Alcohol Withdrawal: Symptoms, Treatment and Alcohol Detox Duration

The first goal of treatment is to keep you comfortable by managing your symptoms. Your doctor’s treatment goal is helping you stop drinking as quickly and safely as possible. If you drink daily, your body becomes dependent on alcohol over time. When this happens, your central nervous system can no longer adapt easily to the lack of alcohol.

Most patients with mild withdrawal symptoms, whether they are treated or not, do not develop complications. Based on the patient’s score on the CIWA–Ar, the physician determines the appropriate treatment (see table). For all patients, especially those experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, proven benefits of treatment include amelioration of symptoms, prevention of both seizures and DT’s, and treatment of DT’s. Treatment also may prevent increasing severity of withdrawal during subsequent withdrawal episodes and encourage the patient to enter alcoholism treatment for relapse prevention. People with moderate-to-severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms may need to be treated at a hospital or other facility that treats alcohol withdrawal.

Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal

In the case of severe symptoms or delirium tremens, a person may be admitted to a hospital ward or the intensive care unit (ICU) for medical treatment during alcohol withdrawal. While in the hospital, vitals are monitored and fluids will likely be administered. References for this review were identified by searches of PubMed between 1985 and 2016, and references from relevant articles. The final reference list was generated on the basis of relevance to the topics covered in this review. Most treatment options may include the administration of long-acting benzodiazepines.

The article also discusses how the treatment of AW can be linked to the treatment of alcohol dependence and any co-occurring or underlying disorders. For more in-depth discussions of some of these issues, the reader is referred to subsequent articles in this issue. You may have more severe withdrawal symptoms if you have certain other medical problems. It is rare, but some people will experience a very serious syndrome during alcohol withdrawal, called delirium tremens. This article will discuss the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as well as the timeline and process of detox.

When Will Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Start?

However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important. If your symptoms are more severe, you may need to stay in the hospital. This is so your doctor can monitor your condition and manage any complications. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-stages-and-treatment/ You may need to get fluids intravenously, or through your veins, to prevent dehydration and medications to help ease your symptoms. If you drink only once in a while, it’s unlikely that you’ll have withdrawal symptoms when you stop.

But both binge and heavy drinking put a person at higher risk of developing it over time. In many cases, physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal will largely begin to decrease and altogether and resolve within 5 to 7 days. Make sure that you do not waste this chance because every failed shot at withdrawal makes the next attempt more difficult to pull off successfully.

Additional Alcoholism Treatment Options

A healthcare provider may request daily visits during which they will likely run blood tests and monitor vital signs until symptoms stabilize. It’s typical for withdrawal symptoms to begin within hours to a day or two after you have your last drink. Symptoms are often at their worst around 24 to 72 hours after you stop drinking. This article discusses the causes, common symptoms, and different stages of alcohol withdrawal. It also discusses various treatment options for alcohol withdrawal and how you can get help. Oral chlordiazepoxide and oxazepam are very commonly used for the prevention of withdrawal symptoms.

Additional research also is needed to determine the most appropriate treatment settings as well as methods of engaging patients in ongoing relapse prevention efforts. Improved insight into these issues will enable clinicians to improve the efficiency and quality of care for patients who are experiencing or are at risk for withdrawal. A doctor can perform a typical checkup and a blood test to see if the individual is still in good health or needs a treatment plan or medication. Others experiencing more severe symptoms may require hospitalization to avoid life threatening conditions. A doctor may also need to administer fluids intravenously to prevent dehydration and correct electrolyte abnormalities.

Other common household substances can also contain a significant amount of alcohol if ingested in large quantities, including mouthwash and cough syrup. Some of these items may also contain a high content of salicylates or acetaminophen, so consider checking aspirin and acetaminophen levels in patients presenting with alcohol withdrawal. Some people can be treated at home, but others may need supervised care in a hospital setting to avoid potentially dangerous complications such as seizures.