During opioid withdrawal treatment, medical providers may prescribe a range of medications to alleviate symptoms. Some of these medicines include alpha adrenergic agonists, benzodiazepines, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Depending on the patient's age, health conditions, and previous substance abuse history, healthcare providers can choose from these or other medications to help a patient safely and comfortably wean off their opioids.
Although opioids are used for pain after injury or surgery, some people use illegal opioids and experience painful withdrawal symptoms. The severity of these withdrawals can vary from individual to individual and depends on the amount and duration of opioid use. Some people experience mild withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, and insomnia while others are more severely affected. These individuals have a higher risk of experiencing complications that may require hospitalization.
During withdrawal treatment, the medical team should monitor the patient to prevent complications. Some of these complications may include fever, infection, viral hepatitis, pneumonia, and HIV infection. Other patients may develop seizures or delirium tremens. In severe cases, a person's condition can be life-threatening. If a patient exhibits signs of serious withdrawal symptoms, the medical team should consult with specialists. Learn more about clonazepam withdrawal symptoms here.
In alcohol withdrawal treatment, benzodiazepines are often the main medication. These medications are effective in reducing some of the symptoms, but they do not prevent or treat seizures or delirium. Beta blockers and calcium channel antagonists have also been tried in some cases.
In a social detoxification setting, patients can be monitored by trained personnel who are knowledgeable about substance withdrawal syndromes. They should have basic life support training and be able to summon emergency medical assistance. In addition, social detoxification programs should be staffed by professionals who have experience with these syndromes and a strong commitment to providing an alcohol-free environment.
While supervised opioid withdrawal is typically used to transition a patient safely into medication, this type of treatment does not address the damage that an addiction has caused to the patient's mental and physical health. For instance, it does not address the reasons that a person became dependent on an opioid, nor does it address the trauma that the opioid addiction has caused to a person's relationships.
The most useful information to assess a patient's likelihood of a current withdrawal is the number of past withdrawals. In a social detoxification setting, this information will be provided by the primary care practitioner with substance abuse experience. The first step is to determine whether the patient's substance use is currently intoxicated or if there is a co-occurring disorder. The second step is to determine the type of withdrawal syndrome that the patient is experiencing. Check it out!
The third step is to provide medication to reduce the severity of the withdrawal. Some of these drugs include methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. While these medications are safe for short-term use, they should not be used for extended periods of time. In addition, they should be discontinued slowly over time. The decision about which medications to use should be based on the patient's age, years of alcohol dependence, and the number of severe alcohol withdrawals previously treated. Click on this link to learn more about sleeping pills: https://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/drugs/pharmacology/sleeping-pill.
