Recognizing Alcoholism
Physical Symptom Categories Explained
Although the presence of one alcoholism physical symptom may be easy to overlook or ignore, as drinking progresses the symptoms will mount and this is an indication that your health is being seriously affected.While there are many symptoms of alcoholism including behavioral and emotional, the physical symptoms of the disease are often the easiest to recognize and can be categorized by the way the symptoms manifest.Alcohol is poison to the human body, therefore the consumption of alcohol has a powerful negative impact on pretty much all of the bodies organs, systems and functions and with long-term use will result in deterioration and damage that puts the individual at high risk of developing a variety of serious health conditions and can ultimately lead to death. Alcoholism physical symptom categories include: - Skin
- Liver and kidneys
- Digestion
- Neurological
- Sexual dysfunction
- Miscellaneous
Alcoholism kills the cells in the liver. This causes jaundice and a yellowing of the skin and eyes. It also affects your immune system which results in a number of skin issues like psoriasis. Additionally the blood vessels dilate and many alcoholics will have broken capillaries on their nose and thin skin on their face. Symptoms which affect the skin include: - Yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin - caused by jaundice
- Red palms, flushed face, broken capillaries around the nose
- Spider veins on the face
- Easy bruising
- Red eyes
- Puffiness and water retention
- Psoriasis
- Swollen eyelids
It is the job of the liver and kidneys to pull toxins from your body and low and behold, alcohol is a toxin. Unfortunately there are very few functions which serve to pull toxins from your liver and kidneys which mean the alcohol is left to do its damage in these areas. The result is a liver and kidneys which are compromised. Cells die and the end result can be cirrhosis and kidney disease.Symptoms which affect the Liver and kidneys include: - Jaundice
- Swelling and inflammation of the liver
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Fever
- Abdominal pain in upper right quadrant under rib cage
- Loss of appetite
It’s no surprise that alcoholism affects digestion since your digestive system is the first stop on its way through your body. Alcoholism physical symptoms which affect digestion include: - Pancreatitis
- Malnutrition
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Ulcers
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Frequent indigestion
Neurological symptoms of alcoholism are often forgotten, ignored, or pushed aside. However the neurological symptoms of alcoholism can be quite severe and include:- Shakiness
- Tremors
- Memory loss
- Numbness in the extremities
- Delirium Tremens
Sexual Dysfunction symptoms include: - Erectile dysfunction
- Shrunken testicles
- Amenorrhea
- Reduced sex drive
Miscellaneous physical symptoms of alcoholism are abundant and include: - High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Hangovers
- Bed wetting
- Blackouts
- Anxiety
- Strong cravings or urges for alcohol
- Pot belly - often caused by malnutrition
Some of these symptoms, such as cravings, shaking, Delirium Tremens, irritability and headaches are experienced as a result of alcoholism withdrawal when the individual tries to abstain from drinking for a period of time. If withdrawal symptoms are experienced, this is a sure fire sign of alcohol dependence. As alcoholism progresses there can be long term physical damage to the brain, heart, nerves and esophagus and an increased risk of cancer, as well as type II diabetes, stroke and heart attack. While many of these symptoms as isolated incidents may be attributed to other conditions and one alcoholism physical symptom alone may not catch your attention, the presence of a number of these symptoms when combined with behavioral and emotional cues like increased tolerance, depression, mood swings, lying about drinking patterns, hiding drinking, anger or guilt about drinking or drinking earlier in the day may be a sign that you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism. Alcoholism is a disease that impacts every area of the individuals life. The physical arena is only one area, there will be indistinguishable signs in their emotional, social, relational and employment arenas as well. Becoming aware and recognizing all the
symptoms of alcoholism
is the first step in diagnosis. It's important to note, that symptoms will vary depending on what
stage of alcoholism
the alcoholic is in. In the early stages of alcoholism, physical symptoms will be less serious like red eyes, cravings and hangovers, but as alcoholism progresses the symptoms become more serious and someone in a more advanced stage of alcoholism will be exhibiting symptoms like jaundice, pancreatitis, tremors and bed wetting. If you're finding yourself in this list, or still have questions, you may also want to take a look at the
ten warning signs of alcoholism
for further clarification. Behavioral and emotional symptoms are the first to present and the fact that physical symptoms are being exhibited is a sign that the disease has already progressed to a more advanced stage and significant damage has already occurred and if drinking continues will only get worse. It's important not to ignore them, because some health conditions can not be reversed and the more damage that is done on the physiological level the harder the road in recovery will be.
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