Detoxification

From WikiMD's Wellnesspedia

Detoxification is a process that involves the removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including, but not limited to, the human body. This process is primarily carried out by the liver. In a medical context, detoxification can refer to various treatments for drug addiction and poisoning.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Detoxification is a natural process that occurs in the body as it neutralizes and eliminates toxins through the major organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, and lymphatic system. However, when these systems are compromised, impurities aren't properly filtered and the body is adversely affected.

Medical Detoxification[edit | edit source]

Medical detoxification safely manages the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal associated with stopping drug use. However, medical detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long-term drug use.

Types of Detoxification[edit | edit source]

There are several types of detoxification. These include alcohol detoxification, drug detoxification, and metabolic detoxification.

Alcohol Detoxification[edit | edit source]

Alcohol detoxification is a process by which a heavy drinker's system is brought back to normal after being habituated to having alcohol in the body continuously for an extended period of substance abuse.

Drug Detoxification[edit | edit source]

Drug detoxification is used to reduce or relieve withdrawal symptoms while helping the addicted individual adjust to living without drug use; drug detoxification is not meant to treat addiction but rather an early step in long-term treatment.

Metabolic Detoxification[edit | edit source]

Metabolic detoxification refers to the pathways through which the body processes and eliminates toxins.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Detoxification Resources

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