by

Peripheral neuropathy caused by long-term alcohol abuse is a horrible form of suffering for those who must endure it.  The pain, numbness, and weakness in the affected areas can be debilitating and severely lower a person’s quality of life. However, there can be comfort taken in the fact that many cases of alcoholic neuropathy may be successfully reversed if proper treatment is performed.  The patient must be determined to change 

However, there can be comfort taken in the fact that many cases of alcoholic neuropathy may be successfully reversed if proper treatment is performed.  The patient must be determined to change his lifestyle and remove the destructive factors from his life that so damaged his nerves.

Successful healing of the nerves is also dependent on the extent of the damage in the progression of the disease incurred.  Nerve cells do have a limited capacity to regenerate themselves, but dead or severely damaged nerves will not respond to therapy.

More often than not, however, a patient who is diligent with his treatment will experience a significant improvement in his symptoms over a period of time.  It will take months or even years for the debilitating pain to fade away, but most patients report that they do see some relief and some people even experience a full remission of their neuropathy symptoms.

All alcohol must be removed from the diet

It goes without saying that the first thing the patient must do is remove all forms of alcohol from his diet.  If this is not successfully accomplished, it is almost certain that the disease will progress and the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy will get worse.

Neuropathy is a progressive disease and if the underlying cause, in this case alcohol abuse, is not eliminated then the nerve damage will most assuredly spread to the autonomic nervous system.  When this happens, the internal organs are affected which can cause sexual dysfunction and digestive problems among other things

Vitamin B supplements, especially thiamine, are often helpful to suppress alcoholic neuropathy

Many alcoholics suffer from vitamin B deficiency due to the fact that the water-soluble vitamins are flushed from the body in its attempt to rid itself of alcohol.  Because of this, chronic low levels of vitamin B can exacerbate symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in heavy drinkers.

Vitamin B, especially vitamin B1 or thiamine, is a critical nutrient necessary for the proper functioning of nerve cells.  It is a very good idea for recovering alcoholics to take a daily multivitamin as well as a daily vitamin B complex vitamin.  There are also specially formulated neuropathy support formula vitamins which include a heavy dose of the B complex as well as additional herbs and nutrients known or suspected to help with the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

A healthy diet is key to reversing your symptoms

Alcoholism is also associated with malnutrition because the digestive system of alcoholics is not efficient at absorbing vitamins and nutrients.  Much of its energy is spent in its attempt to rid itself of the toxin of alcohol, so many important nutrients pass through the digestive system without being absorbed by the body.

Your symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and your chances of reversing them will be greatly enhanced by undertaking an ambitious diet program.  You should focus on eating wholly unprocessed foods and try to eliminate simple sugars from your diet.

Complex carbohydrates which break down slowly in the body and release sugar over a long period of time are very beneficial.  Avoid coffee, caffeine and other known diuretics.  A new dedication to proper nutrition will greatly help to heal your damaged nerves.

Keep your blood sugar levels tightly controlled

Alcoholics often suffer from type II diabetes because alcohol is processed by the body as a simple sugar and therefore often wreaks havoc on the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose levels.  It is imperative that you have your blood glucose levels checked, and if you are diabetic or in the diabetic range that you keep it closely monitored.

Diabetes is the number one cause of peripheral neuropathy because high blood sugar is extremely damaging to nerves over the long-term.  Even though you have quit drinking, if you do not control your blood sugar levels appropriately, the peripheral neuropathy will continue to spread unabated.

Get IVIG Treatment for quick recovery,

TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLIC POLYNEUROPATHY WITH VITAMIN B COMPLEX: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

T. J. PETERS^1,*, J. KOTOWICZ², W. NYKA³, W. KOZUBSKI⁴, V. KUZNETSOV⁵, F. VANDERBIST⁶, S. DE NIET⁶, D. MARCEREUIL⁶ and M. COFFINER⁶

¹ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Kings College, London, UK, ² Department of Neurology, Klinika Neurologiczna z Poradnia, Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny, Warszawa, Poland, ³ Department of Neurology for Adults, Medical University of Gdask, Gdask, Poland, ⁴ Department of Neurology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, ⁵ Psychiatric Department, Kiev Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kiev, Ukraine and ⁶ Laboratoires SMB, R&D Department, Bruxelles, Belgium.

^* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Kings College, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS, UK;

(Received 25 April 2006; first review notified 9 May 2006; in revised form 4 July 2006; accepted 4 July 2006)

Aims: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of BEFACT^® Forte ‘new formulation’ and BEFACT^® Forte ‘old formulation’ in the treatment of sensory symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy

 

. Methods: A multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 325 patients with sensory symptoms and signs of alcoholic polyneuropathy. Patients were randomised to the ‘old formulation’ (i.e. vitamins B₁, B₂, B₆, and B₁₂), ‘new formulation’ [i.e. identical to the ‘old formulation’ with additional folic acid (vitamin B₉)], or placebo in a 1:1:1 ratio. One tablet of the study medication (‘new formulation’ or ‘old formulation’) or placebo was taken orally, three times a day, over a 12-week treatment period. Results: Therapeutic efficacy was assessed in 253 patients by measuring vibration perception threshold (biothesiometry), intensity of pain, sensory function, co-ordination, and reflex responses. Patients treated with the ‘new formulation’ or ‘old formulation’ showed significant improvement in the primary efficacy endpoint (vibration perception threshold at the big toe) and secondary efficacy endpoints in comparison to placebo. The active treatment groups were comparable to placebo in terms of safety. Conclusions: A specific vitamin B complex (with and without folic acid) significantly improved symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy over a 12-week treatment period.

The conclusion is simple for a alcoholic polyneuropathy stop alcohol intake and take a Folic Acid and a B-complex tablet every day.

 

• •  

”