What Are Treatments for Alcohol Detox?

If an alcoholic decides to seek treatment, he must go through a 24- to 36-hour detox to remove toxic chemicals from the body. During detoxification, the body will go through various alcohol withdraw symptoms, such as sweating, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, agitation or anxiety, seizures, or hallucinations. When alcohol is not removed from the body, it produces cravings.

Treatments

• Several treatments for detoxing the body are available. Detox is recommended under the supervision of a medical facility where the patient can receive the support he needs to recover fully from the addiction. Both inpatient and outpatient programs are options. The patient can be treated with medications, vitamin therapies, herbal remedies and social support.

Medications

• More than 150 medications have been made available for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Sedatives, such as Valium or Diazepam, can provide relief from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Other types of medications used to treat withdrawal are andrenergic meds, antiseizure meds and antipsychotic meds. Beta-blockers can also be used to treat symptoms of withdrawal.

Vitamin Therapies

• Alcoholics are commonly deficient in many vitamins and minerals. Vitamins can aid in the process of detoxification. The most common vitamins that aid the liver in detoxing the body are CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, lecithin, vitamin B complex, B12 and choline. Foods rich in vitamin E, zinc and selenium are also recommended.

Herbal Remedies

• Herbal treatments will also help to relieve some alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These will also help to rebuild and repair the liver. Beneficial herbal supplements used for treatment are dandelion, milk thistle, flaxseed, burdock root and tumeric.

Social Support

• Social support can be a vital part of an alcoholic's treatment. Inpatient programs provide types of social support and encouragement during detox and recovery, such as individual therapy and group counseling. Programs such as AA and NA are also available for an outpatient to receive support from peers.