When alcohol is consumed regularly and in large amounts, it affects the balance between these neurotransmitters, leading to an overactive excitatory system and a suppressed inhibitory system. When alcohol is suddenly removed from the system, it disrupts this delicate balance, resulting in the development of withdrawal symptoms, including alcohol shakes. However, treatment strategies for shakes and alcoholism may differ for everyone. Doctors can recommend the most appropriate treatment according to the severity of a person’s withdrawal symptoms and general health conditions. Again, shaking and tremors can also be a symptom of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which can happen if you’ve been drinking for a while and suddenly stop or sharply reduce your intake.

This stimulation is believed to help with tremors by disrupting the network activity that causes them. The therapy is calibrated for your specific tremor and is part of an essential tremor treatment plan to shaking from alcohol help you manage symptoms. People who experience tremors and other symptoms of alcoholism should contact a doctor. Different from alcohol shakes, this condition may also cause agitation and hallucinations.

Understanding Alcohol Withdrawal Shakes

That means, when ingested, alcohol works to lower heart rate, slow the respiratory system, and halt communication between certain neurons. Over time, the brain and the central nervous system become accustomed to this “lower standard” of operating. In a 2020 review in BMJ, Harvard professor and placebo expert Ted Kaptchuk found that placebo responses can account for 50 to 75 percent of the drug treatments for pain.

BlueCrest Recovery Center takes a whole-person approach to treatment, considering not only a person’s physical needs but also their emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. Several factors impact the duration, including how severe the dependency on alcohol is for the particular person having the shakes. A hangover usually begins a few hours after you finish drinking, as your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) begins to fall. Generally, symptoms peak when BAC hits zero, but can continue for up to 24 hours afterward. Low blood sugar might also play a role, as alcohol can have an impact on your body’s ability to monitor blood sugar levels.

Treatment Options for Alcohol Withdrawal Shakes

The two main causes of alcohol shakes are alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol-related brain damage. As GABA activities increases it takes the body through a hyperactive spasmodic process such as hard tremors after alcohol. These changes result to alcohol withdrawal shakes and other symptoms which can begin after 5-10 hours after the last drink reaching about hours and can last for a good number of weeks. Tremors occur typically in the limbs but can also affect other parts of the body. The safest way to prevent dangerous withdrawal symptoms is to consult with a medical professional to assess your risk and align on the appropriate level of care. Depending on the risk level, medical withdrawal management, commonly known as “detox ,” may be recommended.