Delirium Tremens: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

You may experience AWS between a few hours to a few days after your last drink or suddenly after reducing heavy alcohol use. You may be concerned about having DTs symptoms or nervous about seeking treatment. Your doctor and other providers aren’t there to judge you but to help manage your symptoms and alcohol shakes improve your chances of recovery. It’s much better to focus on something you enjoy than to focus on the discomfort of your withdrawal symptoms. Addiction tends to make everything else in life seem less enjoyable. Music you used to love may no longer have the same draw while you are using alcohol.

More Questions about Treatment?

They should see a healthcare professional if they experience post-drinking tremors. If you suffer from alcoholism and are going through alcohol withdrawal, it’s crucial to be aware that alcohol tremors are a potential side effect. Additionally, alcohol tremors may be a symptom of a more serious condition, like delirium tremens, which necessitate immediate medical attention. In order to treat alcohol tremors, you must first treat your alcohol withdrawal in a healthy and effective way. Alcohol shakes, or tremors, are a symptom of alcohol withdrawal that may occur in people when they quit drinking or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption. Still, if you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms, it’s essential to get evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Risks and Complications

If you drink a lot, your body keeps your CNS activity at a heightened state. If you suddenly stop drinking, you may experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. In the case of long-term alcoholics, though, shakes can be a sign of delirium tremens, which is a very serious condition. While shakes are common with delirium tremens, it can also bring on seizures, which result in convulsions that may resemble shaking.

How to Stop Alcohol Shakes

Alcohol shakes generally occur due to alcohol withdrawal or brain damage relating to chronic alcohol consumption. Taking medications and engaging in healthier lifestyle habits can improve tremors. Heavy alcohol consumption causes changes in brain chemistry, slowing brain activity and reducing energy levels. To overcome the sedative effect of alcohol, the brain responds by increasing nerve activity to keep the body in a heightened state of alertness. When the intake of alcohol suddenly ceases, the brain continues to deliver increased nerve activity, leading to tremors, anxiety, hyperactivity, and other withdrawal symptoms.

• A good diet won’t lessen withdrawal effects but will support your body’s ability to deal with them.
• Find a supportive friend or family member to be with you while you withdraw and support your new non-drinking lifestyle.
• While uncomfortable, alcohol shakes are usually not life-threatening on their own and can be managed with proper care and treatment.
• DTs typically occur 48 to 72 hours after the last drink and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
• Often, people are tempted to turn back to alcohol to ease the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms.
• The only way to prevent delirium tremens is to stop, or dramatically reduce, your alcohol intake.

Support Groups

Someone with delirium tremens needs immediate treatment in a hospital. Delirium tremens can cause your body temperature, breathing, or blood circulation to change quickly. When you suddenly stop drinking after a long period of alcohol use, your brain and nervous system can’t adjust quickly.

How is delirium tremens treated, and is there a cure?

It can vary from person to person, but they are a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal. Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that affects the central nervous system. It is generally prescribed to treat muscle spasticity in those suffering from multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injuries. Although it is not a narcotic, there are still possible side effects, which could be severe.

What causes hangover shakes?

If you drink enough alcohol to be considered a heavy drinker (especially if you’ve done it for 10 years or more), and you want to stop completely, talk to your doctor. Delirium tremens isn’t curable, but it can be treated to help you manage symptoms and avoid complications such as dehydration. DTs usually last 2-3 days, but symptoms may linger for months in severe cases. While you may not feel like exercising during withdrawal, a small amount of exercise is a great tool for coping with alcohol withdrawal. Exercise releases endorphins into your brain, creating natural happy feelings within a person.

For instance, excessive alcohol consumption can result in the loss of magnesium, a mineral that plays a crucial role in muscle relaxation and nerve function. A reduced magnesium level can contribute to muscle spasms, cramps, and, notably, tremors. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious. If you drink only once in a while, it’s unlikely that you’ll have withdrawal symptoms when you stop. But if you’ve gone through alcohol withdrawal once, you’re more likely to go through it again the next time you call it quits. Tap into your social network to help support you through alcohol withdrawal.

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