She has spent the past 5 years specializing in the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. Withdrawal side effects can be incredibly uncomfortable, which can lead a person to resume drinking to alleviate these side effects. Because of this fact, a person with an alcohol use disorder may have several failed attempts to stop drinking. When people use the term “alcoholism,” what they are really referring to is an alcohol use disorder, which is the clinical term for an addiction to alcohol. Alcoholism is a colloquial term, and it really isn’t a politically correct way to refer to an alcohol addiction. Constant pain in the hands or feet is one of the most bothersome aspects of alcoholic neuropathy.
Untreated Alcoholic Liver Disease Complications
Drinking too much alcohol may lead to a tingling sensation or numbness in your legs, feet, or hands, known as alcoholic neuropathy. This bruising and alcohol is one of the most common side effects of long-term alcohol consumption. Research studies on the association between weight gain and alcohol consumption have ended in conflicting results. In other words, weight gain isn’t inevitable, but you could still tip the scale up from drinking too much alcohol. Only a couple of drinks can cause vasodilation of blood vessels close to the skin, leading to potential bruising if you bump your body against a hard surface. According to Scott Swartzwelder, Ph.D. (coauthor of Buzzed), consistent vasodilation caused by drinking alcohol leads to more blood flowing through your blood vessels.
- As the bruise develops, the skin over your bruise may look dark brown or black.
- Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of liver damage.
- What they find during the history and physical examination sometimes suggests a cause of the bleeding or bruising, but typically tests need to be done.
- Binge drinking, which includes consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a short period, may be harmful to our health.
Think you have a drinking problem?
People with hemophilia often bleed into their joints or muscles. Most often, bleeding is minor, but it can be severe enough to be life-threatening. However, even minor bleeding is dangerous if it occurs in the brain.
Do You Bleed More When You Drink?
- “The good news is that most bruises aren’t a big deal even if you can’t explain them,” said Shannon Jahn, a Marshfield Clinic Health System Oncology/Hematology Nurse Practitioner.
- Liver damage from cirrhosis is not reversible, and it is linked to high mortality rates.
- Low vitamin C levels can cause scurvy, which in turn can cause easy bruising.
- People have excessive bleeding into deep tissues such as muscles, joints, and the back of the abdominal cavity, usually following minor trauma.
- As the liver no longer processes toxins properly, a person will be more sensitive to medications and alcohol.
- Since you may not have any symptoms in the early stages of the disease, cirrhosis is often detected through routine blood tests or checkups.
This can develop into alcohol hepatitis, which is the inflammation of the liver. They may lose feelings of hunger or no longer have a desire for food, as their focus shifts to alcohol. Alternatively, they may crave high-fat foods as alcohol produces the hunger-increasing hormone, ghrelin. In addition, some alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, are high in calories, so regular consumption of these drinks can lead to weight gain. Alcohol can have a damaging effect on many aspects of our lives, even if we only consume it in small amounts.
Mayo Clinic Press
People are asked about use of alcohol or intravenous (IV) drugs. Heavy alcohol use is a risk Halfway house factor for liver disease, and IV drug use is a risk factor for HIV infection. Bruising easily usually isn’t a serious problem, but Jahn recommends calling your health care provider if any of these descriptions apply to your bruises. Antirejection medications after transplant can increase the risk of serious infections and certain cancers. Drinking a large volume of alcohol can cause fatty acids to collect in the liver. Sometimes, heavy drinking over a short period, even less than a week, can cause this.
