Road To Success: Quantifying Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome refers to various symptoms that are manifested after an alcoholic individual suddenly stops alcohol intake

. These symptoms are a result of the imbalance in the nervous system particularly in the GABA receptors. The brain of an alcoholic is in a hyper-excitability state when makes an abrupt stop alcohol intake for a time. The severity of these symptoms vary from one person to another depending on many factors. These factors include alcohol tolerance, amount of alcohol consumption and the time length of alcohol dependency. 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 length of time an individual has been abusing alcohol also contributes to the degree of withdrawal symptoms. People who started drinking at an early age are more likely to experience severe withdrawal effects.

Quantifying alcohol withdrawal signs and symptoms is necessary for many doctors and medical staff because of its clinical benefits. 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 useful in alcohol treatment centers when there is 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 determine their withdrawal symptoms.

CIWA includes a list of 10 signs and symptoms with a corresponding score per symptom to be recognized by a clinical staff. The scores reflect the level 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 fifteen signifies that there's already severe withdrawal. The ten symptoms which are being identified and scored in the CIWA include agitation, anxiety, hearing problems, clouding of sensory, vertigo, nausea and vomiting, excessive sweats, tremors and sensory disturbances. When an alcoholic enters alcohol treatment centers, assessment is a very important step. The use of assessment tools greatly helps physicians in the whole treatment process of their patients.

by: Ericka Lopez

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