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Physical Symptoms of Alcoholism
Alcoholism article By Mark Thiffault
The physical symptoms of alcoholism are farther-reaching than most drinkers and non-drinkers realize. Causing everything from mental disorders to gout, the physical symptoms of alcoholism literally wreak havoc head-to-toe.
Starting at the top, physical symptoms of alcoholism may mess with the mind and cause insomnia, depression, and anxiety. While all of these conditions are technically classified as mental disorders, they do have physical repercussions. Fatigue and panic attacks are common to people suffering from physical symptoms of alcoholism.
Physical Symptoms of Alcoholism
While moderate drinking (a glass of wine per day) has been shown to improve overall health, alcoholism has the ability to cause high blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke or heart disease in heavy drinkers. The physical symptoms of alcoholism may even extend to cancer, as heavy drinking has been shown to increase the risk of cancers such as larynx, esophagus, liver and pancreas.
The most well known of the physical symptoms of alcoholism are probably the liver problems, such as fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis. Extended alcohol abuse leads to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver. Because scar tissue cannot do the things that healthy liver tissue can, cirrhosis diminishes the body's ability to make protein, digest food, store energy, and clean the blood.
Cirrhosis is a contributing factor to a few other physical symptoms of alcoholism, mainly kidney disease. The kidneys may become enlarged, which alters the functions of hormones and may lead to kidney failure.
Because of problems with the kidneys and liver, the body has a hard time absorbing nutrients such as vitamin B1. This overall malnutrition may lead to impaired memory and balance, and the malnutrition combined with heavy drinking may cause gout. Alcoholism may also cause reduced sexual and reproductive abilities.
The physical symptoms of alcoholism are much more than the slurred words and stumbling we generally associate with drinking. If you or someone you know needs a few good reasons to stop a drinking problem before it starts, a list of the physical symptoms of alcoholism may be just the catalyst.