Question
You said a cause of Avascular Necrosis in this previous letter could be,”extreme alcohol consumption”. What is considered “extreme”? I was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis in 1998 in both hips,(I was told it was from a one time, 2 week course of Prednisone prescribed for Bell’s Palsy). I’ve had both hips replaced, and now I am getting symptoms in my elbow. I have not used any Prednisone, however I unfortunately consume 3-4 glasses of wine per day. Is my alcohol abuse the cause of this? I would appreciate whatever information you can give me. Thank you in advance for your answer.
Answer
Heavy alcohol consumption is a risk factor for avascular necrosis (osteonecrosis). It is not known if the risk occurs (but at lower level) for people who drink modesty or if you have to reach a certain level of alcohol consumption. Thus it is difficult to answer your question.
