According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, over 100,000 deaths annually are due to alcohol use disorder (AUD). When people drink too much alcohol on a regular basis, it causes stress and inflammation in the body. Drinking alcohol can damage your liver and heart and increase your risk for cancer. It can also worsen poor mental health.
Physical signs of alcohol use disorder can include chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss and frequent infections. If you experience these symptoms and believe they're being caused by alcohol, it's important to speak with a doctor. The sooner you seek help, the easier it will be to improve your health and recover from AUD.
Alcohol use disorder is defined by how much and how fast you drink alcohol. For example, binge drinking occurs when a person's blood alcohol concentration reaches 0.08% or higher within two hours. Usually, this amounts to four drinks for women and five drinks for men within a two-hour window. If you binge drink on a regular basis, your body won't be able to handle how much alcohol you're ingesting.
U.S. Dietary Guidelines say that men should have two drinks or fewer in a day, while women should have one drink or fewer in a day. A drink is defined as anything with 14 grams or 0.6 fluid ounces of ethanol in it. As an example, a regular 12-ounce beer counts as one drink.
Alcohol can damage every physical system, most commonly starting with your liver. Your liver is designed to filter toxins out of your body, and high alcohol intake puts increased stress on this organ. When you drink too much, your body may develop serious health problems like fatty liver, cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
Other health issues from drinking too much include:
Because alcohol is inflammatory, it also puts stress on your immune system. This makes it harder for your body to fight disease and can cause you to feel fatigued. Essentially, your body is working overtime to handle the excess alcohol in your system. Relieving that pressure can improve how you feel and give your body a chance to thrive again.
Recognizing symptoms of AUD early is important, so you can get professional help before irreversible damage is done. The earlier you stop drinking and receive treatment, the more complete your recovery can be. The best time to start is now!
Here are eight symptoms of alcohol use you may notice in your body:
Drinking alcohol has temporary and long-lasting effects on your heart. Every time you drink, alcohol increases your heart rate and blood pressure, causing the organ to pump your blood more quickly throughout your body. While this side effect can be temporary, heavy drinking and regular excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to long-term symptoms like weakened heart muscles, irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol levels or high blood pressure — possibly leading to chest pain or tightness.
The most common cause of non-heart-related chest pain is gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux. Drinking alcohol triggers acid reflux, and it can damage your body's lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This muscle connects your esophagus to your stomach. When it weakens, stomach acid can splash up from the stomach into the esophagus, causing chest-pain-like symptoms or a burning sensation.
Alcohol also affects the levels of serotonin, adrenaline and other neurotransmitters in your brain. If you already struggle with stress or anxiety disorder, having an alcoholic drink can worsen your symptoms. You may feel better at first, but heavy drinking can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain or panic attacks.
If you're experiencing shortness of breath, that could also be because of alcohol. Drinking suppresses breathing at high doses by depressing brainstem function, and it can trigger asthma in some individuals. Alcohol can also make it harder to breathe regularly when you're sleeping. If you're having severe shortness of breath, you should call emergency services.
Prolonged shortness of breath could be a sign that you're not receiving enough oxygen. This usually points to an underlying health problem that can be caused by or exacerbated by excessive alcohol consumption. If you experience shortness of breath on a regular basis or it suddenly starts happening, you should speak with a doctor to diagnose the cause and find the best treatment!
Abdominal pain can be another symptom of heavy drinking. Damage to your body can include gastritis, pancreatitis, liver inflammation and esophagitis. Symptoms can range from upper-abdominal pain to pain radiating to your back. Abdominal swelling is often a sign of fluid buildup from liver damage.
If you notice any abdominal symptoms, it's essential to see a doctor right away. Issues that cause abdominal pain or swelling are serious and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. These symptoms mean you should stop drinking right away and speak to a doctor before continuing to ingest alcohol.
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can also cause nerve damage, which can lead to numbness or tingling in your hands or feet. Underlying causes include systemic issues like liver disease, kidney failure and hypothyroidism. You could also be experiencing vitamin deficiencies or electrolyte issues.
If you're having tingling or numbness, you should speak to a doctor for the correct diagnosis and treatment. The right care may correct the tingling, or at least stop it from becoming worse. If there's a serious underlying issue like liver disease, you need to treat it early for the best recovery outcome.
Issues like jaundice and spider veins can also be symptoms of liver disease. If you notice skin changes accompanied by fever, vomiting or abdominal swelling, you need immediate help. Slower changes like persistent jaundice, easy bruising and wounds that won't heal are signs you should schedule an appointment with your provider.
Sudden changes in weight can be symptoms of malnutrition or liver disease. If you drink frequently and notice sudden weight gain or weight loss, it's important to pay attention and seek medical care. Drinking frequently causes people to gain weight and can create puffiness around your face. However, drinking too much can also lead to weight loss if you're neglecting a proper diet and your body is processing excess alcohol instead.
When your body is focused on clearing out toxins, you may feel tired and dehydrated. These are common symptoms of a hangover. However, they can become much more exaggerated if you drink too much alcohol on a regular basis. If you find yourself feeling excessively tired or weak, it could be from alcohol-related damage.
Health issues that can cause weakness include malnutrition and liver disease. Depending on what is wrong, it may be easy to recover your health or it could be difficult. The sooner you see a doctor and stop drinking, the more likely it is for you to experience a full recovery.
Frequent infections are another symptom of alcohol abuse. Your immune system is weakened by excess alcohol, so it can become challenging for your body to fight off infection and disease. When you stop drinking alcohol, your body can reach a state of equilibrium again, where it's not constantly working to remove toxins from your bloodstream.
If you experience chest pains or other physical discomfort after consuming alcohol, you're probably looking for answers as to why. While there are multiple possibilities, your next steps should be to stop drinking immediately and visit your health care provider. Only a medical professional can properly diagnose the cause of the symptoms you're experiencing.
While stopping drinking may be challenging, especially if you often drink heavily, protecting your health is essential. You may need to change your daily habits to make this more achievable. Avoid places where they sell alcohol and make sure you have a friend network that supports your goals of quitting. Breaking an alcohol addiction requires that you completely avoid it for a while.
If you have any concerns about your drinking or know you are addicted to alcohol, the best course of action is to get alcohol addiction treatment. Even if your health issues result from other conditions, not drinking is extremely good for your health. Keeping alcohol out of your system will help you heal, although you may also need specific medical treatments.
At Diamond House Detox, we offer comprehensive medical care to help you treat alcohol addiction and any underlying health conditions or mental health concerns. We take the time to understand you and your symptoms, so we can make an accurate assessment of your health and create a strategy for managing withdrawal symptoms.
Contact us today at 888-205-9346 or complete our online inquiry form to begin your recovery and health journey today.
