Medical Complications: Common Alcohol-Related Concerns National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

They feel what they call a ‘sinking’ but they know that wine or some other stimulant will at once relieve the sensation. Thus they seek to relieve it until at last they discover that the remedy fails. Alcoholic beverages relaxes the vessels of the lungs easily as they are most exposed to the fluctuations of heat and cold. When subjected to the effects of a rapid variation in atmospheric temperature, they get readily congested. During severe winter seasons, the suddenly fatal congestions of lungs clearly affect liquorices. Kevin Famuyiro is a Senior Content Strategist at LA Times Studios, curating content by working closely with doctors, scientists and healthcare experts as well as sourcing scholarly-reviewed medical and science journals.

Drinking Patterns

• Regular medical check-ups should include discussions about liver function tests, especially for those who drink regularly.
• While high intrinsic aerobic fitness protected against ethanol-induced hepatic injury and systemic metabolic dysfunction, it did not reduce ethanol-activated hepatic steatosis.
• Understanding which organs are most vulnerable to alcohol’s effects can help people make informed decisions about their drinking habits.
• But it is less common in industrialized countries because of routine vaccination against hepatitis B.Chronic hepatitis C causes inflammation of the liver that eventually can lead to cirrhosis.
• The health risks of alcohol tend to be dose-dependent, and the likelihood of certain harms, such as cancer, begin at relatively low amounts.6 Even drinking within the U.S.
• Even one night of heavy drinking can weaken your body’s natural defense system.
• This can eventually lead to alcoholic pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas with severe complications.

Alcoholic hepatitis occurs in about 35% of heavy drinkers, while 20% develop cirrhosis. The liver can still function with some damage, but scarring impairs its ability to process nutrients, drugs and toxins. Damaged liver cells attempt to regenerate in an inflammatory environment, creating a cycle of damage and repair that increases the likelihood of DNA mutations.

What Causes Alcoholic Hepatitis?

A multidisciplinary approach is crucial for managing alcoholic hepatitis and other liver diseases, ensuring comprehensive care and better outcomes. Recovery.com combines independent research with Substance abuse expert guidance on addiction and mental health treatment. Our mission is to help everyone find the best path to recovery through the most comprehensive, helpful network of treatment providers worldwide.

Addiction Info

Heavy drinking weakens your immune system’s ability to produce and deploy white blood cells, leaving the body more vulnerable to illness. This chronic immune system suppression can lead to more frequent and severe infections, including pneumonia and long term effects of alcohol tuberculosis. Alcohol also interferes with the body’s inflammatory response, hindering its ability to heal and fight off infections. These long-term deficiencies leave people with chronic alcohol problems more susceptible to a range of diseases.

The disastrous forms of confirmed indigestion originate by this practice. See the Resources, below, for guidelines to help clinicians manage pain in patients with or in recovery from substance use disorders. Below are potential alcohol-related medical complications by body system. The endocrine system consists of hormone-producing glands in the body. These hormones influence various functions, including growth, metabolism, and breathing. By Geralyn Dexter, PhD, LMHCDexter has a doctorate in psychology and is a licensed mental health counselor with a focus on suicidal ideation, self-harm, and mood disorders.

Maintaining a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean proteins supports liver health, while proper hydration and regular physical activity improve overall metabolic function. Regular medical check-ups should include discussions about liver function tests, especially for those who drink regularly. Severe abdominal swelling, known medically as ascites, often develops as fluid accumulates.

The elements of the muscular fiber are replaced by fatty cells or, if not so replaced, are themselves transferred into a modified muscular texture in which the power of constriction is greatly reduced. If you’re concerned about your drinking, getting a professional’s perspective is a great place to start. Addiction treatment specialists can perform an initial evaluation to determine the severity of your use, assess your need for treatment, and point you in the right direction.

• Alcoholic hepatitis is a form of alcohol-related liver disease, which can progress to chronic liver disease if heavy drinking continues.
• Alcohol also interferes with the body’s inflammatory response, hindering its ability to heal and fight off infections.
• In cases of poisoning by diverse poisonous compounds, we analyze liver as if it were the central depot of the foreign matter.
• The pulmonary or respiratory system includes the lungs, diaphragm, and trachea.

Researched, fact-checked and transparent articles and guides that offer addiction and mental health insight from experts and treatment professionals. Alcohol can cause abnormalities in the blood cells in several ways, including nutritional deficiency, marrow toxicity, and liver disease. Every person has their own reasons for drinking or wanting to reduce their alcohol consumption. Depending on how much you have been drinking, your body may experience physical and psychological changes as you reduce your intake, known as withdrawal. Whether you’re a light, moderate, or heavy drinker, alcohol can reduce bone mass.