Monday, January 16, 2012

Giving Up Alcohol: The Risks and After-Effects

When a person stops taking alcohol after being a habitual drinker for a much longer duration, he experiences certain health related issues commonly known as alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may be mild as well as severe depending on the duration of alcoholism, quality of alcohol consumed and the general health of the alcoholic. The symptoms occur as the body becomes addicted to alcohol, so when alcohol is not present in the blood, the system does not function properly.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms depends upon the duration for which the person has been consuming alcohol. This situation is also called alcohol withdrawal syndrome and includes:

  •     Headache
  •     Fever
  •     Hallucination
  •     Fear
  •     Gastrointestinal upset
  •     Depression
  •     De-realization
  •     Depression
  •     Confusion
  •     Catatonia
  •     Anxiety
  •     Anorexia
  •     Weakness
  •     Tachycardia
  •     Tremors
  •     Sweating
  •     Palpitations
  •     Migraines
  •     Irritability
  •     Insomnia
  •     Hyperthermia
  •     Seizures
  •     Euphoria
  •     Agitation
  •     Delirium tremens
  •     Blackouts
  •     Death

What happens in the Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?

When a person has excessive alcohol for a prolonged period of time, his body becomes physically dependent on the alcohol. In such situation, without the presence of alcohol in the blood, the body system cannot function normally leading to the withdrawal syndrome. During this state the central nervous system goes in a hyper-excitable state which can be fatal at times. The person may have delirium tremens and seizures which may lead to excite-neurotoxicity.

Risk involved in the Withdrawal Syndrome

Longer the duration of alcohol addiction longer will be the duration of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some withdrawal symptoms can be very dangerous and may lead to seizure, strokes and even death. These symptoms are seen in those patients who have been habitual drinkers for a very long period of time. These patients are at a high risk and must get treated from a good rehabilitation center. A good rehabilitation center will have all the advanced treatments that will heal the patient from this stage of alcoholism.

Such high risk withdrawal symptoms includes

    Hallucination
    Strokes
    Heart attack
    Grand mal seizures
    Delirium tremens


Alternative Alcohol Rehab Treatment

Alcohol rehabilitation is usually a 12 step rehabilitation program but some people do not react well to this traditional method treatment. For them here are some alternative alcohol rehab treatments (refer here  http://www.rehabilitations.org/alcohol/alternative-alcohol-rehab.html).

  •     Outpatient Treatment

Some alcoholics do not get healed completely when they are admitted in the hospital and they go through the traditional way of treatment. It could be because they cannot adapt to the hospital’s atmosphere and therefore cannot react properly to the treatment. For them outpatient classes are a great way to get healed. Support of family and friends in this outpatient class helps them a lot.

  •     Religious Based Treatment Program

Some treatment programs are based on religious grounds. People who have immense faith in their religion can enter into such treatment programs. Such programs include a counselor and the priest of the respective religion.

  •     Therapy Classes

Some people can not work in a group so that they can attain therapy or counseling classes where they will be treated on one on by the therapist. There will also be a dietician who will prescribe special diet to suit the patient's health.

Apart from all the advanced treatment, a patient must have dedication and will power to stop drinking alcohol and move towards a better and healthy life.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Stroke Rehabilitation Therapies and Techniques

After stroke rehabilitation, the prime concern of a patient is to get back to his feet and do the daily activities like he/she had been doing before the stroke. Stroke affects certain parts of the brain due to which a patient loses much of his motor skills and has to re-learn them again to improve the quality of his life.
Rehabilitation from the stroke can begin as soon as a patient stabilizes. Doctors assure that there is no possibility of re-occurrence of any further stroke and only after this they prescribe the rehab therapy. The rehabilitation after stroke includes some basic steps which are as follows:
  • Communication disorder therapy- This is the basic therapy given in every kind of stroke rehabilitation. In this therapy the person is taught to re-learn basic skills like reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension.
  • Mobility training- This includes teaching the patient to walk with the help of a walking aid like cane or a walker. Initially these aids are used so that the patient can stabilize and learn how to balance his own body weight. In the later part of the therapy the patient is taught how to walk without the use of these aids.
  • Co-ordination and strengthening motor skills- In this, the patient is taught to co-ordinate his movement of hands and legs. Special exercises are also included in the program so that the muscles strengthen and can facilitate co-ordination.
  • Motion therapy- Motion therapy accompanies the above therapy. This therapy includes exercises and other treatments which reduces muscle tensions and helps in easy movement of arms and legs.
  • Psychological evaluation- This includes evaluation of patient's present psychological condition. Mental health professionals participate in the evaluation and based on the patient's mental state, designs programs that will help in fast and better recovery. Group counseling and medicines are also prescribed if required.
  • Robotic technology- This is the latest technique used in the rehab therapy where robotic devises are used to strengthen weak muscles, by performing repetitive motions.
Most of the leading stroke rehab centers have all these facilities that help patient recover from serious strokes. The family of the patient should realize the importance of stroke rehab and support him along the way, since family support fastens the pace of recovery.