologist, therapist, hepatologist, and gastroenterologist. In most cases, the prognosis for alcoholic polyneuropathy is favorable.

Neurological functions are restored, but patients retain residual effects of peripheral nerve damage. Treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy requires a long period of time because axonal regeneration and restoration of collateral neurons are slow.

A prerequisite for effective treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy is a complete cessation of drinking alcohol, restoration of a nutritious balanced diet with sufficient amounts of vitamins and protein, and physical rehabilitation of the patient.

To relieve pain in alcoholic polyneuropathy, neurologists use antidepressants and anticonvulsants, as well as their combinations. Among antidepressants, the most effective drugs are tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (venlafaxine and duloxetine).

An alternative is therapy with anticonvulsants – pregabalin, gabapentin.
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Symptoms and consequences of the disease

The nervous system is one of the most complex structures of the human body. The nervous system regulates the functioning of organs, is responsible for thought processes, sensation, motor activity, and the functioning of other body systems.

Disruption of the nervous system leads to failure of the body's working systems. The saddest outcome of advanced alcoholic polyneuropathy can be cardiac arrest due to damage to the nerves responsible for its functioning.

The disease can also involve other nerves, including cranial ones, such as the optic nerve.

Progressive muscle atrophy can become irreversible and can lead to disability. A serious problem is disruption of the respiratory system.

If a person continues to drink alcohol, this can lead to a sharp decrease in mental abilities, behavioral disorders, and a sharp deterioration in memory. In particularly tragic cases, this leads to dementia.

If the disease is not treated, or if you delay contacting a doctor, you can expect the following consequences:

sudden death from cardiac arrest due to disruption of the nerves that regulate its functioning;
the patient's disability as a result of severe muscle weakness;
respiratory dysfunction due to damage to the nerves responsible for regulating the functioning of the respiratory muscles.

Prevention

It is quite easy to prevent the re-development of alcoholic neuropathy. To do this, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, promptly stop the symptoms of infectious diseases, and be observed by a narcologist (if necessary, by a psychologist).

The disease described is a serious illness that leads to serious changes in the body. Having once been cured, it is necessary to make every effort to completely abstain from alcohol - only this method will avoid a relapse of alcoholic polyneuropathy.

To prevent the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy, it is necessary to stop drinking alcohol in large quantities, eat right and exercise to strengthen muscles.

In conclusion, it should be noted that responsibility for the alcoholic variant of polyneuropathy, unlike its other types, lies entirely with the patient, since this disease develops from excessive use of alcohol.

Therefore, the patient is also able to prevent the disease - it is enough to limit the dose of alcohol to a minimum or stop drinking it altogether.

Remember that health is very valuable, and sometimes it is quite difficult to restore it.

Forecast

In most cases, the prognosis, with timely treatment, is relatively favorable. But even despite this, the patient often becomes unable to work and receives a disability.

There is hope for a complete cure only if the person completely refuses to take alcohol-containing drinks in any quantity and strictly follows the doctor’s recommendations.

The average treatment period for alcoholic polyneuropathy is 3-4 months. However, as a rule, to achieve a long-term therapeutic effect, it is necessary to adhere to a diet and resort to auxiliary treatment.

If treatment is started late or is inadequate to the patient's condition, the prognosis is less favorable. Most often, it is not possible to achieve complete recovery and restoration of working capacity. Without treatment, the disease leads to death in 50% of cases within ten years. The prognosis worsens if the disease affects the vagus nerve of the heart muscle.

It is impossible to recover from alcoholic neuropathy in a short time. The period of full recovery lasts from 3-4 months to six months.

The main condition for achieving the maximum possible therapeutic effect is a complete abstinence from drinks containing ethyl alcohol.

Small changes that have occurred in the body are completely eliminated. In the chronic course of polyneuropathy, restoration of destroyed nerve fibers does not occur; Modern methods of therapy can only achieve stabilization of the process and a decrease in the severity of symptoms.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy has a positive prognosis, but the disease progresses until treatment is started. If the patient stops drinking alcohol, then good results can be expected.

In this case, complete treatment will take approximately 3–4 months.

The situation becomes more serious when the phrenic nerve and cardiac branches of the vagus nerve are damaged during the course of the disease.

When a person has become an alcoholic for a long time, then, against the background of constant alcohol consumption, he begins to develop a dangerous disease - alcoholic polyneuropathy. This happens because any alcohol is very toxic; it leads to disruption of metabolic processes and impulse transmission. Pathological changes can affect various parts of the brain and spinal cord.

Causes of alcoholic polyneuropathy

Polyneuropathy from constant alcohol consumption will develop only in the last stages of alcoholism. The causes of the disease are as follows:

If a person drinks surrogate alcohol rather than store-bought alcohol, then the risk of developing the disease increases several times. This occurs due to chemical alcohol-containing liquids and denatured alcohols.

These fluids have a serious impact on the liver, causing B vitamins to be destroyed almost instantly. Because of this, there is a metabolic disorder.

Symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy

Due to the fact that the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy is based on a combination of several causes, the disease is very variable in terms of clinical presentation.

Among the main symptoms of the disease are:

Symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy, regardless of their origin, are explained by simultaneous damage to fewer or more peripheral nerves. The predominance of certain clinical signs will depend on the damage to the specific type of nerve fibers that make up the peripheral nerve. This nerve consists of thick and thin fibers. All motor fibers are thick myelinated fibers. Vibratory and proprioceptive (deep) sensitivity is also carried out along myelinated fibers. Temperature and pain sensations are transmitted through unmyelinated fibers and thin myelinated fibers. The transmission of tactile sensation is carried out by thin and thick fibers simultaneously. Vegetative fibers are thin, unmyelinated.

When thin fibers are affected, there is usually a selective loss of temperature or pain sensitivity. Spontaneous pain and paresthesia also occur (even with a normal reflex). Thick fiber neuropathy will usually be accompanied by areflexia, muscle weakness, and sensory ataxia. Damage to autonomic fibers is usually the cause of somatic symptoms. If all fibers are involved, then mixed (vegetative and sensorimotor) polyneuropathy is observed.

The manifesting symptoms, in most cases, consist of two clinical patterns: symmetrical motor-sensory and symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy. In the first stages of the disease, a predominance of impaired proprioceptive sensitivity is observed. Alcoholics in this case complain of pressing pain in the calf muscle. In this case, the morphological substrate of the lesion is primary axonal degeneration, as well as secondary demyelination.

Neurophysical studies clearly show that usually two types of nerve fibers can be affected (thick and thin), but lesions can also be isolated (thin only or thick only). This may explain the diversity of the clinical picture of alcoholic polyneuropathy. Scientists have not yet discovered any relationship between the type of affected fibers and the clinical specifics of alcohol abuse.

It is believed that the specificity of the clinical picture may largely depend on the level of participation of additional mechanisms in the pathological process. Including thiamine deficiency. A study of nonalcoholic neuropathy with thiamine deficiency and alcoholic neuropathy without thiamine deficiency demonstrates major differences between the two conditions. Non-alcoholic neuropathy with thiamine deficiency is usually characterized by a rapid onset, rapid development, and a predominance of motor disorders in the clinical picture in combination with symptoms of damage to superficial and deep sensitivity.

On the other hand, alcoholism without thiamine deficiency progresses quite slowly. In this case, the dominant symptom is a violation of surface sensitivity in combination with severe pain. Biopsy of the sural nerve shows extensive damage to the axons of small fibers, especially in the early stages of the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy. The last stages of the disease can be characterized by fiber regeneration processes.

In non-alcoholic neuropathy with thiamine deficiency, thick fiber axons will be damaged. In this disease there is also much more subperineural edema, but at the same time, segmental demyelination and further remyelination are very often observed in alcoholic polyneuropathy without thiamine deficiency. Thiamine-deficiency alcoholic polyneuropathy exhibits a typically variable combination of symptoms that are characteristic of thiamine-deficiency neuropathy. From all of the above, we can conclude that the clinical picture is formed largely on the basis of concomitant thiamine deficiency.

The diagnosis of the disease is valid if electrophysiological changes are detected. They must occur in two nerves and a muscle in combination with subjective symptoms (patient complaints) as well as objective manifestations of the disease (information about neurological status). At the same time, other etiologies of polyneuropathies must be excluded, and anamnestic data on alcohol abuse must be obtained from the patient or his relatives.

Early diagnosis of alcoholic polyneuropathy

Electroneuromyography is the main method that allows you to confirm the diagnosis of the disease. This method is based on the detection of bioelectrical activity that is not typical for neuromuscular fibers.

Fiber biopsy is performed in difficult diagnostic cases. This type of study is used in cases where it is necessary to exclude another subtype of polyneuropathy (uremic, diabetic).

It is very important that the patient does not hide episodes of constant drinking from the attending physician, because this can lead to an incorrect diagnosis. Therefore, treatment in this case will be incorrect.

Prognosis of alcoholic polyneuropathy

The symptoms of the disease will increase without proper treatment. For the patient, this usually results in various mental disorders, paralysis of the limbs, damage to the cerebellum, in which functional disorders of coordination of movements can be observed.

Polyneuropathy, which will be detected in the first stages, is not so difficult to treat. Symptoms of the disease may develop in the opposite direction, but if the patient returns to drinking alcohol, then the disorders and signs will also return.

It is important here not to start the disease, otherwise it will lead to irreversible consequences. At this stage, it is very important to stop drinking alcohol and also start leading an active lifestyle, which will help the body regain lost strength.

Features of the treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy

If the right medical care is provided, the prognosis for people who suffer from alcoholic neuropathy is very good. The main condition for positive rehabilitation is abstinence from alcoholic beverages, as well as a balanced and nutritious diet.

During treatment, efforts must be directed toward restoring lost body functions. Treatment should be carried out taking into account the body's vulnerability to neuropathy, which developed along with the disease. Any omissions cause subsequent damage.

The patient should not take strong painkillers. The frequency of taking pain medications should be limited to prevent the person from developing drug dependence.

Given the fact that the patient is deficient in many nutrients, he is prescribed nutritional supplements and vitamins that help the body recover under particularly difficult conditions. Drugs of this type will eventually neutralize the signs of the disease, as a result of which their spread will stop.

Due to loss of skin sensitivity, patients will need to carefully monitor thermoregulation, protecting themselves from hypothermia.

Medicines for alcoholic polyneuropathy

Therapeutic measures in the treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy should be aimed at eliminating the toxic effects of alcohol. With the help of antioxidant therapy, a person's condition improves. Therapy is carried out using the following drugs:

Preparations with lipoic acid (thioctacid, thiogamma, octolipene, berlition);
Drugs with a vasoactive effect (pentoxifylline, halidor);
Vitamins (mostly group B): berocca, benfogamma, milgamma, milgamma compositum, benfolipen, compligam B, etc.;
Glucose to correct it in the patient’s blood.

Due to the fact that alcoholic polyneuropathy is usually also caused by liver damage, the use of hepatoprotective drugs is necessary. Clinical effectiveness is high in nucleotides (cytidine, uridine), as well as in cerebral gangliosides, which improve the excitability of peripheral nerve fibers and facilitate reinnervation processes.

Typically, symptomatic treatment is aimed at eliminating pain with combilipen, milgamma, compligam B containing thiamine. Anticonvulsants and antidepressants also prove their effectiveness in this case.

For patients who have peripheral paresis, physical exercise, massage, and therapeutic exercises are recommended, which helps strengthen muscles and also prevent the development of contractures.

Psychological support for the patient often plays a very important role. The patient needs to explain and justify the causes of the disease, as well as the possibility of obtaining a positive effect from completely abstaining from drinking alcohol and following the doctor’s instructions.

Patients who suffer from alcoholic polyneuropathy should understand that this disease must be treated, even if they have no neurological symptoms. Otherwise, encouraging forecasts may not be expected.

Continuous, prolonged consumption of alcohol leads to complete degradation of a person as an individual, and also negatively affects the condition of all internal and external organs. Among the ailments is alcoholic polyneuropathy, which, according to statistics, occurs in 10% of people suffering from chronic alcoholism, regardless of age and gender.

Description of the disease

Alcoholic neuropathy is one of the types of damage to the human body by metabolites of ethyl alcohol and various alcoholic beverages. The disease reflects the effect of alcohol on the peripheral nervous system. Most often, doctors use the term “alcoholic polyneuropathy”, since the effect of alcohol toxins always extends to bundles of nerve fibers, and not to one nerve.

According to the latest data, if a person abuses alcoholic beverages, he will sooner or later suffer from damage to the nervous system. Just a few years ago it was believed that only 70% of alcoholics have peripheral disorders of the nervous system, but with the advent of new diagnostic methods, the figure, alas, has become a round number - 100%. Clinical signs of this condition appear over time.

The term neuropathy itself will not tell the average person anything. But in reality, anyone who has ever seen a person suffering from alcohol addiction simply did not notice polyneuropathy . Swollen, bluish feet and the hands, thin limbs, and gait uncharacteristic of a human being catches everyone’s eye. These are precisely the external signs by which a classic alcoholic is recognized, not counting the smell and specific complexion. This is the same alcoholic polyneuropathy. This, of course, has already been a long-existing and neglected option, but in the initial stages, others may not notice the signs.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy is not the only result of abuse of harmful drinks. Along with damage to the peripheral nervous system, ethyl also depresses the central nervous system, causing encephalopathy, the liver, causing cirrhosis, and the muscles, causing myopathy. Specific signs of memory impairment under the influence of ethyl are called “Korsakov’s syndrome”; there is also alcoholic degeneration of the corpus callosum and cerebellum, and central myelinolysis. This list seems to have no end. Systematic application to the bottle never leaves its mark on the body.

Reasons for the development of polyneuropathy

On the peripheral nervous system alcohol breakdown products act negatively, disrupting the transmission of impulses and metabolic processes, which is what the symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy are based on. The pathology affects all parts of the brain and spinal cord.

Neuropathy from alcohol-containing drinks develops already in the final stages of the disease and has the following causes:

When consuming denatured alcohol, surrogate alcohol and chemical alcohol-containing liquids, the risk of developing alcoholic polyneuropathy increases significantly. These solutions release the most dangerous toxins for the liver, which help neutralize B vitamins, resulting in a complete metabolic disorder.

For most alcoholics, the disease develops gradually, but due to constant exposure to alcohol, the person simply does not pay any attention to the manifestation of the first alarming symptoms. As soon as the disease reaches its final stage, the patient, as usual, actively drinks for several days, which provokes the acute stage of the disease.

A person realizes that something is happening only when he notices severe weakness in the legs and the inability to walk painlessly . Cases are not uncommon when polyneuropathy is just the first stage of the patient’s suffering before a more serious disease - which is almost impossible to cure. Neuropathy is the most common symptom of encephalopathy in the initial stage.

Symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy

Only when sober can the patient pay attention to health problems, realizing that he is at the initial stage of a serious illness. As a rule, patients complain of the following symptoms:

Unfortunately, often even with such signs, the patient does not stop drinking large doses of alcohol, which provokes damage to more and more nerve cells, so the clinical signs of the disease become more distinct every day. The next stage is a serious complication of polyneuropathy - alcohol withdrawal, practically untreatable.

How the disease manifests itself

It has common clinical symptoms with diabetic disease, so it is often confused. The doctor conducts tests and determines what type of disease has affected the patient, after which, if the patient wishes, he prescribes treatment.

Treatment of alcoholic neuropathy

We can say that success in the treatment of polyneuropathy of the lower extremities depends entirely on the dependent patient. Only by completely and finally giving up the addiction and recovering from chronic alcoholism will the patient be able to get rid of painful and painful symptoms, preventing the spread of the disease to the entire body.

Treatment with medications involves a set of drugs that the patient must take in courses. Some of the following medications are prescribed first:

Prescription of B vitamins and thiamine in tablet form or as an injection. The complex of vitamins necessary for the patient is contained in the preparations Kombilepen, Trigamma and Neurorubin forte.
Medicines that improve metabolic processes and microcirculation in the body. Pharmaceutical companies offer Dialipon, Thioctacid and Thiolepta.
Since pain is present, the doctor prescribes analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs: ibuprofen, diclofenac, smazgan and baralgin.

Quickly restore motor function Not only pharmaceutical drugs can do this, traditional medicine can also do this, which must be used as additional measures to the drugs prescribed by a specialist.

Recipes:

Since positive dynamics are possible only after several months of therapy and subject to complete abstinence from alcohol-containing drinks, it is necessary to help the patient resist the addiction. This can be done with the help of soothing herbs - thyme, motherwort or valerian. It is of great importance to have physical exercise and a healthy diet.

Most drugs that are used to treat pain syndrome cannot be used in combination with alcohol, so if the patient wants to get rid of the pain and save his life, he must give up the addiction forever.

In addition to medications and folk remedies, doctors recommend using physiotherapeutic methods, acupuncture and physical therapy.

So that the patient does not harbor false hopes, it is worth noting that success in the treatment of polyneuropathy awaits only patients with a short history of alcoholism. If the pathological changes have gone too far and the nerve cells are damaged by alcohol, then, alas, it will not be possible to completely restore them with any medications. Doctors will help stabilize and stop the pathological process, as well as reduce symptoms. This does not mean that if you have a long history of alcohol abuse, you can continue to drink, since treatment is useless.

If the patient continues to drink and refuses medication, he will face severe disability with the impossibility of leading a life without assistance. There is always some potential for recovery, It's important to stop drinking alcohol.

Drug-induced polyneuropathy

Form of the disease, which occurs during the use of certain drugs:

Cisplatin;
Isoniazid;
Amiodarone;
Perhexylene
Metronidazole;
Hydrolasine.

Symptoms of this type of neuropathy may occur several weeks after starting to use certain drugs as a result of the effects of toxic components on the body. The dosage form develops similarly to the alcoholic form. At the first symptoms of drug-induced polyneuropathy, you must stop taking the harmful drug and consult a doctor.

conclusions

The symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy increase in the absence of proper treatment. For the patient, this usually results in mental disorders, paralysis of the limbs and damage to the cerebellum, which is characterized by a disorder of motor coordination.

Identified in the early stages, the disease is much more treatable. However, everything can go down the drain if the patient eventually returns to his previous life, the symptoms will very quickly appear again.

The main thing is not to let the disease take its course and not to let everything take its course, hoping that the disease is only a temporary ailment. Chronic alcoholism causes millions of deaths; refusal of treatment leads to severe and irreversible consequences and death. The most correct decision would be to give up the addiction in favor of a new, healthy lifestyle that will return the body to its former strength and confidence in the future.

Attention, TODAY only!

This is a neurological disease in which there is damage to the peripheral nerves. According to research, this disease is observed in 85% of people suffering from alcohol addiction. Both men and women can suffer from the disease.

Causes

Experts identify quite a few reasons why alcoholic polyneuropathy can develop. The most common cause is the constant toxic effects of ethanol products on the body, in particular on the nerve endings.

This effect inhibits metabolic processes, resulting in disruption of the flow of blood and nutrients to nerve impulses.

The central nervous system also suffers from the negative effects of acetaldehyde, a breakdown product of ethyl alcohol. Experts say that low-quality alcohol poses the greatest health hazard, since it may contain prohibited chemical compounds that lead to irreversible processes in the body.

In the case of long-term alcohol consumption, a person experiences severe liver dysfunction, which is a link with polyneuropathy. The immune system is also greatly affected by ethanol; antibodies develop in the body at a high rate, which inhibit its own nerve tissue.

Often, alcoholic polyneuropathy develops due to a deficiency of vitamin B in the body, the absence of which occurs when there is a small amount of nutrients supplied and their poor absorption into the intestines.

If there is a deficiency of thiamine, then alcohol cannot completely leave the body, which causes its long-term negative effect on all organs.

If a person is heavily intoxicated and lies in the same position for a long time, compression of some internal organs begins and the nerve is damaged. Other reasons why the disease develops are excessive hypothermia, the ingestion of harmful substances and viruses into the body.

Forms

The disease progresses in different ways and also occurs for various reasons, hence experts have identified several forms of alcoholic polyneuropathy.

Sensory- characterized by significant pain in the extremities, a person feels constant chills in the feet, numbness, sometimes burning, cramps in the calves often occur, and it can even be painful to touch the feet in some places. There is also a loss of sensation in the palms and feet, and the patient may feel a dull ache. The sensory form occurs as a result of a violation of the autonomic-vascular system; excessive marbling and acrocyanosis can be observed on the skin, and weakness is noted in the tendons.

Motor. With this form, a person experiences a disorder of the peripheral nerves. The lower extremities, in particular the peroneal and tibial nerves, are also affected. If the tibial nerve is damaged, a person cannot bend the foot normally, move the toes, cannot bend the foot inward, or walk on the toes. Damage to the peroneal nerve results in the inability to straighten the feet and toes. The muscles in this area atrophy, and hypotonia of the feet occurs.

Mixed. If a person has mixed alcoholic polyneuropathy, then disorders of the motor and sensory apparatus occur simultaneously. The patient experiences pronounced numbness of the extremities, complete paralysis of the feet and hands, severe or mild pain, and a decrease or increase in the sensitivity of nerve endings is observed; the extensor function suffers to a greater extent.

Atactic. The patient experiences a pronounced disturbance in gait, coordination suffers greatly, the legs and arms go numb, they feel practically nothing, and when pressing on the sole of the foot or on the palm, a stabbing pain is felt.

The disease is also divided into chronic and acute according to its course:

The chronic form is characterized by the fact that the disease develops slowly, and pathology gradually develops in the extremities. This form is the most common; usually a person begins to suffer after a year of alcohol dependence.
The acute form develops quickly, but is quite rare. For complete atrophy of the limbs, a person only needs to remain intoxicated for a month and a half.

Stages:

The first stage is characterized by the absence of symptoms of the disease, the clinical picture of the disease is also not visible, polyneuropathy can only be detected if you pass the necessary tests and undergo some examinations.
The second stage is easily identified by examination by a doctor, as well as based on complaints from the patient. There are no visible limb defects yet.
The third stage is expressed by a visual change in the limbs, pain, numbness, the person cannot walk normally.

Alcoholic neuropathy: symptoms and early diagnosis

The first thing a person feels is weakness in the muscles, usually manifesting itself in the morning after sleep, first the lower limbs go numb, and after a few minutes the arms begin to go numb. In some cases, numbness affects all limbs at once. The patient's tendon reflex first sharply decreases, after which it completely stops, the Achilles reflex is most susceptible, and muscle tone deteriorates.

Alcoholic neuropathy in its advanced form is manifested by symptoms such as: muscle weakness, paresis of the lower extremities, paralysis of the hands or feet, a person may not feel objects.

Sometimes the patient may complain of worsening visual reflexes. All of the listed signs of the disease are not permanent, they can last for several days, then disappear completely for one or two days, then recur. At the last stage, urination worsens, the person suffers from nervous disorders, breathing is impaired, tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia appear, and blood pressure drops sharply. A person can feel pain even in such forms of the disease when there is enough vitamin B and it settles in the foot. The nature of the pain is aching, burning sensations appear.

Along with this, a person’s gait is disturbed due to the fact that the feet become too sensitive, the foot cannot be bent inward, marbling, cyanosis, tingling, numbness in the calves, and cramps are visible on the legs.

Alcoholic neuropathy is not the only disease in which severe numbness of the limbs occurs; there are clones of this disease, namely diabetic polyneuropathy:

Diabetic polyneuropathy- characterized by blockage of blood vessels in the extremities. A person with this disease, depending on the stage, feels periodic numbness in the hands or feet, the muscles become weak, and the long sciatic, femoral, and ulnar nerves are affected. People with diabetes feel the same pain in their legs as alcoholics; they experience redness of the skin, cyanosis of the feet, the skin becomes dry, ulcers and rotting wounds form. Such patients should not drink alcohol under any circumstances. This disease is scary because, unlike alcoholic polyneuropathy, diabetic polyneuropathy cannot be cured; it progresses slowly.
Neuropathy of the lower extremities— the disease is characterized by a constant attack of numbness in the extremities, especially after a long walk, at which time the legs begin to break out, twist, and you want to constantly touch and massage them. This occurs as a result of compression of the peripheral nerves.
Upper limb neuropathy- the disease is similar to neuropathy of the lower extremities, the only difference is that with the first disease several nerves can be affected simultaneously, which can lead to temporary loss of sensitivity in the hands.

Early diagnosis

Alcoholic neuropathy and treatment principles

The disease can appear only after prolonged drinking. Depending on how severe the symptoms of the disease are and with what complications all this occurs, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

The following drugs are prescribed:

Traditional treatment

The ingredients are mixed in a blender and then consumed twice a day before meals. An infusion of bay leaves and fenugreek seeds (3 tablespoons) helps well. The mixture is brewed in a thermos for four hours.

Drink the infusion twice a day. This medicine helps speed up blood circulation in the vessels and normalizes sugar levels. Topically, you can lubricate the limbs with olive oil with the addition of dry St. John's wort herb. The herb is poured with hot oil, left for 15 hours, and filtered. You can use this product to apply compresses to your feet.

Forecast

Alcoholic neuropathy is highly treatable in the early stages. In advanced cases, you can become disabled, which is why it is so important to visit a specialist at the first symptoms of the disease. The effect of treatment is observed in those patients who sought help in time. You need to be patient, since the treatment will be long and persistent, you will need to eat right, and most importantly, not drink a drop of alcohol.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy can cause a number of complications, namely:

It should be remembered that at the first symptoms of such a terrible disease, you must consult a doctor, otherwise you may lose your limbs for the rest of your life.