How Can a Medical Professional Help Me During a Hangover?

Hangover Causes and Symptoms

It’s important to understand that there is a significant distinction between a hangover and alcohol poisoning. You can successfully treat a hangover at home with or without an IV service. Alcohol poisoning, on the other hand, may require treatment at a hospital.

Prevalent hangover symptoms include:

• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Increased blood pressure
• Irritability
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sound
• Stomach pain
• Sweating
• Thirst
• Vertigo
• Weakness

Alcohol poisoning symptoms include confusion, slow breathing, skin that looks blue, difficulty staying conscious, or unresponsiveness. It’s important to call 911 right away if you notice someone experiencing these symptoms.

Effects of Alcohol on the Body

Alcohol, when consumed in excess, can negatively affect your brain, heart, liver, pancreas, and immune system and increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer. Alcohol can cause changes in behavior and mood and challenge focused thinking. It also affects the coordination of your movements and can alter how your brain looks and functions.

Alcohol can cause the following issues within your heart:

• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• Cardiomyopathy (stretching of the heart muscle)
• High blood pressure
• Stroke

Drinking in excess can cause liver problems as well, such as:

• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Fibrosis
• Stenosis (also known as fatty liver)

Alcohol produces toxic substances in your pancreas, which can result in pancreatitis, a condition that disrupts digestion, causing the blood vessels in your pancreas to become inflamed. Drinking alcohol in excess slows down your body’s defense reactions to infections.

The US Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program has identified alcohol as a carcinogen.

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of the following cancers:

• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Head and neck cancer, including the larynx, oral cavity, and pharynx cancers
• Liver cancer

Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance

Alcohol causes your kidneys to flush water out of your body, leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The specific electrolytes depleted by alcohol consumption depend on the amounts of alcohol consumed. Chronic alcohol use can lead to the depletion of magnesium, sodium, and zinc.

Inflammatory Response to Alcohol

There are four primary ways that alcohol contributes to inflammation.

• Causes gut imbalance
• Causes overproduction of inflammatory substances
• Stresses the intestinal wall
• Weakens immune response

Consuming alcohol can obstruct the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gut. It may also cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the digestive tract. Alcohol also makes your body produce more endotoxins.

Why Get IV Therapy for Hangovers?

IV therapy delivers medications, vitamins, and hydrating fluids directly into the bloodstream for instant absorption into the body.

Three are three main benefits of IV therapy: convenience, efficiency, and speed. Because IV therapy delivers fluids directly into your bloodstream, it takes effect immediately, providing results quicker than other methods. When administered by a trained professional, IV treatments are generally safe with mild side effects.

However, IV therapy can cause several adverse effects, including:

• Allergic reaction to adhesive tapes securing the IV in place
• Bleeding from the site of insertion
• Blood clot formation
• Blood vessel damage
• Bruising at the site of insertion
• Swelling in the area

Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications can be added to some IVs to combat nausea. 

Preventive Measures for Hangovers

In this section, we will discuss preventive measures for hangovers, including drinking in moderation, hydration techniques, and using specific foods and supplements.

Drinking in moderation

Drinking in moderation can help you reduce your risk of health issues caused by heavy consumption of alcohol. Moderate drinking is considered two drinks or less daily for males and one drink or less daily for women.

Some people should not consume alcohol at all, such as those who are pregnant, under the age of 21, are recovering from an alcohol use disorder or cannot control the amount they drink, have certain medical conditions, or take certain medications that can negatively interact with alcohol.

Hydration Techniques

Staying hydrated is critical when drinking alcohol. Drink water even when you do not feel thirsty. If you have difficulties drinking plain water, you can use fruit to flavor your water. Eating water-rich fruits and vegetables and dressing appropriately for hot weather, and staying indoors if it is hot outside can also help you stay hydrated.

Using Certain Foods and Supplements

As discussed earlier, certain foods, vitamins, and nutrients can help prevent a hangover.

For example, you can take vitamin and mineral supplements daily to prevent vitamin deficiencies that can worsen hangovers.

Conclusion

If you are experiencing a hangover or persistent symptoms, you should seek help from medical professionals. They can administer IV vitamin therapy for your hangover that can help treat your symptoms and help you recover much more quickly than using oral methods alone.

Drinking in moderation can help you prevent hangover symptoms. Hydrating adequately before, during, and after drinking can help you ward off dehydration and help correct low vitamin and mineral levels that can minimize hangover symptoms.