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Physical Symptoms of Alcoholism

The physical symptoms of alcoholism are different for each person and include short-term symptoms as well as long-term health effects. Symptoms may also change over time, as alcoholism is considered by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to be a lifelong disease. The physical symptoms of alcoholism may be reversible if a person discontinues drinking, but some physical effects may be permanent.

  1. Significance

    • According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 4.65 percent of Americans are dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use can be addictive, resulting in alcoholism which may cause severe health problems, complicate existing medical conditions and cause unintentional accidents.

    Types

    • Physical effects of alcoholism depend on the amount consumed and include dizziness, vomiting and unconsciousness when alcohol is consumed in large quantities in a short amount of time. Long-term effects of alcoholism include liver disease, heart disease and depression. Alcoholism in pregnant women may result in fetal alcohol syndrome in unborn children, which is a spectrum of mental and physical disorders and birth defects. According to the Mayo Clinic, other physical symptoms of alcoholism may include injuries from auto accidents, domestic violence, and infectious diseases due to risky behaviors or lack of hygiene.

    Features

    • Alcoholics may commonly black out after an episode of drinking and have no memories of what they were doing during that time. Tolerance to alcohol is another physical symptom of alcoholism, and can result in a person needing to consume more and more to achieve the same results.

    Time Frame

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, consuming large amounts of alcohol over many years can result in liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and heart disease. Physical tolerance to alcohol may occur after many years of alcoholism, which can worsen other physical symptoms if consumption is increased. In people with alcoholism, physical symptoms of withdrawal may occur within hours to a day of the last time a drink was consumed.

    Identification

    • The physical symptoms of alcoholism can be detected by observation and by medical tests. Physical effects of alcoholism that are visible include slurred speech, loss of balance and coordination, vomiting, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Medical tests to identify alcoholism include liver function tests, blood cell tests, and psychological surveys administered by doctors or mental health experts.

    Considerations

    • According to the American Medical Association, women may be more susceptible than men to the physical effects of alcoholism due to differences in the way the body metabolizes alcohol. The elderly may be more sensitive to the physical symptoms of alcoholism due to underlying medical problems, such as diabetes and existing heart or liver disease.

    Warning

    • Consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a short amount of time can result in alcohol poisoning. Physical symptoms of alcohol poisoning include irregular breathing, seizures and unconsciousness, and may result in death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, consuming large amounts of alcohol over a period of years can increase the chance of developing cancer, heart disease or stroke.

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