The body is a wonderful, complex system. But whatever is happening behind the scenes, typically when we are sitting and doing nothing, we expect our body parts to go with that flow. So when certain parts wobble or twitch without instruction, we get a little nervous. Rightly so. When it is a result of drinking (or if you think it is), it is something to do a little digging on because shaky hands from alcohol use is cause for concern.
There are a couple of reasons it could be happening, and strangely, it can be created both by drinking too much alcohol and by not drinking it at all. For the second one, however, it comes as one of the ways long-term drinking can have a lasting impact on your body.
Shaky Hands from Alcohol Withdrawals
If you are not familiar with alcohol dependency, you can read more about it here. But the short answer is once your body has become accustomed to the chemicals provided by alcohol, it begins to become dependent on alcohol to function correctly. And when you simply take the alcohol away or you stop drinking for a bit, you will experience withdrawals.
Even without quitting alcohol, about 40% of people with chronic alcohol abuse experience tremors due to withdrawal (source: National Library of Medicine). The first thing that can happen is your body has increased something called glutamate. Glutamate helps you get active. This is to counteract the sedative nature of alcohol. But without alcohol, the sedative, the glutamate is too much. Hence the shaky hands from alcohol.
But it doesn’t happen to everyone, so it is a sign of dependence. It is an acute withdrawal symptom (AWS) that typically starts 6-12 hours after the last drink. This is your body’s way of trying to recalibrate after alcohol dependence.
Another Aspect of Shaky hands from Alcohol
While shaky hands from AWS are bad, it can get worse. Typically, withdrawal symptoms go away. But nerve damage does not. And over time, alcohol use will do this. Alcohol disrupts the brain’s communication pathways, depressing the central nervous system.
Over time, this can cause damage to the fine motor control centers, leading to tremors even when alcohol is still in the system.
Beyond that, both of the big dangers from heavy drinking, peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), or liver disease can cause tremors.
Will Shaky Hands From Alcohol Go Away?
If your body is experiencing withdrawals and it is manifest in shaky hands, you likely have an alcohol dependence. The withdrawals are a sign that your body fights a battle to find balance on its own whenever the alcohol is absent.
How do you treat it? Medical detox. This is the safest way to get your body back on track and able to survive on its own without the booze. However, even this can be dangerous. A detox technician with experience and training should supervise it. A benefit of supervised medical detox includes:
- Medications like benzodiazepines help calm the overactive nervous system and reduce shaking.
- Nutritional support: Alcohol depletes essential nutrients like thiamine (Vitamin B1); replenishing these can help the nervous system recover.
For Long-Term Damage
Address Nutritional Deficiencies: Chronic alcohol use often leads to deficiencies in vitamins like B1 (thiamine) and B12, which are critical for nerve health. Taking supplements or improving diet can help reduce tremors caused by nerve damage.
Treat Underlying Conditions:
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- Peripheral neuropathy: If nerve damage is causing the tremors, treatments like physical therapy, medications for nerve pain, or lifestyle changes can help.
- Liver health: Conditions like hepatic encephalopathy from liver damage can lead to tremors. Treating the liver condition may improve symptoms.
What to do about shaky hands from Alcohol
The best thing you can do is stop drinking. That’s the plain truth. This will stop the hand shaking from withdrawals completely. And if you have nerve damage, you can take the steps necessary to treat that as well.
Of course, to say “stop drinking” to someone who has an alcohol use disorder (which is likely with shaky hands) is like telling a person with a disease to stop being sick. Addiction to alcohol is an insidious beast, and treating it goes much further than a medical detox.
It takes an addiction program that is created by a team of specialists who make sure to understand your unique makeup and life experience.
Covenant Hills Addiction Treatment Center in Orange County, CA
Shaky hands are more than a simple inconvenience—they’re a sign your body needs help. Whether it’s alcohol withdrawal or long-term damage, addressing the root cause is essential for your health and well-being.
At Covenant Hills Treatment Center, we are a Christian addiction treatment center in Southern California with expert care to help you break free from alcohol dependence and heal from its effects.
Don’t wait—reach out today and take the first step toward a healthy future. Call now: 800-662-2873.
