Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Alcohol Withdrawal includes the 31 symptoms listed below:

• Delirium tremens
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Increased pulse
• Shakiness
• Hand tremor
• Psychomotor agitation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
  • Visual hallucinations
  • Sound hallucinations
  • Touch hallucinations
• Paranoid delusions
• Fear
• Loss of memory
• Grand mal seizures
• Tremors
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Sleep disturbance
• Visual hallucinations
• Tactile hallucinations
• Auditory hallucinations
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Depression
• more information...»

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Alcohol Withdrawal:

• Overview -- Alcohol Withdrawal
• Diagnostic Tests for Alcohol Withdrawal
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Complications -- Alcohol Withdrawal
• Doctors & Specialists
• Misdiagnosis and Alternative Diagnoses
• Hidden Causes of Alcohol Withdrawal
• Other Causes -- causes of these or similar symptoms

Alcohol Withdrawal: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Alcohol Withdrawal:

• Delirium
• Delirium tremens
• Alcohol withdrawal delirium
• more complications...»

Research More About Alcohol Withdrawal

Do I have Alcohol Withdrawal?

• Alcohol Withdrawal: Introduction
• Alcohol Withdrawal: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Alcohol Withdrawal
• Treatments for Alcohol Withdrawal
• More about Alcohol Withdrawal

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Alcohol Withdrawal:

• Home Drug Tests
  • Home Marijuana Tests
  • Home Cocaine Tests
  • Home Alcohol Tests
  • Hair Drug Screening Tests
  • Methamphetamine Tests
  • Opiate Drug Tests
  • Benzodiazepine Drug Tests
  • Multiple Drug Screening Kits
• Smoking-Related Disorders: Home Testing:
  • Nicotine Home Tests
  • Home Lung Function Tests
  • Asthma-Related Home Testing
• more home tests...»

Wrongly Diagnosed with Alcohol Withdrawal?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Alcohol Withdrawal includes:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Hypoglycemic attack
• Essential tremor
• Other causes of tremor
• Drug abuse
• more diagnoses...»

See the full list of 19 alternative diagnoses for Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol Withdrawal: Research Doctors & Specialists

• Addiction Health Specialists:
  • Addiction Psychiatry
  • Psychiatry
• Teen Health Specialists:
  • Adolescent Medicine (Teen Health)
  • Pediatric / Adolescent Psychiatry
• more specialists...»

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

More about symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal:

More information about symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Alcohol Withdrawal
• Underlying causes of Alcohol Withdrawal

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Anxiety - see all causes of Anxiety
• Anxiety - see all causes of Anxiety
• Anxiety - see all causes of Anxiety
• Auditory hallucinations - see all causes of Auditory hallucinations
• Delirium tremens - see all causes of Delirium tremens
• Depression - see all causes of Depressive symptoms
• Diarrhea - see all causes of Diarrhea
• Fear - see all causes of Fear
• Grand mal seizures - see all causes of Grand mal seizures
• Hallucinations - see all causes of Hallucinations
• Hand tremor - see all causes of Hand tremor
• Increased pulse - see all causes of Rapid heart beat
• Insomnia - see all causes of Insomnia
• Loss of memory - see all causes of Loss of memory
• Nausea - see all causes of Nausea
• Nausea - see all causes of Nausea
• Paranoid delusions - see all causes of Paranoia
• Psychomotor agitation - see all causes of Tremor symptoms
• Seizures - see all causes of Seizures
• Shakiness - see all causes of Shakiness
• Sleep disturbance - see all causes of Sleep disturbance
• Sound hallucinations - see all causes of Auditory hallucinations
• Sweating - see all causes of Sweating
• Sweating - see all causes of Sweating
• Touch hallucinations - see all causes of Hallucinations
• Tremors - see all causes of Tremors
• Visual hallucinations - see all causes of Visual hallucinations
• Visual hallucinations - see all causes of Visual hallucinations
• Vomiting - see all causes of Vomiting
• Vomiting - see all causes of Vomiting

Medical Books Online about Alcohol Withdrawal

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Alcohol Withdrawal are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Alcohol Withdrawal.

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Related videos for Alcohol Withdrawal

Patient Surveys for Alcohol Withdrawal

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Alcohol Withdrawal
  Take Survey  View Results

Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal.

Alcohol-related disorder: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Because the person with alcohol dependence may hide or deny his addiction, and may temporarily manage to maintain a functional life, assessing for alcohol-related disorder can be difficult. Note physical and psychosocial symptoms that suggest alcohol-related disorder. For example, the patient’s history may suggest a need for daily or episodic alcohol use to maintain adequate functioning, an inability to discontinue or reduce alcohol intake, episodes of anesthesia or amnesia (blackouts) during intoxication, episodes of violence during intoxication, and interference with social and familial relationships and occupational responsibilities. Many minor complaints may be alcohol-related. The patient may report malaise, dyspepsia, mood swings or depression, and an increased incidence of infection. Observe the patient for poor personal hygiene and untreated injuries, such as cigarette burns, fractures, and bruises, that he can’t fully explain. Note any evidence of an unusually high tolerance of sedatives and opioids.

Although each person abusing alcohol may present in his own unique way, secretive or manipulative behavior may be a manifestation of the patient’s denial of the severity of his addiction. Suspect alcohol-related disorder if the patient uses inordinate amounts of aftershave or mouthwash. When confronted, the patient may deny or rationalize the problem. Alternatively, he may be guarded or hostile in his response and may even sign out of the hospital against medical advice. He also may project his anger or feelings of guilt or inadequacy onto others to avoid confronting his illness.

Chronic alcohol abuse brings with it an array of physical complications, including malnutrition, cirrhosis of the liver, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, and cardiomyopathy. Assess for these complications in a patient with alcohol-related disorder. (See Complications of alcohol use.)

After abstinence or reduction of alcohol intake, signs and symptoms of withdrawal — which begin shortly after drinking has stopped and last for 5 to 7 days — may vary. The patient initially experiences anorexia, nausea, anxiety, fever, insomnia, diaphoresis, and tremor, progressing to severe tremulousness, agitation and, possibly, hallucinations and violent behavior. Major motor seizures (alcohol withdrawal seizures) can occur during withdrawal. Suspect alcohol-related disorder in any patient with unexplained seizures. (See Signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.)

ELDER TIP Remember to consider the possibility of alcohol abuse when evaluating older patients. Research suggests that alcoholism affects 2% to 10% of adults older than age 60. More than half of all elderly hospital admissions are due to alcohol-related problems.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Alcoholism: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Because people with alcohol dependence may hide or deny their addiction and may temporarily manage to maintain a functional life, assessing a patient for alcoholism can be difficult. However, there are various physical and psychosocial symptoms that can facilitate assessment.

The patient’s history may suggest a need for daily or episodic alcohol use to maintain adequate functioning, an inability to discontinue or reduce alcohol intake, episodes of anesthesia or amnesia (blackouts) during intoxication, episodes of violence during intoxication, or interference with social and familial relationships and occupational responsibilities.

Many minor complaints that the patient may have may also be alcohol related. He may mention malaise, dyspepsia, mood swings, depression, or more infections. Note any evidence of an unusually high tolerance for sedatives and narcotics.

Secretive behavior is another indication. When confronted, the patient may deny or rationalize his problem with alcohol. Alternatively, he may be guarded or hostile in his response. He also may project his anger or feelings of guilt or inadequacy onto others to avoid confronting his illness.

With chronic alcohol abuse, the patient may experience malnutrition, cirrhosis of the liver, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, or cardiomyopathy.

After abstaining from alcohol or significantly reducing his intake, the patient may experience signs and symptoms of withdrawal, and they may last for 5 to 7 days. The patient initially experiences anorexia, nausea, anxiety, fever, insomnia, diaphoresis, and tremor, progressing to severe tremulousness, agitation and, possibly, hallucinations and violent behavior. Major tonic-clonic seizures (known as rum fits) can occur during withdrawal. Suspect alcoholism in any patient with unexplained seizures.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Acute Drug Withdrawal: Acute Drug Withdrawal - signs & symptoms
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

• Drug withdrawal is a clinical diagnosis.
• Patients should be evaluated for associated diagnoses such as traumatic injury, pneumonia, etc.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008

Toxic Alcohols: Toxic Alcohols - signs & symptoms
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

• Inebriation may occur after exposure.
• Isopropyl alcohol may cause severe GI irritation or hemorrhage.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Alcohol Withdrawal
• More about Alcohol Withdrawal
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal. This signs and symptoms information for Alcohol Withdrawal has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Alcohol Withdrawal signs or Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms.