How Long Does Alcoholic Neuropathy Take to Go Away?

How Long Does Alcoholic Neuropathy Take to Go Away?

For most people, alcoholic neuropathy improves slowly over months, not weeks. Once someone stops drinking and their nutrition is corrected, studies have measured improvement over periods ranging from several months to a few years[1]. How far it recovers depends mostly on how long and how heavily someone drank, and on whether they stay away from alcohol.

The honest answer has two parts. Many people get meaningfully better, and some regain nearly full function[1]. Others keep some lasting symptoms, most often a mild loss of feeling in the feet[2]. What almost never happens is improvement while drinking continues: the damage tends to get worse if alcohol use goes on[3].

What Is Alcoholic Neuropathy?

Alcoholic neuropathy is damage to the peripheral nerves, the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord that carry feeling and movement signals to the arms and legs. It is thought to come from two things working together: the direct toxic effect of alcohol on nerves, and the poor nutrition that often comes with heavy drinking[1][3]. Thiamine (vitamin B1) is one of the key nutrients alcohol interferes with[1], although a large review found the neuropathy can develop even without a nutritional deficiency[2].

It is common. A 2018 review of 87 studies found nerve damage confirmed by nerve testing in about 46 percent of people with chronic heavy alcohol use[2]. The biggest risk factor was the total amount of alcohol consumed over a lifetime, and severity was linked to how many years someone drank, with severe cases seen after more than ten years[2].

Thiamine deficiency from heavy drinking can also affect the brain, which is a separate condition covered in our guide to wet brain (Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome).

Alcoholic Neuropathy Symptoms

Symptoms usually begin in the feet and lower legs and are mostly about sensation[1][2]. MedlinePlus lists these common symptoms[3]:

• Numbness in the arms and legs
• Pins and needles or other abnormal sensations
• Painful sensations in the arms and legs
• Muscle weakness, cramps, aches or spasms
• An unsteady walk
• Heat intolerance, especially after exercise
• Constipation or diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Trouble urinating or incontinence, and erection problems
• Problems swallowing or talking

The last few come from damage to the nerves that run automatic body functions, and they are less common than the numbness and tingling. Pain is also less common than people expect: the 2018 review found pain in about 42 percent of cases, which makes it one of the less painful types of neuropathy[2]. Any of these symptoms are worth raising with a doctor, because other conditions can cause them too[3].

Alcoholic Neuropathy Stages: How It Progresses

There is no formal staging system for alcoholic neuropathy, but it tends to follow a recognizable pattern. It is a length dependent neuropathy, meaning the longest nerves are affected first[2]:

• Early: pain, numbness and tingling in the feet and lower legs, sometimes with some unsteadiness[1].
• Progressing: symptoms spread upward on both sides, and weakness joins the sensory changes[1].
• Advanced: with heavier drinking, symptoms can reach the hands and arms[1].

There is no single test for it. Doctors diagnose it from the history and a neurological exam, often with nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG), plus blood work that checks vitamin levels such as thiamine, B12 and folate[1]. Blood sugar, liver, kidney and thyroid tests may also be done[3].

Alcoholic Neuropathy Recovery Timeline

The clearest picture of recovery comes from a small follow up study summarized in the 2018 review. It followed 11 people with alcoholic neuropathy who had stopped drinking and were eating a normal diet[2]:

• Within days: sensory symptoms such as tingling and burning began to improve.
• Weeks to months: muscle strength improved.
• Up to two years: the time strength recovery took in the most severe cases.
• What remained: none of the neuropathy fully resolved. Mild loss of vibration or pinprick sensation in the feet, or lost ankle reflexes, persisted.

That study is small, so treat the timeline as a guide rather than a promise. The broader clinical summary is consistent with it: abstinence for several months up to a few years has shown improvement both on examination and on nerve testing[1].

A few things tend to shape how fast and how far someone recovers: the total amount and number of years of drinking[2], whether nutrition is corrected[1], and above all whether drinking stops for good[3].

Is Alcoholic Neuropathy Reversible?

Sometimes largely, sometimes only partly, and trusted sources frame it differently. The StatPearls clinical review describes the overall prognosis as favorable, with most patients regaining function after sustained sobriety and nutrient replacement[1]. MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, says the nerve damage is usually permanent and likely to get worse if drinking or nutrition problems continue[3].

Both can be true for different people. Symptoms and function can improve a great deal while some nerve changes stay behind, which is exactly what the follow up data shows[2]. The realistic expectation is real improvement, not a guaranteed cure, and the earlier drinking stops, the more there is to protect. The same question comes up for the brain, which we cover in whether brain damage from alcohol is reversible.

Alcoholic Neuropathy Treatment

Stopping alcohol is the most important first step[3]. Around that, treatment usually includes[1][3]:

• Nutrient replacement: thiamine, vitamin B12 and folic acid, chosen based on blood work. Vitamin supplementation appears to help, though exactly how is not fully understood[2].
• Physical and occupational therapy: to rebuild strength, balance and daily function.
• Symptom care: pain medication, compression stockings, and treatment for specific problems such as bladder or digestive symptoms.
• Treatment for the drinking itself: psychiatry referral, alcohol treatment programs and support groups.

Supplements and pain medicine should be chosen by a doctor who has seen your blood work, not started on your own. Nerve care is usually led by a primary care doctor or a neurologist.

Is Alcoholic Myopathy Reversible?

Alcoholic myopathy is damage to the muscles rather than the nerves, and it often appears alongside neuropathy. It is common, affecting an estimated 40 to 60 percent of people with long term heavy drinking[4]. The chronic form causes weakness that builds over weeks to months, mostly in the muscles closest to the body: the hips, thighs, shoulders and upper arms[4]. People often notice it climbing stairs or getting up from a chair.

The outlook is generally good once drinking stops[4]:

• Acute alcoholic myopathy, a sudden and much rarer form, usually resolves within one to two weeks of abstinence.
• Chronic alcoholic myopathy improves more gradually. Up to 85 percent of people showed measurable strength gains within the first year without alcohol, with strength fully normalizing by the fifth year.

Living With Alcoholic Neuropathy: Protecting Your Feet

When feet are numb, small injuries can go unnoticed and get worse. Everyday foot care from MedlinePlus lowers that risk[5]:

• Wear shoes at all times, and check inside them for stones or rough spots first.
• Check your feet every day: the tops, sides, soles, heels and between the toes.
• Test bathwater with your elbow before putting your feet in.
• Wash your feet daily with lukewarm water and mild soap, and keep the skin moisturized.

Tell your doctor about any sore, cut or color change on your feet that you did not notice happening.

Stopping Drinking Safely When You Have Alcoholic Neuropathy

Because recovery depends on not drinking, the most useful thing for your nerves is also the hardest part: stopping. If you have been drinking heavily for a long time, do not stop suddenly on your own. Alcohol withdrawal is a serious condition that can quickly become life threatening, and people with moderate to severe symptoms may need treatment in a hospital or a facility that treats withdrawal[6]. Seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations or an irregular heartbeat need emergency care: call 911[6].

Virtue Recovery Center provides medical detox for alcohol, where withdrawal is managed by a clinical team, followed by residential treatment for the drinking itself. We work alongside the doctors who treat your nerves rather than replacing them. You can read more about how we approach alcohol addiction treatment.

Alcoholic Neuropathy FAQs

How long does alcoholic neuropathy last?

It varies from person to person. With no alcohol and good nutrition, many people notice improvement over several months, and recovery can continue for up to a few years. Some mild numbness or reduced sensation in the feet can remain, and symptoms tend to get worse if drinking continues.

Can alcoholic neuropathy be reversed?

Partly, and for some people substantially. Research describes clear improvement once drinking stops and nutrition is corrected, and some reviews report most patients regaining function. Other sources describe the nerve damage as usually permanent, so it is best to expect improvement rather than a guaranteed full reversal.

Is alcoholic myopathy reversible?

Often, yes. The sudden, acute form usually resolves within one to two weeks of stopping alcohol. The more common chronic form improves more slowly: in one body of research, up to 85 percent of people showed measurable strength gains within the first year without alcohol, with strength fully normalizing by the fifth year.

What are the first signs of alcoholic neuropathy?

It usually starts in the feet and lower legs, on both sides, with numbness, tingling or pins and needles, burning pain, or feeling unsteady when walking. Over time it can move up the legs and reach the hands.

If I stop drinking, will alcoholic neuropathy go away?

Stopping drinking is the single most important step, and it is what allows improvement to happen. It does not guarantee every symptom will go away, especially after many years of heavy drinking, but continuing to drink makes the damage worse.

How is alcoholic neuropathy treated?

Treatment focuses on stopping alcohol, replacing nutrients such as thiamine, vitamin B12 and folic acid, physical and occupational therapy, and managing pain and other symptoms. Care for the nerves themselves is usually led by a primary care doctor or neurologist.

Sources

1. [1] Sadowski, A., & Houck, R. C. (2022). Alcoholic Neuropathy. StatPearls Publishing, National Library of Medicine.
2. [2] Julian, T., Glascow, N., Syeed, R., & Zis, P. (2019). Alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Neurology, 266(12), 2907 to 2919.
3. [3] MedlinePlus. (2025). Alcoholic neuropathy. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
4. [4] Simon, L., Jolley, S. E., & Molina, P. E. (2017). Alcoholic Myopathy: Pathophysiologic Mechanisms and Clinical Implications. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews.
5. [5] MedlinePlus. (2026). Peripheral neuropathy. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
6. [6] MedlinePlus. (2025). Alcohol withdrawal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting supplements or medication, and before stopping heavy drinking.

Written by

Heather Cariker, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Heather Cariker is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) serving at Virtue Recovery Center Killeen, providing psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management for clients in addiction and co-occurring mental health treatment. She joined Virtue as a Registered Nurse in 2022 before advancing into the psychiatric nurse practitioner role. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Texas Tech University.

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Medically reviewed by Heather Cariker, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner