Alcoholism is the inability to stop drinking alcohol or to control the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol in large quantities is a toxin that damages many bodily organs. Most, if not all, alcoholics have serious health problems from their overuse of alcohol. While some diseases related to alcohol are reversible, many are not.
Liver Disease
Alcohol damages the liver in stages over a number of years. Alcoholic hepatitis occurs first; hepatitis in this case simply means liver inflammation and doesn't refer to Hepatitis B or C. The liver can be inflamed and enlarged with fat for a number of years before cirrhosis, the scarring of liver tissue, occurs. Before cirrhosis develops, the liver can regenerate new cells. Cirrhosis can destroy large portions of the liver, until it can no longer perform its normal function of removing toxins. Cirrhosis is irreversible liver damage; the only cure for cirrhosis is a liver transplant.
Brain Damage
Alcohol has a profound effect on the brain and nervous system. Dementia, confusion, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, blackouts and memory loss are all known side effects of long-term alcoholism. Neuropathies, or numbness of the hands and feet, also occur.
Cardiovascular Problems
Heart disease is very common in alcoholics. Cardiomyopathy, enlargement of the heart, leads to shortness of breath and decreased blood flow to vital organs and tissues when the heart is unable to pump efficiently. The risk of heart failure from cardiomyopathy is greater for female alcoholics than men, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) states. Heart arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeat, are common during binge drinking and also occur during periods of alcohol withdrawal. Arrhythmia's during abstinent periods can be fatal. Alcoholism also increases blood pressure and the risk of stroke, states psychologist John Brick, Ph.D, of the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies.
Gastrointestinal Effects
Damage to the liver leads to dilated blood vessels in the stomach, intestines and esophagus. The dilated blood vessels, called varices, can rupture and cause heavy blood loss very quickly. This type of hemorrhage needs immediate medical treatment or the person may bleed to death. Other gastrointestinal symptoms include ulcer formation and damage to the pancreas.
Cancer
Many types of cancer are more common in alcoholics, including liver cancer. Mouth, throat, esophageal, larynx, colon and rectal cancer are also more common in people who abuse alcohol, the Mayo Clinic states.
Osteoporosis
Alcoholics often suffer from osteoporosis, or low bone density. Osteoporosis in alcoholics is caused by the increased breakdown of bone and a decrease in new bone build-up, according to the NIAAA.This leads to a risk of fractures, which are made more likely by an alcoholic's frequent falls from loss of balance related to intoxication.
