Hangover-Causes, Symptoms and Cure
How to Cure a Hangover?
There is no absolute cure for a hangover. However, people can take steps to relieve many of the symptoms, such as drinking water, eating fruit, and resting.
A hangover refers to symptoms that result from drinking alcohol, usually the next day. Drinking alcohol causes a hangover for a number of reasons, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, poor sleep, and inflammation.
The severity of a hangover is closely linked to how much alcohol the person has consumed and how much sleep they have had.
It is not possible to make a general prediction about how much alcohol leads to a hangover. The association depends on individual and situational factors, including sleep, hydration, and the pacing of alcoholic drinks.
Is There a Cure for a Hangover?
While there is no absolute cure for a hangover, people can reduce the symptoms by getting plenty of sleep, drinking water, eating nutritious foods, and restoring electrolytes.
Taking over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help relieve inflammation. This may help with headaches, digestive discomfort, and body aches.
A hangover has to run its course. This involves the body regulating itself as the alcohol leaves the bloodstream.
In the vast majority of cases, hangover symptoms resolve after about 24 hours.
Reducing Hangover Symptoms
The following may help reduce the symptoms:
- Drinking water: Alcohol makes a person urinate more frequently, often leading to dehydration, in which case it is crucial to rehydrate the body.
- Eating nutritious foods: Healthful foods give the body fuel, nutrients, and antioxidants, which can aid recovery.
- Having bland foods: When a hangover involves stomach trouble, try bland foods that raise blood sugar levels, such as bread.
- Eating fruit: The fructose in fruit may help the body break down alcohol.
- Resting: Sleep can help speed up recovery.
- Taking medication: NSAIDs, antacids, and some pain relief medications can relieve hangover symptoms.
Avoid Pain Relief Medications
A person with a hangover should not take pain relief medications or any other drugs that contain acetaminophen. As a result, this ingredient can strain the liver, like alcohol, so it is important to avoid combining the two.
Also, many so-called hangover cures are ineffective. Among these are the “hair of the dog” approach, which involves drinking more alcohol to relieve a hangover. Healthcare professionals do not recommend this method, which may only prolong the symptoms.
Symptoms of a Hangover
The symptoms of a hangover generally start when blood alcohol levels drops considerably. This usually happens the morning after drinking.
Symptoms of a hangover include:
- A headache
- Bloodshot eyes
- Excessive thirst
- Fatigue
- Body aches
- Anxiety
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Bad breath, known as halitosis
Other Symptoms
- A fast heartbeat or arrhythmia
- Dizziness
- Excess saliva, known as hypersalivation
- Trouble concentrating
- Low mood
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Trembling or shaking
Alcohol Poisoning
If hangover symptoms are severe, during or after a bout of drinking, the person may have alcohol poisoning. This is a medical emergency.
If anyone has the following symptoms of alcohol poisoning, seek medical aid as soon as possible:
- A low body temperature
- Confusion
- Fits or seizures
- Irregular breathing
- Slow breathing, or fewer than 8 inhalations per minute
- Continuous vomiting
- Very pale or blue-tinged skin
- Unconsciousness
The symptoms of alcohol poisoning can vary in severity. Some people experience certain symptoms more severely than others.
Causes of Hangover
Drinking alcohol causes a hangover for the following reasons:
- Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic, it makes a person urinate more, which can lead to thirst, lightheadedness, and other symptoms of dehydration.
- Immune system response: Alcohol can trigger an inflammatory response from the immune system, and this can affect appetite, concentration, and memory.
- Stomach irritation: Alcohol increases the production of stomach acids and slows the rate at which the stomach empties, a combination that can cause nausea, vomiting, and other digestive issues.
- A drop in blood sugar: When a person drinks alcohol, their blood sugar levels can plummet, resulting in shakiness, moodiness, fatigue, general weakness, and even seizures, in some cases.
- Dilated blood vessels: Alcohol consumption can cause the blood vessels to dilate, which can cause headaches.
- Poor quality sleep: Alcohol can cause sleep to be broken or shallow, which can intensify hangover symptoms and contribute to fatigue, brain fog, and low mood.
- Congeners: These byproducts of fermentation are responsible for most of the taste and aroma in distilled drinks such as whiskey and gin, and they contribute to hangover symptoms.
- Toxic byproducts: When the body breaks down alcohol, this produces toxins that can cause or exacerbate many hangover symptoms.
Also, the body needs time to process alcohol. Therefore, drinking more alcohol before the body has been able to process the alcohol already present increases the likelihood of a hangover.
Preventing a Hangover
While the only way to prevent a hangover is to avoid alcohol entirely or drink in moderation, for example, giving the body plenty of time to process the alcohol before consuming more.
Also, each person’s tolerance level is different, so “moderation” likely varies somewhat from person to person. Tolerance is based on genetics, body type, sex, and other factors.
In addition, a person can limit the risk of a hangover by drinking plenty of water alongside any alcoholic beverages or eating a meal after drinking alcohol.
- One drink per day for females
- Two drinks per day for males
What qualifies as one drink may be:
- 12-ounce (oz) bottle of beer
- 5-oz glass of wine
- 8 oz of malt liquor
- 1.5 oz of spirits or liquor
Summary
While there is no cure for a hangover, there are many ways to reduce or relieve the symptoms.
It is important to stay hydrated, eat nutritious food, and get plenty of rest. Most hangovers pass within 24 hours.
Biospecimens
Types of Biospecimens
- Peripheral whole-blood
- Amniotic fluid
- Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL)
- Sputum
- Pleural effusion
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Serum (sera)
- Plasma
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
- Saliva
- Buffy coat
- Urine
- Stool samples
- Aqueous humor
- Vitreous humor
- Kidney stones (renal calculi)
- Other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.
- 日本のお客様は、ベイバイオサイエンスジャパンBay Biosciences Japanまたはhttp://baybiosciences-jp.com/contact/までご連絡ください。