Alcohol withdrawal syndrome refers to a variety of symptoms that are manifested after an alcoholic individual suddenly stops alcohol intake. These symptoms are due to the imbalance in the central nervous system particularly in the GABA receptors. The brain of an alcoholic is in a hyper-excitability state when makes a sudden stop alcohol intake for a time. The severity of these symptoms vary from one person to another depending on many factors. These factors include body alcohol tolerance, amount of alcohol consumption and the time length of alcohol addiction. Body alcohol tolerance is the ability of the body to fight changes in normal functions due to alcohol intake.
Too much alcohol intake alters the brain's functions specifically. It's been studied that alcohol tolerance is higher among men than women due to physiological makeup. Amount of alcohol consumption don't only refer to the volume of alcohol but also the kind of alcohol beverage consumed. Hard liquor contains higher amounts of alcohol content and therefore has stronger effects. The span of time an individual has been abusing alcohol also contributes to the degree of withdrawal symptoms. Individuals who started drinking at a very young age are more likely to experience severe withdrawal effects.
Quantifying alcohol withdrawal symptoms is essential for many doctors and medical staff because of its clinical advantages. Quantification is a key to preventing further diseases and death in patients who are greatly at risk for alcohol withdrawal. Over and under treatment of the alcohol withdrawal can be avoided by quantifying alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Modification of the treatment program is very helpful in alcohol treatment programs when there's quantification. Instruments for quantification help clinical staff identify the process of withdrawal before it progresses to advance stages. The most comprehensive scale utilized by many clinicians is the CIWA or the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment. This is a tool utilized in the assessment of patients to identify their withdrawal symptoms.
CIWA includes a list of 10 warning signs with a corresponding score per symptom to be identified by a clinical staff. The scores reflect the degree of withdrawal of a patient. Scores of below 8-10 reflects minimal to mild withdrawal. Scores between 8-15 means moderate withdrawal while those above 15 signifies that there is already severe withdrawal. The ten symptoms that are being identified and scored in the CIWA include anxiety, agitation, hearing problems, clouding of sensory, vertigo, vomiting and nausea, excessive sweats, sensory disturbances, and tremors. When an alcoholic enters alcohol rehabilitation centers, assessment is a very important step. The use of assessment tools greatly helps physicians in the entire treatment process of their patients.
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Written by Ericka Lopez. To learn more tips on alcohol treatment programs in Chicago, visit alcohol rehabilitation centers in San Antonio
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