Alcohol detox is a process by which the addictive substances in the body of an alcoholic are purged for a certain period of time. This period is extremely difficult for some patients since they are made to do a cold turkey and go without the alcoholic drink that they have been used to for a long period of time. As a result of this, alcoholic patients experience withdrawal symptoms, which can cause complications and can even become fatal, which is why alcohol detox should only be done under medical supervision. These symptoms add to the difficulty of alcohol detox since some of them can be debilitating. However, patients can expect to take medication and undergo certain medical procedures, by which they can overcome these symptoms. Common withdrawal symptoms The signs and symptoms of withdrawal appear between six to 48 hours after the patient stops drinking alcohol. Some of the most common symptoms include tremors, mild headaches, cold sweat, vomiting, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, rapid pulse, anxiety and auditory hallucinations. On the other hand, some of the most severe withdrawal symptoms include Delirium Tremors, grand mal seizures and autonomic hyperactivity. The severity of the physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms depends on the patients history of alcohol abuse. Treatment of symptoms To treat these symptoms, patients are given medication such as anti-convulsants and benzodiazepines, which can help relive some physical symptoms. In some cases, certain medical procedures are also administered to the patient to relieve the symptoms. Alcohol detox is a painful process because patients who undergo detox exhibit a wide range of withdrawal symptoms, which can lead to more complications. Whats more, some of these symptoms can even be fatal. Given this, detox should only be done under medical supervision, which also ensures that the patient will be given medications. Proper medical attention can help relieve the symptoms and make the whole detox process a little bit more bearable. |
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