It is very important to get a heroin addict into heroin treatment as quickly as possible. This is due to the speed at which the condition progresses. Also, the sooner one is treated, the more likely there is a greater success rate to kicking the addiction. Conversely, the longer it takes to get treated, the less like it is that the addict will ever recover.
The heroin addict faces a very harsh withdrawal; the heroin addict becomes dependent on the drug very quickly. Heroin treatment involves detoxification in a medical setting where withdrawal is carefully monitored by concerned health professionals, and analgesic treatments are given to lessen the symptoms or to cope any emergencies that crop up during withdrawal.
After the addict is detoxed and drug free, he or she should probably be placed in a long term heroin treatment program so that he or she can move into the next phase of treatment. (Withdrawal is just the first step.)