Approximately 7.4 percent of the population, or 14 million Americans, suffer from alcohol abuse or alcoholism, according to statistics complied by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 1994. Alcohol abuse can manifest in several adverse physical symptoms, some of which may not become a problem until many years of heavy drinking have occurred.
Temporary Effects
While drinking, alcohol abusers experience physical effects that may alter their perceptions and emotions. Distorted hearing, vision and coordination are common during or right after heavy drinking occurs. Hangovers, which often include shakiness or nausea, are also known to affect alcohol abusers once the alcohol begins to leave their system. These physical effects eventually wear off after a session of heavy drinking has concluded.
Cancer
A 1997 study by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund links alcohol abuse to an increased risk for some types of cancer. The larynx, pharynx, mouth, esophagus and digestive tract are all possible locations where the incidence of cancer may be more likely due to excessive drinking. Women who drink regularly may also suffer from an increased risk of breast cancer, according to reports from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Brain Damage
Alcohol abuse also has a tie to brain damage. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that drinking large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time may involve a risk of serious changes to the brain. For example, thiamine deficiency is a common condition that alcoholics experience. This affects the brain's ability to function, since thiamine is an essential nutrient for all tissues in the body. Alcohol abusers are also at risk for Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome, a condition involving symptoms such as paralysis of the nerves responsible for eye movement, problems with muscle coordination, learning difficulties and mental confusion.
Liver Damage
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, over 2 million people in the United States suffer from liver damage related to alcohol abuse. Some heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis, a condition where the liver is scarred. Alcoholic hepatitis is also a risk of heavy drinking; symptoms like jaundice, fever and abdominal pain are related to this condition. Both of these types of liver damage may result in death if alcohol abuse continues.
