A hangover is a common term that refers to a combination of unpleasant symptoms that you experience after taking too much alcohol. They include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sleepiness, fatigue, irritation, thirst, and a generally awful feeling. Usually, the more alcohol you take, the more likely you will experience a hangover the following morning. However, most of the hangovers can last up to 24hours and go away on their own.
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Causes of a hangover
There are various causes of alcohol hangovers. While a single drink is enough to cause a hangover in some people, others get a hangover after a night of drinking heavily. Scientifically, here are the causes of a hangover.
- Alcohol increases urine production, which leads to loss of body electrolytes hence dehydration; This presents in the form of hangover symptoms like thirst, lightheadedness, and dizziness. Getting a hangover IV Washington DC helps replace the lost electrolytes and other body fluids, alleviating hangover symptoms quickly.
- Alcohol is acidic, which irritates the lining of your stomach. It also increases the production of stomach acid and slows down stomach emptying leading to hangover symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
- Alcohol also leads to decreased blood sugar levels causing hangover symptoms such as fatigue, mood disturbances, shivers, and even seizures. IV therapies are a wonderful way to eliminate all this and cure a hangover. It can easily make your body hydrated and you’ll be able to organize the next party with your friends. While living in any state, you can also try the therapies right from your home. So if you feel a little ill after a party in Texas, try for example IV therapy for hangovers in Dallas, which can flush out toxins, relieve headaches, and replenish fluids perfectly.
- Excessive alcohol drinking triggers an inflammatory response from your immune system. As a result, your immune system can produce some agents that come with physical symptoms decreased appetite, loss of concentration, and reduced interest in the usual activities.
- It causes the blood vessels to expand, causing headaches.
- Last but not least, alcohol interrupts your sleeping pattern, which can leave you groggy and tired.
Symptoms of alcohol hangover
- Thirst and dry mouth.
- Headache.
- Fatigue and muscle aching.
- Nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
- Increases sound and light sensitivity.
- Dizziness comes in the form of the room spinning.
- Mood disturbances like irritability and anxiety.
- Poor sleep.
- Decreased ability to concentrate.
When its an emergency
Excessive alcohol intake could be accompanied by severe hangover symptoms, which could indicate alcohol poisoning. They include:
- Excessive vomiting.
- Confusion.
- Slow and irregular breathing (more than 10seconds between breaths)
- Seizures.
- Pale or blue-tinged skin.
- Difficulty remaining conscious.
- Low body temperature.
- Unconsciousness.
You should seek emergency healthcare if you suspect the symptoms mentioned above or alcohol poisoning. They can be life-threatening and especially for someone unconscious.
Risk factors
Congeners are more likely to increase the severity of a hangover. They are ingredients found in varying amounts in alcoholic drinks to give them flavor. Congeners occur in higher amounts in darker alcoholic beverages like brandy, bourbon, and whiskey than clear alcohol like gin and vodka. However, drinking too much alcohol can cause a hangover the following day.
Other factors that are more likely to increase the severity of a hangover include:
- Drinking on an empty stomach accelerates the absorption of alcohol in the body.
- Not sleeping well after heavy drinking.
- Using other drugs such as smoking while drinking.
- Taking darker colored alcoholic drinks.
- Having a family history of alcoholism could lead to an inherited problem in how your body processes alcohol.
The takeaway
The best way to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover is to stay while drinking, get plenty of sleep and eat a heavy breakfast.
