Fifteen million Americans struggle with the disease of alcohol addiction. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status, or gender. Unfortunately, only about 10% of people with AUD seek help at an addiction treatment center. Some try to quit drinking on their own, which can be risky and very difficult. Others simply continue to struggle as alcohol addiction affects their work life, relationships, and health.
Don’t become a statistic. Let Promises Behavioral Health help you begin recovery and regain your mental and physical health, equilibrium, and future. Our evidence-based therapies are provided by highly trained and experienced professional clinicians, and we offer inpatient and outpatient options, as well as medically supervised detox and dual diagnosis treatment. Reach out to learn which of our locations is best for you and to ask questions about alcoholic liver disease symptoms, as well as other physical illnesses that are related to AUD. Call 844.875.5609 or use the Promises online contact form to connect with us.
Health Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Misuse
In addition to becoming addicted, experiencing alcohol poisoning, or having your daily life increasingly disrupted, the chronic misuse of alcohol can lead to or exacerbate physical illnesses with dire consequences.
The most common physical ailments related to AUDs are:
- Type II diabetes – which can lead to any number of severe physical complications, including kidney damage, blindness, and cardiovascular disease
- Pancreatitis – acute or chronic, and caused by alcohol abuse in 70% of cases
- Cancer – specifically of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, colon, rectum, and liver
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome – a brain ailment related to lack of Thiamine, most commonly caused by alcohol addiction
- Liver disease – which can be reversed in early stages but not in cases of late-stage cirrhosis
If you are worried about your alcohol use or think that someone you care about is addicted to alcohol, consider reaching out for help in ending the cycle of drinking and reclaiming your sobriety and health.
Causes of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)
Alcohol misuse leads to ALD in one of two ways.
- Binge drinking – When you consume a large amount of liquor in a short time period, it is considered binge drinking. This can mean more than four drinks in two hours (for women) or five drinks in two hours (for men), though a binge can last days or even weeks. Regardless, this kind of drinking, also known as heavy episodic drinking, can lead to alcoholic liver disease.
- Long-term alcohol abuse and addiction – Chronic excessive drinking, meaning consuming more than the recommended limits of alcohol over years, often leads to ALD, including its most serious manifestations.
If you or someone you care for fits into either of those categories, seek medical advice regarding potential liver complications and reach out to Promises to learn about our alcohol treatment center. Our number is 844.875.5609.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease?
Early signs of ALD include many that are also symptoms of other ailments, such as:
- Stomachache
- Lack of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- General malaise
If an individual continues to drink, the liver becomes more damaged and alcoholic liver disease symptoms worsen. They may include:
- Jaundice – yellowing of skin and sclera
- Edema in legs and feet
- Build-up of abdominal fluid called ascites
- Itchiness
- Loss of hair
- Curved fingertips – known as clubbed fingers
- Nosebleeds and bruising
- Red palms
- Fevers
- Major weight loss
- Intellectual decline, such as confusion and poor memory
- Insomnia and personality changes
In its early stages, ALD can be reversed. The best way to ensure that no further damage is done to your liver is to stop drinking. That can be challenging without support.
Reach Out to Promises Behavioral Health Today
Promises can help you begin recovery from alcohol addiction. Our medical and therapeutic staff will monitor your withdrawal so it is done safely and usher you through the rehab program of your choice—inpatient or outpatient—while providing you with evidence-based therapies and other healing modalities.
Call 844.875.5609 today or use the Promises online contact form to connect with one of our staff. You can ask us anything in complete confidence, from “What are the symptoms of alcoholic liver disease?” to “How can I begin my recovery?”