Treatments, Home Remedies, Causes, and Symptoms

Hangover headaches are no fun. It’s well known that drinking too much alcohol can cause a variety of symptoms the next day. A headache is just one of them.

It’s easy to find tons of purported hangover headache “cures” that you can make at home and even buy in stores. But most of them have no reliable scientific research that proves they work.

The best way to avoid a hangover headache is to limit how much alcohol you drink in one sitting. Still, we’ve also got some tips that can help you reduce your chances of having a headache, and a few to ease your pain in case you’ve already got one.

First, let’s talk about some of the remedies that do have some scientific evidence to back them up.

1. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient that’s found in all sorts of common foods, such as poultry, potatoes, and fruit. Alcohol reduces your levels of B vitamins, making it harder for your body to metabolize and eliminate alcohol.

Loading up on extra B6 with a hearty meal or taking a dietary supplement can help your body get rid of alcohol faster. This may help you avoid a hangover headache, whether you take B6 before or after you drink.

2. NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help decrease inflammation in your body associated with drinking. NSAIDS block the production of enzymes that lead to headaches and migraines. Taking a small dose of NSAIDs may help ward off a hangover headache.

Just take it easy on the doses. Combined with alcohol, NSAIDs can increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Never take acetaminophen (Tylenol) when you drink or when you’re hungover. Acetaminophen makes it harder for your body to process alcohol and can damage your liver.

Your liver is already working overtime to get excess alcohol out of your body. Too much Tylenol — over 4,000 mg in a 24-hour period — while hungover can lead to dangerous liver swelling or liver failure.

3.

Fitness drinks

Hydration is a must when you drink. Alcohol can dehydrate you and drain your body of electrolytes.

Drinking a beverage that’s packed with additional electrolytes can help you restore your electrolyte balance and remain hydrated.

A 2014 study from the Center for Weight and Health at UC Berkeley found that fitness drinks like Gatorade were better for quick hydration after intense exercise. So they may get you hydrated faster than regular water after a night of drinking.

Just don’t overdo it. Some drinks can contain up to 36 grams of sugar for a 20-ounce serving. Excess sugar can make your hangover symptoms worse.

4. N-acetyl-cysteine

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) is a natural amino acid that helps your body fight against the toxic effects of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a chemical compound associated with many hangover symptoms, including headaches. As acetaldehyde levels rise, your glutathione levels decrease. Glutathione is a naturally occurring antioxidant that prevents cell damage in your liver.

Take a 200- to 300-milligram (mg) NAC supplement at least half an hour before you start drinking. This could reduce the impact of acetaldehyde on your liver and make your hangover symptoms much less severe.

5. Light exercise

In general, exercising the day after you drink isn’t recommended.

But light exercise can help your body speed along its metabolic processes, ridding your body of alcohol and related toxins more quickly. Just make sure you stay hydrated since your body is already battling the effects of dehydration while you’re hung over.

Already nursing that hangover headache? Here are eight tips to minimize your pain.

1. Make sure to eat

Eat before, during, and after consuming alcohol. Here are a few reasons why this helps:

• Eating helps keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Low blood sugar can make a hangover headache worse.
• Keeping your blood sugar levels up can also limit how much acid builds up in your blood. This may prevent headaches as well as other symptoms, like nausea and exhaustion.
• Drinking causes a loss of vitamins that can lead to hangover symptoms, such as headache. Eating can keep your vitamin levels up, and potentially prevent some of those hangover symptoms.

2. Drink water

Try this: Have a glass or bottle of water with every drink.

Or, try drinking water both before and after you have alcohol. Have 1 cup or a 16-ounce bottle of water for every 12-ounce beer or 4- to 6-ounce cocktail you drink.

The following drinks can all help you stay hydrated and minimize hangover headaches:

• good ol’ plain water
• Gatorade or Powerade
• coconut water
• alkaline water enhanced with additional electrolytes, such as potassium and magnesium

Why? because alcohol’s a diuretic — it causes your body to increase how much urine it produces. This makes you lose fluids and electrolytes at a faster rate, so you’ll get dehydrated much more quickly. And if you end up vomiting from having too much alcohol, you’ll lose even more fluids.

Preventing dehydration means your hangover symptoms will be much less severe, if you have any at all. And hydration has plenty of other benefits, too.

3. Choose light-colored drinks

The darker the drink, the worse your hangover may be. This is because distilled, dark-colored drinks like whiskey, bourbon, and brandy contain large amounts of congeners.

Congeners result from the distillation or fermentation process used to produce these darker liquors. Some common congeners include:

• tannins
• acetone
• acetaldehyde

Congeners are much more likely to result in hangover symptoms, including headaches. Opt for light-colored drinks like vodka to minimize your hangover blues the day after.

4. Know your limits

This one’s straightforward: Don’t feel pressured to drink more than you’re comfortable with, or at all, if you’re not feeling it. Your limits aren’t the same as everyone else’s, and you may not always feel like drinking when the people around you are.

The second part of this is to listen to your body and use your past experiences as a reference. Maybe one drink is fine, but two or more starts to make you dizzy, lightheaded, and leads to a splitting headache the next day. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

5. Limit yourself

Your body metabolizes a typical serving of alcohol (about 16 fluid ounces) in the course of an hour or so. So, limit yourself to one drink per hour.

Spreading your alcohol consumption out over this time allows your body to flush out alcohol efficiently so that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) stays low and is essentially cleared out of your body before the next day. This may help you avoid hangover symptoms altogether.

6. Skip “hair of the dog”

“Hair of the dog” refers to having some of the same alcohol the next morning that you had the night before.

Research proving that it works is limited. Plus, drinking more alcohol when your body is already dealing with hangover symptoms can either make them worse or only be a temporary fix before your symptoms return.

7. Skip the hangover recipes

Don’t listen to all the weird, outlandish recipes that are purported to help “cure” a hangover. Ingredients like raw eggs, spices, and the numerous preservatives used in processed or fast foods can make symptoms like nausea and vomiting worse.

Stick with basic, protein-packed, vitamin-rich foods like:

• bananas
• eggs
• nuts
• spinach

8. Remember, everyone is different

Not everyone feels the same effects of their drinking the morning after. In fact, your genes alone account for nearly half of the variables that contribute to how your body reacts to alcohol.

The other half of the variables that contribute to your hangover include:

• whether you’re male or female
• how much you weigh
• what medications you’re taking
• how much you’ve eaten
• enzyme deficiencies that make you flush or get sick when you consume alcohol
• how quickly you drink (one drink an hour vs. several drinks in a single hour)

Alcohol contains a chemical called ethanol. As you drink alcohol, your stomach absorbs about 20 percent of this ethanol while your small intestine absorbs the rest. From the small intestine, ethanol travels into the bloodstream and throughout your body, including your brain.

Ethanol’s diuretic effects can also quickly dehydrate you, and a headache is just one of many symptoms of dehydration.

In your bloodstream, ethanol can cause headaches through vasodilation. This means that it makes your blood vessels expand. Vasodilation can stimulate certain brain nerves and result in pain. Alcohol also affects chemicals and hormones in your brain, such as histamine and serotonin, which contribute to the development of a headache.

Having too much alcohol at one time can lead to alcohol poisoning. If untreated, alcohol poisoning can have long-term consequences or may even result in death.

Get emergency medical help if you or anyone you’re drinking with notices any of the following symptoms:

• feeling confused
• skin changing color to dark blue or purple
• throwing up
• breathing slowing down (inhaling and exhaling fewer than eight times a minute)
• pausing between breaths (10 or more seconds)
• chills
• seizures
• falling unconscious and being unable to wake up

If you find that you’re not able to control how much you drink or stop yourself from drinking even if it’s causing you physical or emotional pain, you may need to seek treatment for alcoholism.

The first step towards confronting alcoholism is acknowledging that you have an alcohol problem, as well as the toll it may be taking on your life. Once you’ve reached this important milestone, talk to your doctor, a therapist, or a counselor who can help recommend treatment for alcohol dependence. Remember, you’re not alone.

The key to avoiding a hangover headache is moderation. Take it slow when you drink alcohol. Try sipping instead of gulping or pounding shots.

But it you’re already dealing with a hangover, try one or more of these tips to see what works for you. Start with eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water before, during, and after drinking.

Taking preventative measures is the best way to stop a hangover headache before it ever starts.

Treatments, Home Remedies, Causes, and Symptoms

Hangover headaches are no fun. It’s well known that drinking too much alcohol can cause a variety of symptoms the next day. A headache is just one of them.

It’s easy to find tons of purported hangover headache “cures” that you can make at home and even buy in stores. But most of them have no reliable scientific research that proves they work.

The best way to avoid a hangover headache is to limit how much alcohol you drink in one sitting. Still, we’ve also got some tips that can help you reduce your chances of having a headache, and a few to ease your pain in case you’ve already got one.

First, let’s talk about some of the remedies that do have some scientific evidence to back them up.

1. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient that’s found in all sorts of common foods, such as poultry, potatoes, and fruit. Alcohol reduces your levels of B vitamins, making it harder for your body to metabolize and eliminate alcohol.

Loading up on extra B6 with a hearty meal or taking a dietary supplement can help your body get rid of alcohol faster. This may help you avoid a hangover headache, whether you take B6 before or after you drink.

2. NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help decrease inflammation in your body associated with drinking. NSAIDS block the production of enzymes that lead to headaches and migraines. Taking a small dose of NSAIDs may help ward off a hangover headache.

Just take it easy on the doses. Combined with alcohol, NSAIDs can increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Never take acetaminophen (Tylenol) when you drink or when you’re hungover. Acetaminophen makes it harder for your body to process alcohol and can damage your liver.

Your liver is already working overtime to get excess alcohol out of your body. Too much Tylenol — over 4,000 mg in a 24-hour period — while hungover can lead to dangerous liver swelling or liver failure.

3. Fitness drinks

Hydration is a must when you drink. Alcohol can dehydrate you and drain your body of electrolytes.

Drinking a beverage that’s packed with additional electrolytes can help you restore your electrolyte balance and remain hydrated.

A 2014 study from the Center for Weight and Health at UC Berkeley found that fitness drinks like Gatorade were better for quick hydration after intense exercise. So they may get you hydrated faster than regular water after a night of drinking.

Just don’t overdo it. Some drinks can contain up to 36 grams of sugar for a 20-ounce serving. Excess sugar can make your hangover symptoms worse.

4. N-acetyl-cysteine

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) is a natural amino acid that helps your body fight against the toxic effects of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a chemical compound associated with many hangover symptoms, including headaches. As acetaldehyde levels rise, your glutathione levels decrease. Glutathione is a naturally occurring antioxidant that prevents cell damage in your liver.

Take a 200- to 300-milligram (mg) NAC supplement at least half an hour before you start drinking. This could reduce the impact of acetaldehyde on your liver and make your hangover symptoms much less severe.

5. Light exercise

In general, exercising the day after you drink isn’t recommended.

But light exercise can help your body speed along its metabolic processes, ridding your body of alcohol and related toxins more quickly. Just make sure you stay hydrated since your body is already battling the effects of dehydration while you’re hung over.

Already nursing that hangover headache? Here are eight tips to minimize your pain.

1. Make sure to eat

Eat before, during, and after consuming alcohol. Here are a few reasons why this helps:

• Eating helps keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Low blood sugar can make a hangover headache worse.
• Keeping your blood sugar levels up can also limit how much acid builds up in your blood. This may prevent headaches as well as other symptoms, like nausea and exhaustion.
• Drinking causes a loss of vitamins that can lead to hangover symptoms, such as headache. Eating can keep your vitamin levels up, and potentially prevent some of those hangover symptoms.

2. Drink water

Try this: Have a glass or bottle of water with every drink.

Or, try drinking water both before and after you have alcohol. Have 1 cup or a 16-ounce bottle of water for every 12-ounce beer or 4- to 6-ounce cocktail you drink.

The following drinks can all help you stay hydrated and minimize hangover headaches:

• good ol’ plain water
• Gatorade or Powerade
• coconut water
• alkaline water enhanced with additional electrolytes, such as potassium and magnesium

Why? because alcohol’s a diuretic — it causes your body to increase how much urine it produces. This makes you lose fluids and electrolytes at a faster rate, so you’ll get dehydrated much more quickly. And if you end up vomiting from having too much alcohol, you’ll lose even more fluids.

Preventing dehydration means your hangover symptoms will be much less severe, if you have any at all. And hydration has plenty of other benefits, too.

3.

Choose light-colored drinks

The darker the drink, the worse your hangover may be. This is because distilled, dark-colored drinks like whiskey, bourbon, and brandy contain large amounts of congeners.

Congeners result from the distillation or fermentation process used to produce these darker liquors. Some common congeners include:

• tannins
• acetone
• acetaldehyde

Congeners are much more likely to result in hangover symptoms, including headaches. Opt for light-colored drinks like vodka to minimize your hangover blues the day after.

4. Know your limits

This one’s straightforward: Don’t feel pressured to drink more than you’re comfortable with, or at all, if you’re not feeling it. Your limits aren’t the same as everyone else’s, and you may not always feel like drinking when the people around you are.

The second part of this is to listen to your body and use your past experiences as a reference. Maybe one drink is fine, but two or more starts to make you dizzy, lightheaded, and leads to a splitting headache the next day. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

5. Limit yourself

Your body metabolizes a typical serving of alcohol (about 16 fluid ounces) in the course of an hour or so. So, limit yourself to one drink per hour.

Spreading your alcohol consumption out over this time allows your body to flush out alcohol efficiently so that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) stays low and is essentially cleared out of your body before the next day. This may help you avoid hangover symptoms altogether.

6. Skip “hair of the dog”

“Hair of the dog” refers to having some of the same alcohol the next morning that you had the night before.

Research proving that it works is limited. Plus, drinking more alcohol when your body is already dealing with hangover symptoms can either make them worse or only be a temporary fix before your symptoms return.

7. Skip the hangover recipes

Don’t listen to all the weird, outlandish recipes that are purported to help “cure” a hangover. Ingredients like raw eggs, spices, and the numerous preservatives used in processed or fast foods can make symptoms like nausea and vomiting worse.

Stick with basic, protein-packed, vitamin-rich foods like:

• bananas
• eggs
• nuts
• spinach

8. Remember, everyone is different

Not everyone feels the same effects of their drinking the morning after. In fact, your genes alone account for nearly half of the variables that contribute to how your body reacts to alcohol.

The other half of the variables that contribute to your hangover include:

• whether you’re male or female
• how much you weigh
• what medications you’re taking
• how much you’ve eaten
• enzyme deficiencies that make you flush or get sick when you consume alcohol
• how quickly you drink (one drink an hour vs. several drinks in a single hour)

Alcohol contains a chemical called ethanol. As you drink alcohol, your stomach absorbs about 20 percent of this ethanol while your small intestine absorbs the rest. From the small intestine, ethanol travels into the bloodstream and throughout your body, including your brain.

Ethanol’s diuretic effects can also quickly dehydrate you, and a headache is just one of many symptoms of dehydration.

In your bloodstream, ethanol can cause headaches through vasodilation. This means that it makes your blood vessels expand. Vasodilation can stimulate certain brain nerves and result in pain. Alcohol also affects chemicals and hormones in your brain, such as histamine and serotonin, which contribute to the development of a headache.

Having too much alcohol at one time can lead to alcohol poisoning. If untreated, alcohol poisoning can have long-term consequences or may even result in death.

Get emergency medical help if you or anyone you’re drinking with notices any of the following symptoms:

• feeling confused
• skin changing color to dark blue or purple
• throwing up
• breathing slowing down (inhaling and exhaling fewer than eight times a minute)
• pausing between breaths (10 or more seconds)
• chills
• seizures
• falling unconscious and being unable to wake up

If you find that you’re not able to control how much you drink or stop yourself from drinking even if it’s causing you physical or emotional pain, you may need to seek treatment for alcoholism.

The first step towards confronting alcoholism is acknowledging that you have an alcohol problem, as well as the toll it may be taking on your life. Once you’ve reached this important milestone, talk to your doctor, a therapist, or a counselor who can help recommend treatment for alcohol dependence. Remember, you’re not alone.

The key to avoiding a hangover headache is moderation. Take it slow when you drink alcohol. Try sipping instead of gulping or pounding shots.

But it you’re already dealing with a hangover, try one or more of these tips to see what works for you. Start with eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water before, during, and after drinking.

Taking preventative measures is the best way to stop a hangover headache before it ever starts.

How to get rid of a hangover headache

Headache is the most common hangover symptom that appears as a result of intoxication of the body with alcoholic beverages. The condition is quite dangerous, because it not only negatively affects well-being, but can also cause irreparable damage to health. There are several ways to get rid of a headache on your own, but sometimes you need the help of a specialist.

Causes of a hangover

Frequent use of alcoholic beverages in unlimited quantities leads to disturbances in the body. The condition, which is commonly called a hangover syndrome, is caused by an increase in the concentration of toxic components. The state of intoxication provokes the development of some unpleasant symptoms:

• nausea and vomiting;
• dry mouth;
• dizziness and headache;
• asthenia;
• tremor of limbs;
• pain and discomfort in the stomach and intestines;
• palpitations;
• fever;
• feeling of anxiety.

Hangover occurs due to the destructive effect of alcohol on the cells of the body. A large amount of alcohol destroys cell membranes, negatively affects the nucleus, disrupts the function of organelles.

Why does the head hurt

Most often, a person is tormented by a headache after excessive drinking. Doctors point to several main causes that lead to headaches:

1. intoxication;
2. dehydration;
3. mixing of several types of drinks;
4. age.

The body accumulates acetaldehyde, which is a breakdown product of ethanol. The substance is very toxic, therefore it negatively affects the entire body as a whole, as soon as it enters the bloodstream. The brain suffers the most.

Dehydration or dehydration is a pathological condition that occurs when drinking alcohol. It is expressed not only in a decrease in the amount of moisture in the body, but also in violation of metabolic processes. Only 200 g of drunk alcohol can remove more than 800 g of water from the body. Together with it, many microelements are removed, which cannot be replenished immediately. The body tries to take fluid from the brain, which leads to severe pain.

Intoxication of the body is much stronger if you mix several types of alcohol during a feast. When drinking strong alcoholic beverages, the enzyme that breaks down ethanol is not synthesized. Alcohol with a high sugar content increases its concentration. For this reason, mixing drinks leads to the formation of toxins and disrupts the liver.

Age also causes headaches after drinking alcohol. The older a person is, the more difficult it is for his body to cope with the consequences of poisoning. First of all, this is due to a decrease in enzymatic activity. The rate of production of enzymes that eliminate ethanol is decreasing, which means that alcohol stays in the body longer. Accordingly, the signs of intoxication become more pronounced.

First aid for a hangover at home

First of all, you need to measure your blood pressure and count your pulse. Folk remedies and medicines for headaches will be ineffective if the indicators are too high. There are home methods by which you can quickly get rid of an unpleasant condition without a specialist. However, it is worth noting that they are suitable for those who are not dependent on alcohol and the use of alcoholic beverages was one-time.

How to replenish fluid in the body

Since alcoholic beverages lead to dehydration and flush out useful components from the body, it is important to replenish fluids in a timely manner. After drinking alcohol, it is recommended to drink fruit drinks, compotes, and a decoction of ginger is also useful. It thins the blood, has a calming effect, is able to quickly normalize the work of blood vessels, so the headache, as the drink is taken, gradually disappears. The decoction is not safe for those who have pathologies of the digestive tract.

Many people prefer to quench their thirst with brine. A few minutes after consumption, a surge of vigor, spasm relief and improvement in overall well-being are noted. It is advisable to drink cabbage brine, because it contains succinic acid. It stimulates liver function, promotes the rapid elimination of ethanol and prevents the development of hypoxia. However, for people with high acidity, the brine is not recommended for use.

In addition, recommended for use:

• green tea;
• bread kvass;
• natural juices, including tomato juices;
• mineral water without gas;
• fermented milk products (tan, curdled milk, kefir).

Drink small portions, but often. It is forbidden to drink strong black tea and coffee, as well as drinks with a high sugar content. Separately, it is worth noting one of the most popular ways to deal with a hangover – a new portion of alcohol. Under no circumstances should this method be used. After a while, the relief is replaced by a more intense headache. Again, you need a serving of alcohol. This is how alcohol addiction develops. A person goes into a binge and then it is impossible to do without the help of a specialist.

Water treatments

Water treatments will help you get back to normal quickly. A visit to the bathhouse, sauna, and a hot bath is recommended. This will help relieve puffiness and eliminate toxins. Such procedures are allowed for people who do not have pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

The best solution is to take a warm bath. The water temperature should correspond to room temperature. This procedure will help to relax and bring the blood vessels back to normal. If there is no predisposition to allergies, you can add medicinal herbs to the bath, for example, chamomile, mint, motherwort, lemon balm.

Thus, folk methods of dealing with headaches are not as harmless and effective as it might seem at first glance. Sometimes they aggravate the condition and lead to serious complications. It is advisable to contact a narcologist who will give recommendations and help eliminate unpleasant consequences.

Medicines

Therapy with medicines is the only way to deal with hangovers and headaches. It is allowed to drink a sorbent, antispasmodic or analgesic.

Adsorbents

Sorbens are considered first aid for hangovers. They provide a quick removal of toxins from the body in case of poisoning. They can be of natural or synthetic origin. Adsorbent substances are not interconnected with gastric juice and are excreted naturally. The action of sorbents is accompanied by some additional therapeutic effects:

1. normalization of water-salt metabolism;
2. restoration of intestinal flora and mucous membranes;
3. improvement of blood supply to the digestive tract;
4. reducing the load on the liver.

The most common drug is activated charcoal. The minimum dosage is 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight. If intoxication is severe, then the dosage should be increased. Modern analogue of activated carbon is Enterosgel. Even with severe alcohol poisoning, it is enough to drink 1-2 tbsp. l. means to feel relief. The drug is also recommended as a prophylaxis of intoxication. Sorbents should be taken separately from other drugs to prevent a decrease in effectiveness.

No-Shpa

No-Shpa is a popular drug used for smooth muscle spasms. Headaches are also indications for use. The active substance is drotaverine, which is able to expand the vessels of the brain, improving blood supply to tissues.

Severe heart failure, as well as some pathologies of the liver and kidneys, are considered contraindications. It is forbidden to take no-shpu at the same time as alcoholic beverages, as this can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and swelling.

Succinic acid

Succinic acid can be used to quickly and effectively restore cells and tissues. It is used as an active substance that improves the metabolism and energy supply of cells and tissues of the body. The components that make up succinic acid reduce tissue hypoxia.

Aspirin

Aspirin is an antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. Used as a blood thinner. Aspirin begins to act 15 minutes after application, normalizing blood vessels and improving blood flow. Relieves hangover headaches quickly and effectively. The drug should be used with caution in people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen has a strong analgesic effect, but unlike Aspirin, it does not harm the digestive tract. The drug acts for 3-4 hours. Ibuprofen is effective only with the simultaneous intake of a sufficient amount of liquid.

Alkoseltzer

Contains acetylsalicylic acid. It has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects. Indications are pain syndrome, including headache. Produced in tablet form. The tablets dissolve easily in water. They have a pleasant taste. Alkoseltzer should not be taken with gastrointestinal diseases.

Glycine

The substance has a positive effect on the basic functions of the brain, has a tonic and general strengthening effect. However, to achieve maximum effect, it should be taken along with other medicines.

Antipokhmelin

The drug not only effectively helps with a hangover, but also prevents unpleasant symptoms if you take Antipokhmelin before a feast. However, the remedy does not have a detoxifying effect, for this reason it is ineffective in case of severe alcohol poisoning.

Any drug has contraindications, so you should consult a specialist before taking it. This will help avoid side effects.

When a doctor’s attention is needed

For people who rarely drink alcohol, the headache completely disappears within 1-3 days, provided proper rest. In the presence of alcohol dependence and detection of the following symptoms, the assistance of a narcologist is required:

• nausea and vomiting;
• throbbing headache in the parietal region;
• confused mind;
• severe edema;
• blurred vision.

Severe headache that does not go away within 3 days, sometimes worsens, is a sign of acute intoxication, may indicate the onset of cerebral edema, and often serves as a harbinger of heart attack and stroke. At risk are people over 35 years of age. If these symptoms appear after drinking alcohol, you should consult a doctor.

After carrying out some diagnostic measures, the narcologist will prescribe the necessary medicines and give recommendations. Often a specialist prescribes a dropper. It contains antispasmodics, sorbents, vitamin complex. Drugs with intravenous administration begin to act after half an hour.

If the binge is prolonged, hospitalization will be required, especially if there are chronic pathologies or symptoms that threaten the patient’s life. In a hospital setting, plasmapheresis is possible. This is an extracorporeal procedure, which consists in cleansing the blood of toxic substances. During the procedure, blood is taken, and then the purified plasma is returned to the bloodstream.

Xenon inhalation has a sedative and analgesic effect. The procedure stimulates metabolic processes, restores the functioning of the nervous tissue, relieves headaches and has a relaxing effect. During the procedure, the patient breathes the therapeutic composition, then rests.

Another effective procedure is intestinal lavage. The patient takes a cleansing solution that causes a natural bowel cleansing. Well-being returns to normal due to the rapid removal of toxins and toxins.

Conclusion

Narcologists insist that you should not experiment with your health when you have a hangover syndrome. Traditional methods of dealing with headaches in most cases are useless, and sometimes can be dangerous. The best solution is to seek help from a specialist. He will select an effective hangover remedy without health consequences.

Other articles

How to get rid of a hangover headache

Headache is one of the most common signs of a hangover, which is a consequence of intoxication of the body after alcohol abuse. The condition negatively affects well-being, is dangerous to health and can lead to serious complications.

Causes of a headache during a hangover

The main causes of headache during a hangover are:

• intoxication. With excessive alcohol consumption, a large amount of acetaldehyde, a toxic breakdown product of ethanol, is formed in the body. It enters the bloodstream, then into the brain, disrupts neural connections and leads to a disorder of brain activity;
• dehydration. Drinking 200 g of alcohol removes about 850 g of liquid, and with it useful microelements. The body, in an attempt to restore water balance, takes fluid from the brain, which leads to a decrease in its size and provokes severe pain;
• the influence of alcohol on blood vessels. Alcohol dramatically expands and then constricts blood vessels, which leads to spasm and intense headache;
• mixing of several types of alcohol. When taking various alcoholic beverages, even in a small amount, intoxication of the body will be many times stronger. For example, when drinking strong alcohol, the enzyme that breaks down ethanol is blocked. Sweet alcohol (liquor, champagne) increases the concentration of sugar. The joint intake of alcoholic beverages of different strengths strikes at the liver and leads to an increased formation of toxins;
• type of alcohol consumed. Some alcoholic beverages (wine, cognac, beer) contain various chemicals. They can cause an attack of severe headache, as well as the consumption of individual snacks. Cheeses and meats contain tyramines, which provoke the development of migraines;
• smoking along with alcohol. Nicotine stimulates the increased production of dopamine – the hormone of happiness. Short-term euphoria leads subsequently to a severe headache.

The doctors of our clinic will help cure alcoholism.

Hangover headaches are associated with age. The older a person is, the worse his body copes with alcohol. This is due to a decrease in enzymatic activity. The rate of ethanol processing decreases, alcohol stays in the body longer. The poisoning intensifies, and a severe headache occurs.

It is better not to drink alcohol at all or to drink the minimum allowable dose, which is 30 g of ethanol for women and 50 g for men. In extreme cases, it is recommended not to mix drinks, as well as to refuse cocktails, to monitor the quantity and quality of alcohol taken in order to avoid unpleasant consequences in the morning in the form of poor health.

How to get rid of a headache on your own using traditional methods

There are several ways to get out of an unpleasant condition at home without the help of a doctor. These methods are suitable if the person suffering from a headache does not have an alcohol addiction, and the use of alcohol was one-time.

Drinking regimen

Alcohol dehydrates the body and washes out useful trace elements, so after a heavy drink you should take more liquid. When alcohol is abused, it is recommended to drink:

• water. Preference is given to alkaline mineral water without gas. It contains potassium, magnesium, helps to quickly restore electrolyte balance. The Regidron solution has a similar effect. Within a few hours after taking it, it significantly improves well-being, relieves pain, as it accelerates the elimination of toxins;
• brine. In just a few minutes, it will improve well-being, give vigor and relieve discomfort due to the high content of electrolytes. It is best to drink cabbage brine. It contains succinic acid, which stimulates the liver, accelerates the breakdown and excretion of ethanol, eliminates hypoxia of brain cells. The brine should not be used by people with increased gastric acidity;
• fresh juices, fruit drinks;
• decoction of ginger. It has a mild sedative effect, restores the work of blood vessels, eliminates headaches, thins the blood. The drink should not be taken by people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Avoid tea and coffee. Drinks have a diuretic effect and wash out useful trace elements, which are already in short supply after alcohol abuse.

In addition to observing the drinking regimen, it is recommended to eat vegetables and fruits that contain enough liquid – cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini, celery, watermelon, citrus fruits. Walking in the fresh air, sleeping in a cool, well-ventilated area will also help to cope with a headache.

Water procedures

Hot bath, steam bath, sauna will accelerate the elimination of toxins, reduce swelling. You can only take procedures for people who do not have problems with the cardiovascular system, otherwise you can cause irreparable harm to health. For the same reason, you can not take a contrast shower. This threatens a heart attack or stroke.

The best way to feel better is to take a bath with room temperature water. It will allow you to relax and have a tonic effect. You can add herbs with a calming and relaxing effect to the water – chamomile, valerian, motherwort, lemon balm, mint. It should be remembered that herbal medicine has contraindications and can cause a severe allergic reaction.

A new dose of alcohol

Alcohol abusers believe that the easiest and most effective way to get rid of a headache is to get drunk. A glass of beer or a glass of vodka will bring relief in a matter of minutes, but in no case should you resort to this method . Unpleasant sensations can be eliminated for a short time. Then the pain will return and become more intense. To alleviate the condition, you will need a new dose of alcohol. This will form a binge, the exit from which will require considerable effort. In this case, you can not do without the help of a narcologist.

At first glance, harmless folk methods of dealing with headaches may turn out to be useless, and in some cases aggravate the condition and lead to complications. Even with a slight malaise after an excessive dose of alcohol, it is best to consult a doctor. The doctor will give advice on how to quickly and safely get out of a painful condition.

What drugs relieve hangover headaches

Drug therapy is an effective way to deal with hangover headaches when folk remedies are powerless. To alleviate the condition, you can drink a sorbent, analgesic or antispasmodic. Before taking, you should carefully study the instructions, as well as measure the pressure. Many drugs are incompatible with alcohol, have contraindications and can only make you feel worse. Some medicines aggravate the condition with high or low blood pressure.

Sorbents

Absorbents are the first aid in alcohol abuse. They provide a quick detox and help get rid of unpleasant hangover symptoms. The simplest and most popular remedy is activated charcoal. The sorbent has a quick effect and alleviates the condition. The drug should be taken at a minimum dosage of 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight. The stronger the intoxication, the higher the dose of the drug, so it is better to drink activated charcoal in the form of a soluble powder.

Enterosgel is a modern analogue of activated carbon. To alleviate the condition, even with severe intoxication, just 1-3 tablespoons of the sorbent is enough. The drug is used both for hangover syndrome and for its prevention. If you drink Enterosgel before drinking alcohol, it will reduce the degree of alcohol absorption, reduce the unpleasant consequences of alcohol intake, but prevent the desired effect of intoxication.

Sorbents are compatible with other drugs. They should be drunk with an interval of 1. 5-2 hours from taking other medicines. Otherwise, the effectiveness of drugs will decrease.

No-Shpa

A plant-based drug that dilates blood vessels and relieves spasm, which helps to eliminate headaches in hangover syndrome. No-Shpa slows down the absorption of alcohol, improves well-being, facilitates the work of the liver and stomach. The drug should not be drunk in chronic kidney and liver diseases. Simultaneous reception of No-Shpa with alcohol can lead to swelling and a sharp decrease in blood pressure.

Aspirin

The drug thins the blood, has an analgesic effect. Aspirin acts within 10-15 minutes after ingestion, normalizes the state of blood vessels, improves blood flow and quickly relieves hangover symptoms.

The drug should not be drunk in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Aspirin can cause bleeding in people with chronic stomach problems, and also after exceeding the recommended dosage of the drug.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen has a strong analgesic effect and does not irritate the gastric mucosa, unlike other painkillers, so it can be taken even with gastrointestinal diseases. The drug acts for 3-4 hours. The necessary effect of the drug for a hangover occurs only with the simultaneous use of a sufficient amount of liquid.

Alkoseltzer

The drug contains acetylsalicylic acid, thins the blood, has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Available in the form of water-soluble tablets, has a pleasant taste. Like Aspirin, Alkoseltzer should not be taken for gastrointestinal problems. The analogue of the drug is Alka-Prim.

Antipohmelin

Helps not only to get rid of a headache during a hangover, but also to prevent unpleasant symptoms if you drink the drug before a feast. Antipohmelin does not have a detoxifying effect, therefore, in case of alcohol poisoning, it is ineffective.

Medicines help to quickly cope with a headache, but there are contraindications. Before taking medication, it is better to consult a doctor to avoid side effects.

When to see a doctor

For people who rarely drink, a hangover headache usually resolves within 1-3 days after proper sleep and rest. You should immediately consult a doctor if you have alcohol dependence and the following symptoms occur:

• throbbing headache, localized in one place, most often in the parietal region;
• dizziness, nausea, retching;
• blurred vision;
• puffiness;
• headache does not go away for 3 or more days, gradually increases;
• confusion.

Severe headache accompanied by these symptoms is a sign of acute intoxication and may also be a precursor to a hypertensive crisis, cerebral edema, heart attack or stroke. In a special risk group are people over 35 years of age suffering from chronic diseases. If one or more signs appear after exceeding the dose of alcohol, it is better to consult a narcologist.

The doctor will conduct a thorough examination, measure the pulse, pressure, if necessary, prescribe a blood test, cardiogram. Based on the results of the examination, the specialist will prescribe the necessary medications, give recommendations on getting rid of the headache. A dropper will help you get out of an unpleasant state quickly and safely. During infusion therapy, sorbents, antispasmodics, painkillers, and a vitamin complex are used. Unlike oral administration, intravenous medications act within 30-60 minutes, quickly relieving headaches and other hangover symptoms.

If the patient has been drinking for a long time, has chronic illness, alcohol dependence, or life-threatening symptoms, hospitalization is recommended. The clinic uses additional methods of headache treatment:

• plasmapheresis . During intoxication, alcohol enters the bloodstream, so hardware blood purification quickly eliminates toxins and eliminates the symptoms of a hangover. Plasmapheresis is effective in the treatment of comorbidities;
• xenon therapy . Inhalations with xenon have a mild sedative and analgesic effect. Gas stimulates metabolic processes, restores the work of nervous activity. Xenon therapy quickly eliminates headaches, has no contraindications and side effects.