Question:

I would like to know what causes what feels like a very sharp pain around my ankle veins – like a circulation issue? Vitamin B helps but what is the cause? If I have had wine, this will happen very acutely (but not only then) with increased muscle spasms, which I am very prone to. No, I am not magnesium deficient.

Puzzled.

Answer:

Thanks for your inquiry.

Alcohol abuse leads to a shortage of various nutritional substances due to a decreased absorption rate. The most important ones are thiamine (vitamin B1), folate, niacin, vitamin B6 and B12. This affects the nerves to cause the following symptoms: numbness, tingling and burning, a prickly sensation in the limbs, spasms and cramps in the legs and muscle weakness. It can also cause urinary incontinence, constipation and diarrhoea.

Luckily, abstaining from alcohol and treating the nutritional deficiencies will usually cure the problem as long as the damage is not too severe.

I hope this helps.

Dr Judy.