Alcohol-Linked Diseases
by Kathie Baker CEO, Release My Super 1300 090 261 | 0475 471 872
Release My Super specialises in the release of superannuation under the compassionate release of superannuation program for gambling, drug and alcohol rehab, mental health treatment, and IVF.
Many people only focus on the short-term consequences of drinking alcohol, such as pain from a hangover or getting arrested from risky actions resulting from intoxication. It is very true that drunken stumbling nights put you at risk for injuring yourself and others, especially if you choose to operate a vehicle. However, the long-term consequences of alcohol abuse can be just as severe. If you are a chronic drinker, you can suffer from the effects of alcohol for the rest of your life. Research shows alcohol has been linked to over 60 diseases, some irreversible, and even life-threatening. Here are 5 of the most serious alcohol-linked diseases heavy drinkers need to watch out for.
1. Cancer
One of the deadliest alcohol-linked diseases, cancer is a disease that can start in one place within your body and spread throughout, making it even more dangerous, life-threatening, and difficult to live with. Alcohol has been linked with cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast, colon, and rectum. Each drink consumed puts harmful pressure on organs within the body, damaging the tissues. Alcohol can cause inflammation within the liver, exposing the liver to toxic chemicals, therefore causing liver cancer. Alcohol also increases levels of estrogen in the body, putting women at risk for breast cancer.
2. Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the UK. Heavy drinkers can damage their heart from excessive drinking. However, just having a couple glasses of wine throughout the week can still contribute to shrunken arteries, therefore putting more pressure on your heart to pump blood throughout the body. As alcohol makes it harder to pump blood and regulate blood flow, the risk of heart failure rises.
3. Gout
Gout is a disease similar to arthritis. It is very painful and affects the joints. Alcohol increases your chances of experiencing symptoms of gout, with beer being the most influential source. The kidney’s function normally by excreting uric acid, which is the result of the breakdown of purine nucleotides (which can be found in some drinks). Too much uric acid can cause gout. Consuming alcohol forces the kidney to secrete alcohol instead of the uric acid, which then increases this acid within the bloodstream, triggering attacks of gout.
4. Pancreatitis
Seven out of 10 cases of chronic pancreatitis are due to long-term heavy drinking.
Acute and chronic pancreatitis occur when the pancreas is inflamed, causing severe pain. Heavy drinking can cause either of these alcohol-linked diseases. Research is still being conducted on exactly how alcohol causes these diseases; however, many believe alcohol molecules disrupt the cells within the pancreas, causing havoc and pain. Pancreatitis causes pain and suffering on its own, but being a candidate for pancreatitis also promotes risk for another disease, diabetes. Damaging your pancreas with alcohol weakens it ability to make insulin, which is needed to regulate blood sugar. In turn, the risk for diabetes greatly increases. No matter how much you drink, lowering your drinking patterns significantly decreases your chances of getting pancreatitis and preventing it from happening again.
5. Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis
Between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers will develop cirrhosis.
The liver plays a heavy role in filtering out toxins within the body. Excessively consuming alcohol tends to create scar tissue in replacement of healthy tissue, creating a condition called alcoholic liver cirrhosis. This disease is very painful and can cause confusion, internal bleeding, and a buildup of fluid within the stomach. Medications can treat alcoholic liver cirrhosis, but it is always recommended to decrease alcohol intake, so your liver can start to function normally again.
You Can Prevent Alcohol-Linked Diseases
While drinking alcohol can cause catastrophic short-term effects, it’s the long-term effects that sneak up on you and do the most serious health damage to most drinkers. The diseases listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more diseases linked to heavy alcohol consumption, some so intense they require hospitalization.
Don’t let a fun night turn into a detrimental pattern that ruins your health and takes years off your life. For more information on treatment options, contact a treatment provider today.
Release My Super
The financial burden of major life health events can be overwhelming, whether it is caused by addiction or mental health, and the money you require for treatment may be available to you through the early release of superannuation.
Kathie Baker CEO Release My Super
Best wishes, Kathie Baker
Author: Kathie Baker, CEO Release My Super 1300 090 261 | 0475 471 872
