Main Campus: Chesterfield, MO 63017 | 
Alcohol withdrawal
Detoxification - alcohol; Detox - alcohol
Alcohol withdrawal refers to symptoms that may occur when a person who has been drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis suddenly stops drinking alcohol.
Causes
Alcohol withdrawal occurs most often in adults. But, it may occur in teenagers or children.
The more you drink regularly, the more likely you are to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking.
You may have more severe withdrawal symptoms if you have certain other medical problems.
Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually occur within 8 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later. Symptoms usually peak by 24 to 72 hours, but may go on for weeks.
Common symptoms include:
-
Anxiety
or nervousness
Anxiety
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stres...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Depression
Depression
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for shor...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Fatigue
Fatigue
Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Irritability
- Jumpiness or shakiness
- Mood swings
- Nightmares
- Not thinking clearly
Other symptoms may include:
- Clammy skin
- Enlarged (dilated) pupils
-
Headache
Headache
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Insomnia (sleeping difficulty)
-
Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite
A decreased appetite is when your desire to eat is reduced. The medical term for a loss of appetite is anorexia.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Nausea and vomiting
-
Pallor
Pallor
Paleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Rapid heart rate
Rapid heart rate
A bounding pulse is a strong throbbing felt over one of the arteries in the body. It is due to a forceful heartbeat.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Sweating
Sweating
Sweating is the release of liquid from the body's sweat glands. This liquid contains salt. This process is also called perspiration. Sweating helps...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tremor of the hands or other body parts
A severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens can cause:
Delirium tremens
Delirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It involves sudden and severe mental or nervous system changes.
-
Agitation
Agitation
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Fever
Fever
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Seeing or feeling things that aren't there (hallucinations)
-
Seizures
Seizures
A seizure is the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Severe confusion
Exams and Tests
Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may reveal:
- Abnormal eye movements
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Dehydration (not enough fluids in the body)
- Fever
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid heart rate
- Shaky hands
Blood and urine tests, including a toxicology screen , may be done.
Toxicology screen
A toxicology screen refers to various tests that determine the type and approximate amount of legal and illegal drugs a person has taken.
Treatment
The goal of treatment includes:
- Reducing withdrawal symptoms
- Preventing complications of alcohol use
- Therapy to get you to stop drinking (abstinence)
INPATIENT TREATMENT
People with moderate-to-severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may need inpatient treatment at a hospital or other facility that treats alcohol withdrawal. You will be watched closely for hallucinations and other signs of delirium tremens.
Treatment may include:
- Monitoring of blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and blood levels of different chemicals in the body
- Fluids or medications given through a vein (by IV)
- Sedation using medicines until withdrawal is complete
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
If you have mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you can often be treated in an outpatient setting. You will need someone to stay with you during this process who can keep an eye on you. You will likely need to make daily visits to your provider until you are stable.
Treatment usually includes:
- Sedative drugs to help ease withdrawal symptoms
- Blood tests
-
Patient and family counseling to discuss the long-term issue of
alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorder is when your drinking causes serious problems in your life, yet you keep drinking. You may also need more and more alcohol to f...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Testing and treatment for other medical problems linked to alcohol use
It is important to go to a living situation that helps support you in staying sober. Some areas have housing options that provide a supportive environment for those trying to stay sober.
Permanent and life-long abstinence from alcohol is the best treatment for those who have gone through withdrawal.
Support Groups
The following organizations are good resources for information on alcoholism:
- Alcoholics Anonymous -- www.aa.org
- Al-Anon/Alateen -- www.al-anon.org/home
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -- www.niaaa.nih.gov
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -- www.samhsa.gov/atod/alcohol
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well a person does depends on the amount of organ damage and whether the person can stop drinking completely. Alcohol withdrawal may range from a mild and uncomfortable disorder to a serious, life-threatening condition.
Symptoms such as sleep changes, rapid changes in mood, and fatigue may last for months. People who continue to drink a lot may develop health problems such as liver, heart, and nervous system disease.
Most people who go through alcohol withdrawal make a full recovery. But, death is possible, especially if delirium tremens occurs.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Alcohol withdrawal is a serious condition that may rapidly become life-threatening.
Call your health care provider or go the emergency room if you think you might be in alcohol withdrawal, especially if you were using alcohol often and recently stopped. Call for an appointment with your provider if symptoms persist after treatment.
Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations, or irregular heartbeats occur.
Prevention
Reduce or avoid alcohol. If you have alcoholism, you should stop drinking completely.
References
Finnell JT. Alcohol-related disease. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2014:chap 185.
Monasco A, Chang S, Larriviere J, Hamm LL, Glass M. Alcohol withdrawal. South Med J . 2012;15:607-612. PMID: 23128805 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23128805 .
O'Connor PG. Alcohol use disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 33.
Review Date: 2/8/2015
Reviewed By: Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
