The shakiness can be due to how your nervous system responds to the stress of the hangover. Low blood sugar can also contribute to tremors and shakes after drinking a lot and not eating and maintaining good hydration. Alcohol is toxic to brain cells, and chronic drinkers can develop a much smaller cerebellum. Once the withdrawal symptoms kick in, you’ll want to keep yourself busy with books, movies, games, or whatever will help you stay distracted from how you’re feeling.
And by all means, avoid the sugar snacks that you’ll crave once you start detoxing. Get in the habit of eating every three hours to avoid hunger that could lead to alcohol cravings, which will become more intense once the alcohol shakes set in. In some mild cases, the tremor may be light and hardly noticeable, but in the more severe cases, it may cause pain and other symptoms that can interfere with daily activities.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment
It can vary from person to person, but they are a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal. There are prescribed medications that can help ease the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, including tremors. Ask your doctor if either benzodiazepines or baclofen may be appropriate to help manage withdrawal symptoms. We must note that alcohol can damage the brain and sympathetic nervous system to the point that alcohol shakes become chronic. If you are experiencing a shaking that’s somewhere between moderate and severe, it’s imperative that you quit drinking. To that end, alcohol shakes—also known as “tremors”—can take many different forms, and it often occurs during the alcohol detox process.
- You will be given fluids by an IV and may be sedated with medication to ease the withdrawal symptoms.
- Even though delirium tremens symptoms can resolve in a few days, they often require medical attention.
- Tremors are not always a sign of alcoholism, as there are many causes of tremors.
- If you’re concerned that your tremors might be the result of withdrawal, it’s best to reach out to a healthcare professional.
- While this can certainly be the case (due to delirium tremens, which we’ll talk about further down), it is paramount that people understand how alcohol shakes manifest.
- In more serious cases of withdrawal, symptoms may progress to what is called late withdrawal, which begins about three days after a person has his or her last alcoholic beverage.
Usually, by the third day you won’t really need them there except to check in on you. And you need to drink a lot of it – though no more than 2 quarts every hour. It’s okay to mix in a few electrolyte-rich sports drinks but stay away from tea, coffee or anything with caffeine. Before you begin the alcohol detox, shift to a healthy diet rich in lean proteins like chicken, eggs, fish and non-fatty meats. Add in a lot of raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, potatoes, beans and pasta.
Seizures
The fluids can come from water, other drinks, and food, but approximately 80 percent should be from water and non-caffeinated drinks. A little bit of shaking after drinking shaking from alcohol can feel unpleasant, but it usually isn’t anything to worry about it. Try to take it easy for the day and make sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat something.
American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. His work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, Euronews, and VICE UK. This is a helpful fact sheet which discusses the causes and diagnosis of tremors.
What Are Alcohol-induced Shakes And Tremors?
Sometimes, recovering alcoholics experience no shakes at all throughout the detox period. In some cases, body shakes last until the withdrawal process is complete, which can be anywhere from 1-2 weeks, on average. 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. The more your physical and mental health improves, the less likely you are to experience tremors or other residual withdrawal symptoms, and the greater quality of life you will enjoy.
With that being said, drinking to the point of inducing shakes is an unhealthy behavior and can be a sign of alcohol dependence. Take the time to self-reflect upon your drinking habits to discern whether or not you have a problem. To that end, alcohol shakes are not interchangeable with delirium tremens but can be a subset symptom. Still, alcohol shakes can be a warning sign that something more than just an overstimulation of the CNS is occurring.
Asking for a Friend: Are ‘Hangover Shakes’ Normal?
Medically supervised detox can help ease the process and prepare you for addiction treatment. Even though delirium tremens symptoms can resolve in a few days, they often require medical attention. Our science-backed approach boasts 95% of patients reporting no withdrawal symptoms at 7 days.
- Tremors, or “the shakes,” are a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal.
- In addition to feeling less anxious and having better digestion, you may notice bigger changes a few months into sobriety.
- The liver is severely affected when you drink excessive amounts of alcohol.
- They will also give you medications that can help ease physical pain, stabilize your mood, combat depression, and help you sleep better.
- As it tries to cope with the influx of messages from the nervous system, your brain sends out signals that create the shakes or tremors you’re experiencing.
Following these strategies may help, but are unlikely to stop the alcohol shakes fully. During DT, the brain may struggle to maintain basic functions such as breathing, circulation, and temperature control. As a result, less blood flows to the brain, which increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, or even death. But others may be irreversible particularly with prolonged use of alcohol. Having someone to talk to while you have the alcohol shakes can help. Be sure to line up a friend or family member to stay with you through the process.
What Is Alcohol Dependence?
By answering these questions, you can usually gauge the severity of the shakes. Someone that’s been shaking for a year—in a way that’s noticeable to others—is going to have a different experience treating the shakes than someone who only just noticed a slight tremor. If you think you may be going into withdrawal, watch out for these signs and symptoms.