BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAlcohol withdrawalDetoxification - alcohol; Detox - alcoholAlcohol 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 also occur in teenagers or children.The more often you drink, the more likely you are to have 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 tend to occur within 8 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later. Symptoms tend to peak by 24 to 72 hours, but may go on for weeks.Common symptoms include:Anxiety or nervousness AnxietyStress 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 DepressionDepression 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 FatigueFatigue 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:Sweating, clammy skin SweatingSweating 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 Clammy skinClammy skin is cool, moist, and usually pale.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Enlarged (dilated) pupils Headache HeadacheA 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 appetiteA 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 PallorPaleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heart rate Rapid heart rateA 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, clammy skin Tremor of the hands or other body parts Delirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It can cause:Delirium tremensDelirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It involves sudden and severe mental or nervous system changes.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Agitation, irritability AgitationAgitation 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 Sudden, severe confusion (delirium) Fever FeverFever 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) SeizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 testing for toxins and drugs, may be done. An electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be done. Treatment The goals of treatment are to:Reduce withdrawal symptoms Prevent complications of alcohol use Help you to reduce or stop drinking alcoholINPATIENT TREATMENTPeople with moderate-to-severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms may need to be treated 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 blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and blood levels of different chemicals in the body Giving fluids or medicines through a vein (by IV) Giving sedatives until withdrawal is completeOUTPATIENT TREATMENTIf you have mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you can often be treated in an outpatient setting. During this process, you will need someone to stay with you and keep an eye on you. You will likely need to make daily visits to your provider until you are stable.Treatment usually includes:Sedatives to help ease withdrawal symptoms Blood tests Patient and family counseling for alcohol use issues Testing and treatment for other medical problems linked to alcohol use It is important to go to a living situation that supports you in avoiding unhealthy alcohol use. Some areas have housing options that provide a supportive environment for those trying to stay sober.Total and lifelong avoidance of alcohol (abstinence) is the best treatment for those who have gone through alcohol withdrawal. Support Groups More information and support for people with alcohol use disorder and their families can be found at:Alcoholics Anonymous -- www.aa.org Al-Anon Family Groups/Al-Anon/Alateen -- al-anon.org National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -- www.niaaa.nih.gov SMART Recovery - www.smartrecovery.org/ 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 quickly become life-threatening.Call your 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 911 or the local emergency number if seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations, or irregular heartbeats occur.If you go to the hospital for another reason, tell the providers if you've been drinking heavily so they can monitor you for symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Prevention Reduce or avoid alcohol. If you have a drinking problem, it is best to stop drinking alcohol completely. Total and lifelong avoidance of alcohol (abstinence) is the safest approach.Stop drinking alcohol completelyThis article describes how to determine if you have a problem with alcohol use and offers advice on how to decide to quit drinking.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesFinnell JT. Alcohol-related disease. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 137.Kelly JF, Renner JA. Alcohol-related disorders. In: Stern TA, Fava M, Wilens TE, Rosenbaum JF, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 26.Mirijello A, D'Angelo C, Ferrulli A, et al. Identification and management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Drugs. 2015;75(4):353-365. PMID: 25666543 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25666543/.O'Connor PG. Alcohol use disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 30.AllVideoImagesTogSelf Care Myths about drinking alcoholDeciding to quit drinking alcoholRelated Information Review Date: 2/28/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Alcohol withdrawalDetoxification - alcohol; Detox - alcoholAlcohol 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 also occur in teenagers or children.The more often you drink, the more likely you are to have 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 tend to occur within 8 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later. Symptoms tend to peak by 24 to 72 hours, but may go on for weeks.Common symptoms include:Anxiety or nervousness AnxietyStress 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 DepressionDepression 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 FatigueFatigue 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:Sweating, clammy skin SweatingSweating 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 Clammy skinClammy skin is cool, moist, and usually pale.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Enlarged (dilated) pupils Headache HeadacheA 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 appetiteA 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 PallorPaleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heart rate Rapid heart rateA 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, clammy skin Tremor of the hands or other body parts Delirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It can cause:Delirium tremensDelirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It involves sudden and severe mental or nervous system changes.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Agitation, irritability AgitationAgitation 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 Sudden, severe confusion (delirium) Fever FeverFever 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) SeizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 testing for toxins and drugs, may be done. An electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be done. Treatment The goals of treatment are to:Reduce withdrawal symptoms Prevent complications of alcohol use Help you to reduce or stop drinking alcoholINPATIENT TREATMENTPeople with moderate-to-severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms may need to be treated 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 blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and blood levels of different chemicals in the body Giving fluids or medicines through a vein (by IV) Giving sedatives until withdrawal is completeOUTPATIENT TREATMENTIf you have mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you can often be treated in an outpatient setting. During this process, you will need someone to stay with you and keep an eye on you. You will likely need to make daily visits to your provider until you are stable.Treatment usually includes:Sedatives to help ease withdrawal symptoms Blood tests Patient and family counseling for alcohol use issues Testing and treatment for other medical problems linked to alcohol use It is important to go to a living situation that supports you in avoiding unhealthy alcohol use. Some areas have housing options that provide a supportive environment for those trying to stay sober.Total and lifelong avoidance of alcohol (abstinence) is the best treatment for those who have gone through alcohol withdrawal. Support Groups More information and support for people with alcohol use disorder and their families can be found at:Alcoholics Anonymous -- www.aa.org Al-Anon Family Groups/Al-Anon/Alateen -- al-anon.org National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -- www.niaaa.nih.gov SMART Recovery - www.smartrecovery.org/ 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 quickly become life-threatening.Call your 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 911 or the local emergency number if seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations, or irregular heartbeats occur.If you go to the hospital for another reason, tell the providers if you've been drinking heavily so they can monitor you for symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Prevention Reduce or avoid alcohol. If you have a drinking problem, it is best to stop drinking alcohol completely. Total and lifelong avoidance of alcohol (abstinence) is the safest approach.Stop drinking alcohol completelyThis article describes how to determine if you have a problem with alcohol use and offers advice on how to decide to quit drinking.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesFinnell JT. Alcohol-related disease. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 137.Kelly JF, Renner JA. Alcohol-related disorders. In: Stern TA, Fava M, Wilens TE, Rosenbaum JF, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 26.Mirijello A, D'Angelo C, Ferrulli A, et al. Identification and management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Drugs. 2015;75(4):353-365. PMID: 25666543 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25666543/.O'Connor PG. Alcohol use disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 30.