Medical detox is becoming the standard for safer alcohol withdrawal
Alcohol withdrawal can become fatal if not managed correctly with a process such as medical detox. While quitting cold turkey might sound like an admirable goal, in people with an alcohol addiction, it could cause more harm than good.
The goal is to conduct a safe alcohol detox, which paves the way for a future free from alcohol controlling someone’s life. Rather than suffering alcohol withdrawal symptoms, people with an alcohol dependence can rebuild their lives through a supervised program.
What Alcohol Withdrawal Actually Involves
A publication in the National Library of Medicine noted that over 50% of people with alcohol use disorder can display the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal when they try to quit. Up to 5% will show severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which include:
- Profound confusion
- Soaring blood pressure and heart rate
- The body’s automatic systems going into overdrive
The symptoms can vary during the alcohol detox process, with seizures, hallucinations, and gastrointestinal symptoms also possible features. The risks can last for up to eight days.
Severity of Symptoms Is Unpredictable
There is no reliable way of predicting which category of symptoms an individual will experience during the alcohol detox process. Risk factors include:
- Long-term heavy drinking
- Previous withdrawal episodes
- Older age
- Preexisting medical conditions
However, even people who have none of these risk factors can still experience severe symptoms. This unpredictability is one of the key reasons why safe alcohol detox under supervision is now seen as the gold standard.
Understanding Medical Detox
Medical detox is a supervised alcohol detox process that is often supported by medications and counseling. A team of medical professionals supervises each stage of the process, making it a more comfortable and sustainable experience.
Staff regularly score symptom severity using the CIWA-Ar tool. This allows medication to be given in response to how the person is actually feeling, rather than based on a best-guess system.
Medications Used in Medical Detox
Benzodiazepines are some of the most commonly used medications. They help to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms and reduce the risk of seizures. Alongside these drugs, physicians also monitor the individual’s hydration, electrolyte, and thiamine levels to avoid other complications.
Why Choose Medical Detox Over Going It Alone?
The answer is that it is the safest and often best way of making a success of the alcohol detox process. Someone at home cannot monitor their blood pressure and other vital signs, and escalate treatment as needed.
Among the key medical detox benefits are having a trained person monitoring your recovery and having medication available before a crisis sets in. Structured programs such as medical detox in New Orleans also transition into ongoing treatment, which helps people progress to long-term recovery.
Getting Alcohol Withdrawal Right the First Time
Alcohol withdrawal is a medical event, not a test of willpower. Anyone who is drinking heavily and wants to quit for good should speak to a doctor before beginning the alcohol detox process – not when the symptoms start.
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