Alcoholism is a condition characterized by a physical and mental dependence on alcohol. In addition to impairment in job, social or relationship functioning that often occur as a result of excessive and chronic drinking, serious and potentially life-threatening damage to the body can occur. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following physical symptoms of alcoholism, seek the help of a qualified health care professional.
Dependence and Withdrawal Signs
While drinking, alcoholics can experience a range of symptoms including slowed motor skills, impaired balance and coordination and impaired cognitive or brain function (concentration and judgment impairment). According to the National Institutes of Health, common bodily signs that occur with excessive, frequent drinking include weight loss due to neglecting to eat, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and numbness or tingling throughout the body. Black outs and memory loss can also occur.
People who abuse alcohol often develop a physical dependence that causes serious withdrawal symptoms soon after they stop drinking. Common signs of withdrawal include shaking in the mornings or during the night as the alcohol begins to wear off, fever or raised body temperature, trouble sleeping, restlessness, increased blood pressure, sweating, hallucinations or psychosis and a racing heart. Severe withdrawal can lead to tremors, convulsions, seizures and, rarely, death.
Thiamine Deficiency and Brain-related Signs
Those who drink heavily for a long period of time can cause physical changes to the brain that persist even after they have stopped drinking.
Up to 80 percent of alcoholics have a thiamine deficiency, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is a vitamin that cannot be made by the body and must be ingested. It is essential for proper functioning of all bodily tissues, especially the brain and heart. Because many alcoholics fail to eat a balanced diet, they develop a deficiency that can cause increases in blood flow and high blood pressure, heart failure and sodium and water retention, which can cause edema, or swelling. Lack of thiamine also interferes with nerve cell communication in the brain, potentially leading to impaired cognitive function, memory loss and alcohol-induced dementia. Some will develop a brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), a neurological condition that causes short-term memory loss, amnesia (permanent gap in memory), inattention and learning problems. It can also lead to other physical symptoms such as ataxia (weakness, unsteadiness or lack of muscle coordination), slow walking, tremor-like eye movements, paralysis of eye muscles, fine motor function deterioration and diminished smell, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance.
Liver Damage Signs
Alcoholism can cause progressive damage to the liver (alcohol-induced liver disease) that in some cases is not reversible even after drinking is stopped. According to the UVA Health System, the most common disorder is the development of a fatty liver in which an excessive amount of fat cells accumulate, leading to an enlarged liver and pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen. Alcoholic hepatitis--an inflammation of the liver and destruction and scarring of liver cells--may also occur, causing fever, jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), spider-like veins in the skin, increased white blood cell count and an enlarged, tender liver. Alcoholic cirrhosis--a potentially life-threatening and irreversible condition causing destruction of normal liver tissue--is the most serious of the alcohol-induced liver conditions. Signs of cirrhosis include kidney failure, fluid in the abdomen, mental confusion and an enlarged spleen.
