What is alcoholic polyneuropathy: symptoms, treatment methods

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• What kind of disease is this?
• Symptoms
• Causes
• Types of polyneuropathy
• Diagnosis
• Treatment of the disease
• Non-drug methods

Constant consumption of strong drinks is the cause of a disease called alcoholic polyneuropathy. Timely detection of such a disease is the opportunity to cure it. If the disease develops into a chronic stage, then the alcoholic may develop serious problems with the respiratory system, heart function, metabolic processes, and limited mobility. Therefore, close people need to monitor the condition of a person addicted to strong drinks. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to save him.

general information

The disease, which is part of a group of neurological disorders, is called alcoholic polyneuropathy. It usually occurs at critical stages of addiction to strong drinks. The period of drinking alcohol is from 5 years or more. Signs of the disease were described in 1787 by the scientist Letts. Addiction to alcohol-containing products has an adverse effect on the entire body.

The disease affects the peripheral nervous system. A person experiences metabolic disorders , decreased sensitivity in the legs and arms. In accordance with international rules, when a disease is recorded in different countries, it is given a special label. For alcoholic polyneuropathy according to ICD 10, this is code G 62.1.

Literature:

1. Guide to neurology according to Adams and Victor: textbook. manual for the postgraduate system. prof. physician education / Maurice Victor, Allan H. Ropper; scientific ed. V. A. Parfenov; lane from English edited by N. N. Yakhno. — 7th ed. — Moscow: Med. information agency, 2006. - 677 p.
2. Peripheral nervous system in normal and pathological conditions: [educational manual] / N. S. Subbotina; Federal Agency for Education, State. higher educational institution prof. Education Petrozavodsk State univ. - Petrozavodsk: PetrSU Publishing House, 2006. - 129 p.
3. Classical neurology: a guide to the peripheral nervous system and chronic pain syndromes / Silantiev Konstantin. - Volgograd: Panorama, 2006 (Volzhsky: Alliance Yugpoligraphkombinat, Volzhsky polygraphkombinat). — 399 p.

The text was checked by medical experts: Head of the socio-psychological service of the Alkoklinik MC, psychiatrist-narcologist L.A. Serova.

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Symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy

The harmful effects of alcohol-containing products extend to many nerve fibers. First, a person experiences a feeling of pain in the limbs and numbness. Few people pay attention to such signs . If you do not address such symptoms in a timely manner, it will be extremely difficult . Therefore, it is necessary to record signals, the main ones of which are:

• the occurrence of pain in the legs;
• formation of ulcers, dry skin;
• itching and burning in the feet;
• increased sweating;
• disorientation;
• speech problems.

With alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities, patients complain that their temperature sensitivity is impaired. In addition, they cannot sleep normally at night, since at this time the unpleasant sensations in the form of tingling, itching, and burning intensify significantly. As the disease progresses, such signs practically disappear, but this is not an indicator of improvement. Nerve fibers are destroyed in the body, and trophic disorders occur.

Symptoms

• Temporary appearance of painful cramps in the muscles of the feet or calf.
• Numbness and pain in the feet, calves, or soles that get worse at night. As the disease progresses, these symptoms can spread to the hands.
• If you neglect to treat these symptoms and continue to drink alcohol regularly, the sensations of numbness turn into increasing weakness in the legs, and in some cases, the arms.

Manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• During the examination, the patient's sensitivity, including muscle-articular sensation, is impaired in the distal parts of the lower and, in some cases, upper extremities.
• Weak tendon reflexes of the lower extremities, especially the Achilles, or their complete absence.
• Severe stages of the disease are accompanied by weakness of the lower as well as upper extremities.
• There may also be a decrease in the hair cover of the legs (hypotrichosis), marbled coloring of the skin of the lower extremities, blue discoloration (acrocyanosis) and coldness of the legs and feet with normal pulsation of the arteries in this area.
• Development of trophic disorders of the distal parts of the lower extremities in the form of brown skin coloring (hyperpigmentation), the appearance of trophic ulcers.

Sources of polyneuropathy

Disruption of the normal functioning of the nervous system can occur not only due to alcoholic polyneuropathy. Other diseases where the symptoms are very similar are epilepsy, drug overdose, diabetes, and oncology. Even poisoning with chemical compounds can cause problems with the nervous system. If this is, after all, acute alcoholic polyneuropathy, then the following circumstances contribute to its development and transition to the chronic stage :

• consumption of alcohol-containing products that affects the nervous system;
• problems with circulation in nerve fibers;
• metabolic disorder;
• critical vitamin B deficiency.

The risk of disease increases many times over if an alcoholic drinks surrogate drinks containing harmful impurities and liquids. A serious disease - alcoholic polyneuropathy can occur if a person has an abnormality of genes, the main function of which is to encode enzymes involved in the conversion of alcohol-containing products into acetaldehyde.

Reasons for the formation of pathology

Obvious signs of the disease make themselves felt in cases of advanced alcoholism. They are detected in patients with stages II and III of chronic alcohol dependence.

Causal factors leading to alcoholic polyneuropathy:

• Toxic demyelination of neuronal axons.
• Avitaminosis.
• Accumulation of acetaldehydes in the blood.

Low-quality alcohol, denatured alcohols, and non-edible liquids containing ethanol have a particularly destructive effect. Sometimes one dose of a toxic substance is enough to form polyneuritis. Hereditary deficiency of enzymes that neutralize the products of ethanol catabolism in the liver is also important.

• The process gets worse:
• Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency.
• Poor nutrition, due to lack of appetite during binge drinking, financial difficulties of an alcoholic who prefers to buy alcohol rather than normal food.
• Violation of the detoxification function of the liver.

Types of disease

The clinical symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy are nonspecific. Therefore, in order to determine at what stage the disease is, doctors assess the patient’s drug status, conduct electroneuromyography, and a number of additional studies. Depending on the results obtained, experts distinguish several types of disease:

• sensory. It is characterized by decreased sensitivity in the legs and arms , the appearance of seizures, changes in skin color, and numbness may be observed;
• motor. In this case, disorders are observed when changing the position of the foot, bending the fingers;
• arctic If a person experiences numbness , pain when palpating the lower extremities, or significant changes in gait , then doctors conclude that the form of alcoholic neuropathy is arctic;

The name of the next form speaks for itself. Specialists observe motor and sensory problems in a patient with a mixed type of disease. This is characterized by the appearance of pain during movement and rest, numbness, hypotension, and paralysis. In any form, effective treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy is required.

Classification

Alcoholic polyneuropathy has several clinical variants.

The following forms are distinguished along the flow:

• spicy;
• subacute;
• chronic.

Acute is provoked by binge drinking or hypothermia. Against this background, symptoms manifest quickly and, without treatment, become latent, or a protracted version with erased manifestations.

The chronic form develops in 4 stages:

• Zero. It is possible to identify changes indicating the onset of a disease process only through studies using a special diagnostic device - an electromyograph. Positive data from quantitative and sensory testing also support the development of pathology. The patient does not make any complaints.
• The first (initial manifestations). The patient experiences periodic, mild symptoms of polyneuritis.
• The second (with classic, clinically significant signs). For diagnosis, existing complaints and medical examination data are quite sufficient. There are no functional defects.
• Third (with severe symptoms). Patients who are sick partially or completely lose their ability to work and become disabled.

Diagnosis of the disease

The earlier the disease is detected, the faster specialists will be able to determine the form of the disease and prescribe medications to alleviate the patient’s condition. Treatment of alcoholic polyneuropathy of the upper extremities or legs is not prescribed without conducting a study of bioelectric potentials. This procedure is called ENMG (electroneuromyography). Its disadvantage is the use of the technique only in the early stages of the disease.

When the disease has already progressed, electroneuromyography alone is not enough. Here, doctors must use nerve fiber biopsy, that is, cell sampling for a comprehensive diagnosis. Plus, specialists conduct an external examination and collect anamnesis. A combination of modern research methods makes it possible to accurately determine the form of the disease and the severity of damage.

Diagnostic methods

It will be quite difficult to initially make a correct diagnosis, because the symptoms of polyneuropathy are similar to other diseases. And making a diagnosis by listening to the patient’s complaints is almost impossible, because it is necessary to undergo a whole series of laboratory tests.

First of all, you need to thoroughly consult with a neurologist so that the specialist examines the limbs that are affected, and he also needs to check the patient’s reflexes.

When there is already an approximate suspicion of polyneuropathy, then it will be necessary to conduct a general blood test, do an electroneuromyography, and in very rare cases a nerve biopsy will be needed.

ENMG will make it possible to find out about nerve damage, a differential diagnosis of other diseases will be made, and it will be possible to determine the prognosis of this disease. And then ENMG will allow you to track the dynamics of changes in the nerves against the background of the rest of the treatment.

The next stage is the laboratory methods of the entire study, namely screening laboratory tests. In other cases, there is a need to consult an endocrinologist, as well as do other research.

Getting rid of alcoholic polyneuropathy

The disease - alcoholic polyneuropathy, which is a neurological disease, occurs gradually . Usually this disease occurs due to constant drinking and long-term drinking. To begin treatment, the patient must completely get rid of the addiction. Only in this way will the use of medicines and traditional medicine give the desired effect. In addition, you need to organize proper nutrition and your own rest regime. If the conditions are met, then specialists begin treatment. Based on research, doctors prescribe medications to the patient that relieve pain, and also resort to anti-inflammatory drugs. Another irreplaceable remedy is B vitamins .

Content:

1. Reasons for development
2. Symptoms
3. Treatment

Alcohol addiction often affects the nervous system. Alcoholic polyneuropathy is a disease in which a large number of peripheral nerves are simultaneously affected.
The clinically pronounced form, according to various sources, is diagnosed in 10–30% of people with chronic alcoholism. In special studies, signs of an asymptomatic course are found in the majority of alcoholics. Pathology is more often detected in males. Usually occurs chronically. The sudden appearance of symptoms is sometimes observed under the influence of provoking factors - hypothermia or prolonged heavy drinking. The rate of progression and severity of manifestations vary. In severe cases, disability cannot be ruled out.

Healing legs when alcoholic polyneuropathy is detected

Now we will talk about how to cure alcoholic polyneuropathy of the lower extremities using medications. To achieve the desired effect, it is necessary to diagnose the disease in a timely manner . It is better if loved ones of a person who is experiencing symptoms of the disease force him to seek qualified help at an early stage. In this case, it is possible to achieve complete restoration of the affected nerve fibers and improve the circulatory system.

Doctors, taking into account the individual characteristics of the sick person’s body, will prescribe comprehensive treatment . For example, for people suffering from allergic reactions, the course will be different. If a diagnosis is made and it is determined that the patient suffers from alcoholic polyneuropathy, then treatment will be as follows:

• prescription of vasoactive drugs ;
• use of painkillers (non-steroidal);
• an order to take a course of antidepressants ;
• It is mandatory to take B vitamins ;
• prescribing creams and ointments to relieve pain in the legs;

note

Treatment will only help if the patient completely stops drinking alcohol-containing products. It will bring the expected effect if he eats properly, balanced and nutritiously. It is worth noting that when the symptoms of the disease appear within a year, then this is an acute form of the disease. With a longer course it develops into chronic.

Toxic polyneuropathies (information for patients and doctors)

Toxic polyneuropathy (information for patients and doctors) Alcoholic polyneuropathy

What is Alcoholic Polyneuropathy? “Alcoholic polyneuropathy” is a consequence of the direct toxic effect of ethanol and its metabolites on peripheral nerves with predominant damage to thin, weakly myelinated and unmyelinated fibers that conduct pain, temperature sensitivity and provide autonomic-trophic functions.

How common is this disease among the Russian population? In Russia, according to official data, about 5% of the population over the age of 18 abuses alcohol, which is about 7.5 million people. According to the WHO report, in 2022 our country was in fourth place in terms of the amount of alcohol consumed per capita (13.9 liters of pure alcohol per year), behind Lithuania, Belarus and Moldova. At the same time, in Russia they often drink strong alcoholic drinks, while in other European countries preference is given to beer and wine. In relation to polyneuropathies of other origins, the proportion of alcoholic damage to peripheral nerves is about 40%. According to the literature, 76% of patients suffering from alcohol dependence for more than 5 years have clear clinical signs of alcoholic polyneuropathy; At the same time, subclinical (“erased”, “hidden”) nerve damage according to electroneuromyography (ENMG) is detected in 97–100% of patients who chronically drink alcohol, that is, in the vast majority.

How do I know if I drink a lot of alcohol? The GAGE ​​questionnaire will help answer this question. Answer the questions unequivocally “YES” or “NO” in the way you understand them. If you have difficulty answering, do not answer anything:

• Have you ever felt that you should cut down on your drinking?
• Did you feel irritated if someone around you (friends, relatives) told you about the need to reduce your drinking?
• Have you ever felt guilty about drinking alcohol?
• did you have the desire to drink alcohol as soon as you woke up after drinking alcoholic beverages?

Interpretation of results: for each answer “YES” - 1 point. A score of 2 or more points corresponds to SIGNIFICANT ALCOHOL ABUSE. You need to reconsider your lifestyle and eliminate the harmful effects of the toxic effects of alcohol on the body, in particular polyneuropathy. Yes, I scored more than 2 points, but what symptoms bother patients with alcoholic polyneuropathy? The first signs of the disease may not be immediately noticed by patients, since this type of polyneuropathy is characterized by a slow progression of symptoms over several years. Less commonly, the clinic can develop acutely, during or after a binge.

Depending on which nerve fibers are more involved in the pathological process, the following characteristic complaints arise:

• sensitive symptoms: numbness, tingling, “burning”, “burning”, pain, “crawling” in the feet, legs, and later in the hands; decreased sensitivity in the feet - “I don’t feel like I’m putting on shoes, I don’t feel the floor”; unsteadiness when walking, worse in the dark and with eyes closed;
• motor symptoms: weakness develops in the muscles of the feet and legs, then weakness in the muscles of the hands may develop (impaired fine motor skills); difficulty walking, “spanking” of the feet;
• autonomic symptoms: fluctuations in blood pressure; “interruptions” in the work of the heart; constipation, diarrhea; dry skin or sweating; erectile dysfunction and decreased libido;
• symptoms of concomitant damage to the central nervous system: memory impairment; confusion; decreased intelligence; disorientation; indifference to loved ones and others; inattention; drowsiness.

The clinical picture and “set” of symptoms may vary. In 42% of those diagnosed with alcoholic polyneuropathy, neuropathic pain syndrome is detected.

Are there risk factors for developing this disease? There definitely is! The most important factor is the frequency of alcohol consumption. There are 3 cohorts of patients who abuse alcohol: occasional drinkers (a period of sobriety of more than 5 days, without binge drinking), frequent drinkers (drinking alcohol more than 3 times a week with a hangover more than 1 time a week) and constant drinkers (daily drinking, without sobriety) . It was found that patients from the groups of “frequent drinkers” and “constant drinkers” have higher rates of detection of polyneuropathy (29.6% and 29.9%, respectively) than the group of patients “occasional drinkers” (11.3%). Subjective polyneuritic symptoms developed after a relatively short duration of abuse (1-5 years), and signs of severe polyneuropathy developed after alcohol abuse for more than 10 years. Female gender increases the risk of developing more severe polyneuropathy. Such gender differences are due to a higher rate of absorption of alcohol and, as a consequence, a higher level of alcohol in the blood in women than in men. Women's addiction and full-fledged dependence on alcohol develop much faster than in men. If in men chronic alcoholism (first-second stage) develops after 6-12 months of daily drinking, then for women 3-6 months are enough. The genetic risk factor manifests itself, first of all, in a hereditary craving for alcohol, which can, from generation to generation, lead to the development of alcoholic polyneuropathy and damage to other organs and systems. Malnutrition and B vitamin deficiency often accompany alcohol abuse. It has been proven that ethanol reduces the absorption of vitamins in the small intestine, reduces their “liver” reserves, and disrupts the processes of phosphorylation and the formation of active forms of vitamins. Deficiency of B vitamins is an additional cause of peripheral nerve damage, which, together with the toxic effects of alcohol, aggravates the course of polyneuropathy. Impaired liver function is caused by a long period of alcohol intake or the addition of other concomitant diseases. As a result, fatty hepatosis occurs, which over time can transform into alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Liver failure is a separate cause of damage to peripheral nerves, and when caused by alcohol, it leads to severe polyneuropathy.

What type of alcohol increases the risk of developing polyneuropathy? Any type of alcohol contains ethanol and its metabolites, mainly acetaldehyde, which has a direct toxic effect on peripheral nerves. Scientists from the Maugeri Medical Detoxification Center conducted a comparative analysis of alcoholic beverages consumed by their patients. It was found that drinking wine, compared to drinking beer, causes a greater risk of developing polyneuropathy. This may be due to the presence of impurities that wine producers add to their product. No other comparative studies have been conducted on this topic.

What is the mechanism of nerve damage caused by alcohol consumption? Alcohol enters the bloodstream within 5 minutes of ingestion and reaches its peak after 30–90 minutes. Ethanol and its toxic metabolites affect the functioning of neurons. Free oxygen radicals disrupt the function of cellular structures, primarily the vascular endothelium, causing endoneurial hypoxia and leading to damage to nerve axons. In addition, ethanol reduces the synthesis and disrupts the normal configuration of nerve fiber cytoskeletal proteins and slows down axonal transport.

On what basis did the doctor diagnose “Alcoholic polyneuropathy”? The key to making a diagnosis is a history of systematic or binge drinking of alcohol, the absence of anamnestic and clinical and laboratory signs of other probable causes of polyneuropathy: diabetic, hereditary, dysimmune, etc. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude alternative causes of polyneuropathy, the doctor may order the following tests:

• electroneuromyography, which allows you to assess the functional state of motor and sensory fibers of peripheral nerves and determine the nature of their damage;
• general blood analysis;
• detailed biochemical blood test;
• glycated hemoglobin and glucose tolerance test;
• blood test for HIV, RW, hepatitis B and C;
• blood test for levels of vitamins B1, B6, B9, B12, homocysteine;
• rheumatic tests (rheumatic factor, antineuronal antibodies ANCA, antinuclear factor, antibodies to nuclear antigens ANA, antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide, antinuclear antibodies, etc.);
• antineuronal antibodies (anti-Hu, anti-CV2/CRMP-5).
• electrophoresis of serum and urine proteins with immunofixation + freelite.

To diagnose polyneuropathy with predominant damage to thin, weakly myelinated nerve fibers, additional research methods are used:

• cardiovascular tests, assessment of heart rate variability, tilt test;
• autonomic evoked potentials;
• corneal confocal microscopy;
• quantitative sensory testing;
• punch skin biopsy with assessment of the condition of intraepidermal thin nerve fibers.

What treatment can a neurologist prescribe? The main and main stage of treatment is a complete cessation of drinking alcohol. Observation by a narcologist will be useful. Pathogenetic therapy for alcoholic polyneuropathy has not yet been developed. A nutritious, balanced diet with sufficient amounts of vitamins and protein and other lifestyle changes (quitting smoking, normalizing body weight) themselves contribute to a significant improvement in the condition of patients with alcohol-related illness. In cases of concomitant deficiency of B vitamins, vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6 ​​(pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), B12 (cyanocobalamin) are prescribed. In the presence of neuropathic pain syndrome, medications are prescribed according to the symptoms of its correction: antidepressants (amitriptyline, duloxetine, venlafaxine) and anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin). Restorative and rehabilitation methods of treatment (transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation, myostimulation, acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, physiotherapy, balance therapy, robotic therapy) occupy an important place in the correction of polyneuritic disorders. If you have symptoms of polyneuropathy and you scored 2 or more points on the GAGE ​​questionnaire, then you urgently need to seek specialized medical care at the Center for Diseases of the Peripheral Nervous System of the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Center for Neuroscience!

Drug-induced and chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy What do these terms mean? Drug-induced polyneuropathy is multiple, diffuse, uniform and symmetrical damage to peripheral nerves that develops while taking a drug with a high and moderate degree of neurotoxicity. Chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy that develops during or after chemotherapy is considered separately.

How common is this disease? The prevalence of all drug-induced polyneuropathies has not been reliably determined. At the same time, the prevalence of polyneuropathy among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy is 77.2%. In approximately 1/3 of patients, symptoms persist for at least 6 months after completion of chemotherapy. In addition, the severity of polyneuropathy may limit the continued use of adequate dosing of drugs, potentially increasing morbidity and risk of death from cancer.

What drugs can contribute to the development of this disease? The following is a partial list of drugs with high and moderate neurotoxicity: Vitamins: • pyridoxine (B6) • niacin (B3) Immunosuppressants: • chloroquine • gold salt drugs • leflunomide • cyclosporine Cardiovascular drugs: • amiodarone • procainamide • captopril • hydralazine Antimicrobials: • metronidazole • nitrofurans • chloramphenicol • fluoroquinolones • streptomycin Statins: • atorvastatin • lovastatin • pravastatin Psychotropic drugs: • amitriptyline • lithium salts • amphetamines Antihistamines: • cimetidine NSAIDs: • indomethacin Antigout drugs: • colchicine • allopurinol Chemotherapy drugs: • platinum-based drugs: cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin • taxane-containing drugs: paclitaxel, abraxane, docetaxel • thalidomide and its analogues: lenalidomide, revlimid, methiblastane • vinca alkaloids: vincristine, vinblastine, vinorelbine, vindesine Anesthetics: • nitrous oxide Anti-alcohol drugs: • disulfiram

IMPORTANT ! The connection between taking a drug from this list and the development of polyneuropathy can only be established by a DOCTOR! Independent withdrawal of the drug is NOT ALLOWED! Your goal is to warn your attending neurologist about taking medications from this list if you have characteristic polyneuritic complaints!

What symptoms bother patients with these types of polyneuropathies? Symptoms for drug-induced and chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy are absolutely the same as for alcoholic polyneuropathy (see above). At the same time, the symptoms of polyneuropathy can be extremely variable, which is associated with the individual response of nerve fibers to the damaging effects of drugs and chemotherapy.

How quickly does polyneuropathy develop when taking a neurotoxic drug? If we talk about drugs that do not belong to the group of chemotherapy, then the first symptoms of neurological disorders may appear after a long time from the start of taking it. Patients often do not see the connection and attribute their complaints to other possible causes and lifestyle changes. We see a different picture after a course of chemotherapy, when symptoms can increase quite quickly after just 1 course of treatment. But the development of symptoms may be delayed, 3-6 months after the end of the entire course of chemotherapy.

On what basis did I receive this diagnosis? The key to making a diagnosis is the presence of polyneuritic complaints and symptoms revealed during examination, as well as a history of constant or systematic use of a drug from a risk group or chemotherapy including drugs with moderate and high neurotoxicity. It is important that there are no anamnestic and clinical laboratory signs of other probable causes of polyneuropathy, including a negative family history. One of the criteria for the correctness of the established diagnosis includes improvement of the condition, or stopping the progression of the disease against the background of therapy. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude alternative causes of polyneuropathy, the doctor may prescribe the studies listed above, including electroneuromyography, which allows you to assess the functional state of the motor and sensory fibers of the peripheral nerves and determine the nature of their damage.

What treatment options are there? After the diagnosis is made, together with specialized specialists, drug therapy is reviewed: the “neurotoxic” drug is replaced with another one. If necessary, symptomatic therapy for neuropathic pain syndrome (antidepressants, anticonvulsants) is prescribed. Prescribing “neurometabolic” drugs is not advisable due to the lack of evidence. Restorative and rehabilitation treatment is important in the correction of neurological disorders in polyneuropathy: transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation, acupuncture, biofeedback, interventional methods, massage, physiotherapy, balance therapy, robotic therapy. But we must remember that some methods are contraindicated in the presence of a concomitant history of cancer.

What are the prognosis for this disease? Life expectancy does not differ from that of people who do not have this disease. Recovery depends on the course of the underlying disease for which the “neurotoxic” drug is prescribed. It is extremely important for the prognosis to make a timely correct diagnosis, drug treatment and careful monitoring of the patient.

If you have symptoms of polyneuropathy and are taking “neurotoxic” drugs, then you urgently need to seek specialized medical care at the Center for Diseases of the Peripheral Nervous System of the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Center for Neuroscience.

Employees of the Center for Peripheral Nervous System Diseases provide consultations to patients on an outpatient basis within the framework of compulsory medical insurance and on a commercial basis.

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT AND ENMG/iEMG BY MULTI-CHANNEL PHONE +7 +7

Use of non-drug methods for treatment

Without special medications, it will not be possible to defeat alcoholic polyneuropathy. The help of doctors who can determine the condition of a sick person and help him is a necessary condition for recovery. In addition to medication, they also use other methods. Physiotherapeutic procedures, for example, electrical stimulation of the spinal cord and nerve endings, have proven their effect. Doctors also advise contacting massage therapists. Such specialists will help tidy up muscle activity.

Treatment of acute and chronic alcoholic polyneuropathy is a complex of different measures that help the patient feel much better. By completely abstaining from alcohol and strictly following the doctor’s recommendations, you can be completely cured . Moreover, the use of methods offered by traditional medicine has also not been canceled. For example, a drink made from sunflower seeds, parsley and kefir is very healthy.

Under no circumstances should such a disease be allowed to take its course. After all, this disease can lead to a wheelchair, and in some cases cause the death of a person. Only a timely visit to the doctor, the use of prescribed treatment, and a therapeutic course will help here. In this case, you will definitely be able to defeat this terrible disease!

Treatment

A patient with polyneuropathy needs to prepare for a rather long treatment, which is built on the following principles:

• Etiological treatment, which is aimed at eliminating or reducing the work of the damaging factor;
• Pathogenetic treatment comes from the mechanisms of damage to peripheral nerves;
• Symptomatic treatment.

Only a specialist neurologist will be able to fully carry out effective treatment of any form of PSP, and he can also attract other specialists for treatment. Modern and adequate treatment will absolutely definitely be able to return the patient to a full life, restoring all his functions. And if it is not possible to restore all the patient’s functions, then good treatment will allow him to feel better.

How it develops

Polyneuropathy manifests itself from the very beginning of alcohol dependence, gradually transforms into more severe forms and is accompanied by mental disorders. This is multiple diffuse damage to nerve fibers in the peripheral nerves.

Statistics report that polyneuropathy is observed in 80-100% of cases of alcohol dependence. In mild forms it is expressed by mild tingling and numbness of the legs, in severe forms – difficulty breathing, problems with the cardiovascular system, and the inability to move independently. The process can take 10 years and in half of the cases ends in death.