Wet Brain From Alcohol All About Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Wet brain, or wet brain syndrome, is a slang term for the medical condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This condition is caused by heavy alcohol use and leads to brain damage that can become permanent if not treated. In severe alcohol use disorder, a person’s frequent alcohol use can affect how their body absorbs thiamine, and it can also reduce the thiamine stores in their liver.

Even though the symptoms of the second stage of wet brain syndrome can’t be reversed, medical professionals may still administer additional thiamine through an IV or supplement. The additional thiamine may be able to stop the progression of wet brain syndrome. You won’t notice an improvement in your symptoms, but you won’t notice a worsening of your symptoms. If you get proper medical care when you are in the early stages of wet brain syndrome, the symptoms can be reversed.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

From the older generation to the youth, alcohol is a bonding factor for many. Millions and millions of people have been affected by alcohol addiction. It is impossible not to know at least one alcoholic in your life, which is the extent of alcoholism that has spread around us. Depending on a patient’s prognosis, care may need to be supportive and focused on managing symptoms. For example, patients with severe memory impairment or confusion may need to receive care in a long-term residential facility. Other vitamins and supplements which will help your body more effectively produce and utilize thiamine might also be recommended by your doctor.

This is a type of neuropsychiatric dementia and is a psychosis that is chronic and is seen as the result of not having treated Wernicke’s encephalopathy quickly enough. “Wet Brain” begins with symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy that is severe but may be temporary if treated by a doctor. Since a majority of individuals with wet brain suffer from alcohol use disorder, they may experience side effects similar to those that come with alcohol withdrawal. These symptoms may include leg tremors, decreased muscle coordination, and vision changes.

Alcohol Detox and Rehab Treatment

Thiamine plays a key role in helping brain cells produce energy from sugar. When thiamine levels drop too low, brain cells are unable to generate the energy needed to function properly. Poor diet, anorexia, weight-loss surgery, HIV, and cancer can worsen wet brain symptoms and outcomes. There is a direct correlation between the level of brain damage from wet brain and how much and often a person drinks. The symptoms of wet brain vary based on whether it is in the early, reversible stage or in the later, permanent stage.

One of the most important steps is removing negative influences from their lives. Often, this means that patients are encouraged to create boundaries around their old “drinking buddies”. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism, there is help available. There are many different types of treatment available, and the best course of action will depend on the individual. Everywhere in the body requires thiamine to work properly, meaning that your entire body will not function well if thiamine is low in your body.

What Are the Early Symptoms of Wet Brain?

It is especially hard for those patients who cannot recall and share their medical history. Abuse and addiction to alcohol are not restricted to gender, location, religion, or class. It is a global phenomenon, and now a problem, that the world is dealing with. Mostly all American adults have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime. Patients may also consider medication-assisted alcohol detox to help alleviate symptoms of withdrawal.

While wet brain is not something that can be cured, doctors can reverse some of the symptoms or at least slow the progression of the disorder if they can intervene quickly enough. Certain aspects of the condition can be helped with medication and treatment, while issues with memory loss are typically permanent. Early intervention in cases of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is the most effective for reversing course and saving someone’s life. People who exhibit signs of wet brain need to seek treatment for alcoholism and achieve and maintain sobriety to prevent and minimize the occurrence of permanent brain damage. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (also called alcohol dementia) is a set of neurological conditions that result from a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. When someone is deficient in thiamine, the brain is less able to process sugar into energy that it can use to function.

They are not “lying” but may actually believe their invented explanations. Scientists don’t yet understand the mechanism by which Korsakoff syndrome may cause confabulation. mush brain The person may also see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations). However, half of all Korsakoff syndrome patients will not be able to improve even with treatment.

Additionally, many detox facilities work with their patients to determine whether they have any vitamin deficiencies. If you are deficient in thiamine, the medical staff will begin thiamine replacement therapy. At times, doctors https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/rappers-that-struggle-with-addiction/ may prescribe glucose to hypoglycaemic alcoholics. This is because glucose will quickly eat up the body’s remaining thiamine reserves. This will only worsen wet brain symptoms, especially if additional thiamine is not given.

Without proper treatment, Wernicke’s encephalopathy can develop into Korsakoff’s psychosis. Since early detection and treatment can help with many aspects of the disease, many doctors urge alcoholics to seek treatment immediately. At the very least, alcoholics should get their thiamine levels checked. The thiamine supplements can improve certain symptoms, like delirium and confusion.

Changes in vision begin with eyelid drooping and double vision, which are also similar to signs of alcohol intoxication. The thiamine will help address problems of confusion or delirium, as well as vision and muscle coordination. However, additional medications may be needed to treat other symptoms. Treatment of Wernicke’s encephalopathy begins with increased intake of thiamine.

Wernicke Encephalopathy

Give us a call to learn more about our addiction treatment programs for men. If Wernicke’s encephalopathy is left untreated, it will progress to Korsakoff syndrome. Once you reach this stage of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, all you can do is learn how to cope and manage your illness. Heavy drinkers should consider taking anywhere from 50mg to 100mg of oral thiamine supplements per day. A person with mild thiamine deficiency should take between 5mg and 30mg of thiamine a day. Some pharmacies or grocery stores will stock these supplements as well.

Thiamine is a very crucial vitamin that the body needs for various functions. It is a water-soluble vitamin that must be at an adequate level for our heart and nervous system to work properly. Vitamin B1 is essential because its deficiency can cause various neurological problems. It’s is a chronic condition that can develop if Wernicke encephalopathy is not treated promptly. Take a closer look at Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome to understand how it develops and what can be done once it does.

Contact us today to see how we can help you overcome your addiction. We can help you explore various addiction treatment options and find the best one for you. The second part of the treatment process for wet brain syndrome is to seek help from an addiction treatment program. Getting help for your addiction is important, especially if you suffer from wet brain syndrome, because the disorder will continue to progress if you don’t stop drinking. The second reason heavy alcohol consumption causes thiamine deficiency is because alcohol prevents the liver from working properly.