Can the cause of a disease be used to cure it?

Answer 1

Yes. A good example of this is Alcoholism, a disease of genetic predisposition combined with psychosocial and behavioral correlates. Alcohol binds to GABA receptors, the major inhibitory (relaxing) neurotransmitter system in the brain and nervous system. Before the advent of benzodiazepines (such as Librium, Valium, Ativan, etc. which bind GABA receptors), the safest method of alcohol withdrawal, minimizing the risk of withdrawal seizures, delirium tremens (and even coma and death) was by gradual reduction in alcohol use, daily. This could be accomplished in the hospital by IV alcohol drip, or by rehabilitation supervised by gradual tapering of alcohol over a period of a week or two. Treating a disease by dosing the "cause" correctly is known as taking a cure by the "hair of the dog that bit you".

Since the 1960s, benzodiazepine medications are used in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, along with vitamin replacement, especially thiamine (in order to prevent the development of Wernicke's encephalopathy), folic acid, vitamin B12, and sometimes anti-convulsant medications such as Tegretol.