Beriberi is a normal symptom that can occur when sitting at work or sitting in the same position for a long time which places pressure on the nerves in the hands, feet, legs, arms and so on. This kind of beriberi is not severe and not considered worrisome as the symptoms disappear quickly. However, beriberi may have other causes. If you know and understand the causes, you will be able to prevent the condition getting serious.
What are the causes and symptoms of beriberi?
Besides being able to occur in everyday life, beriberi can be caused by a lack of vitamin B1 or thiamine, a vitamin that the human body cannot synthesize on its own and therefore needs to get from food or supplements. Vitamin B1 is responsible for accelerating the process of carbohydrate metabolism so that the body is able to use glucose for such functions as nerve impulse transmission. Vitamin B1, or thiamine, plays a very important role in building a layer that protects nerves while transmitting nerve impulses.
Therefore, when the body lacks vitamin B1, beriberi may result. The symptoms include loss of feeling, feeling thick, blotchy skin, and tingling pain in the hands and feet. Sufferers may feel more than usual needle prick tingling pain, burning pain, electric shock, and the main symptom of being short of breath and having an accelerated heart rate.
Infantile Beriberi vs Adult Beriberi
Beriberi can occur in both children and adults but there are different causes and symptoms.
· Infantile Beriberi is common in infants aged 2-6 months. It is caused by breastfeeding when the mother has a vitamin B1 deficiency, or a child regularly consumes a vitamin B1-deficient diet.
o Symptoms
§ Green face, green body
§ Lethargic
§ Panting
§ Swollen body and legs
§ Enlarged heart, rapid heartbeat
§ Hoarse crying or voicelessness
§ Some may experience eye twitching, upper eyelid drooping
§ If not receiving correct and timely treatment, death can result within a few hours
· Adult Beriberi can be divided into three categories:
o Dry Beriberi – the patient will have beriberi without swelling with the following symptoms:
§ Beriberi in hands and feet.
§ Weak limb muscles, especially lower legs. This can be tested by having the patients squat and stand up on their own.
§ Pain.
§ Slurred speech.
§ Vomiting.
§ Mental disturbances and confusion.
§ Eyes move by themselves without the patient realizing.
§ Paralysis.
o Wet Beriberi – The patient will have swelling along with beriberi in the hands and feet with the following symptoms:
§ Beriberi in hands and feet.
§ Swelling and fluid in the abdomen and lungs.
§ Lower leg swelling.
§ Panting.
§ Shallow breathing during activities.
§ Waking up with shallow breathing.
§ Enlarged and accelerated heartbeat.
§ May cause a heart attack if not properly and promptly treated.
o Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is common in chronic alcoholics with the following symptoms:
§ Little or no eye movement.
§ Staggering.
§ Mental disorder.
§ Those with hypertension can develop a psychiatric condition known as Korsakoff's Psychosis, a condition in which the brain is damaged by vitamin B1 deficiency.
Other causes of Beriberi
Besides vitamin B1 deficiency Beriberi may also be caused by the following:
1. Beriberi caused by the central nervous system
The central nervous system is the brain or spinal cord. This beriberi may come from cerebrovascular disease in which beriberi occurs on one side of the body. There may be other neurological symptoms such as muscle weakness and difficulty balancing which occurs suddenly. There is also multiple sclerosis which is characterized by pain in nerves that are inflamed causing spasticity.
2. Beriberi caused by the peripheral nervous system
o Nerve root compression caused by degenerative cervical vertebrae or herniated discs.
o Nerve compression in the limbs is often found in superficial nerve locations and associated with sitting or having the same posture for a long time or too forcefully, such as sitting cross-legged, using your hands to work on a computer all day, and using your hands and fingers to use a mobile phone for a long time resulting in weakness and muscle atrophy.
o Direct injury to the nerves such as being in an accident. This will depend on where the nerve is disturbed. The patient may have beriberi and weakness.
o Peripheral neuropathy. This is often associated with other medical conditions such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
o Certain infections, such as shingles, syphilis, and HIV.
o Endocrine diseases such as hyperthyroidism.
3. Beriberi caused by diseases of peripheral blood vessels such as:
a. Blockage of arteries causing red blood flow to the muscles and nerves being reduced. Beriberi is also accompanied by pale symptoms due to reduced blood flow causing the temperature to decrease. The patient will feel pain but won’t feel a pulse.
b. Blockage of veins inhibiting blood from circulating back and transporting waste out. This causes increased pressure in the limbs and interferes with the import of red blood. It often causes limb swelling with dark color, beriberi, pain and weakness. If the symptoms are mild, the pulse can be felt in the limbs.
4. Arthritis
When a joint becomes inflamed, it affects nearby nerves causing symptoms associated with beriberi.
5. Muscular diseases such as office syndrome due to continuous muscle spasms. This causes an impact on the nerve or blood flow to the nerve. Beriberi may occur along with muscle pain in that area.
What are the symptoms that should prompt you to see a doctor?
· Increasing beriberi intensity. Symptoms occur in the same or other areas and persist for several days.
· Beriberi characterized by inability to sense position and loss of balance.
· Beriberi with weakness.
· Beriberi associated with unusually hot or cold hands and feet.
Diagnosis of beriberi
Initially, the doctor will suspect the issue of malnutrition in those with specific eating habits or those who are in the group of alcoholism. The diagnostic process will be as follows.
· Blood and urine tests to measure vitamin B1 levels – If patients have difficulty absorbing vitamin B1, they will have low levels of vitamin B1 in their blood but more in their urine.
· Neurological Examination to test coordination of various systems in the body such as eye movement. This type of diagnosis can also detect when patients have severe symptoms and experience memory loss, confusion or delusions.
· Other physical examinations which will allow the doctor to identify abnormalities such as tachycardia, swollen lower legs, shortness of breath, and others.
· Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or CT-Scan to detect brain changes caused by Wernicke's Encephalopathy.
Relieve beriberi by adding vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is a nutrient that the body cannot produce by itself. However, it can be added by choosing foods that contain vitamin B1 and other vitamins, such as:
· Grains and legumes such as peanuts, soybeans, black beans, red beans, mung beans and sesame seeds.
· Brown rice, oats, barley, wheat germ and rice bran.
· Whole grains.
· Beef, fish and lean pork, liver, kidneys, and egg yolks.
· Milk and dairy products such as yogurt, certain vegetables such as asparagus, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, spinach, asparagus and mushrooms and fruits such as watermelon and orange juice.
It's also a good idea to limit your intake of alcoholic beverages which directly affect your body's absorption of vitamin B1.
Beriberi can happen to anyone and is easy to treat. However, if it is ignored, it may cause the body to miss important warning signs. Therefore, you should keep an eye on your consumption behavior and the degree of any beriberi symptoms that occur. If any of the symptoms fall into the aforementioned categories, you should see a doctor immediately in order to promptly avoid further danger.
Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers can consult a doctor online using the Krungthai-AXA Telehealth service. Just download Emma by AXA application and press “TeleHealth” button to confirm your policy number the first time you use it. For more details, please click https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/telehealth.
References
· Samitivej Hospital
https://bit.ly/3Urdkxl
· Vibhavadi Hospital
https://www.vibhavadi.com/Health-expert/detail/86
· Sikarin Hospital
http://bit.ly/3hw4DTL
· Rajavithi Hospital
https://www.rajavithi.go.th/rj/?p=5084
· Pobpad website
http://bit.ly/3G4HLoW
http://bit.ly/3hujXAD
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