What Are the Treatments for Severe Alcoholism With Cirrhosis?

Severe alcoholism is a physical addiction to alcohol that can cause cirrhosis that damages the liver. Alcoholics may receive counseling or drug treatment to help them stop drinking. Cirrhosis may cause medical complications that require treatment.

Abstinence

• According to the Mayo Clinic, patients with cirrhosis of the liver must abstain from alcohol in order to effectively treat their cirrhosis condition.

Counseling

• Alcoholics may undergo cognitive behavioral therapy with a therapist to identify beliefs, thought patterns and psychological stress that contribute to alcohol dependence.

Drugs

• Alcohol sensitizing drugs such as disulfiram may be prescribed to provide an unpleasant physical reaction to alcohol that may help a patient to overcome the need to drink.

Complications

• According to the Mayo Clinic, cirrhosis can cause high levels of fluid accumulations in a patient's abdomen that may need to be treated with a low sodium diet, water pills or a surgical procedure to drain the fluids. Blood pressure medications may be prescribed to control increased blood pressure in the veins around a patient's liver.

Liver Transplant

• Severe cirrhosis of the liver can advance to complete liver failure that may require a liver transplant.