Man in his bed, grumpy and tired

What’s the Safest Medicine to Take for a Hangover?

Man in his bed, grumpy and tired

If you’ve ever woken up after a night of drinking and tried to find relief from your hangover symptoms, then you’re probably familiar with the headache, nausea, vomiting, and overall misery that comes with the morning after an alcohol-fueled evening. Unfortunately, you might not know that the medications you might reach for to treat these symptoms can make things worse over time.

What causes hangovers

Hangovers are caused by two primary factors: dehydration and toxic buildup in your body. If you drink alcohol, your body begins to metabolize it by breaking it down into acetaldehyde—one of your body’s most toxic substances.

Then acetaldehyde becomes acetic acid and is broken down into water and carbon dioxide. This can happen over several hours as you drink more and more alcohol, leading to severe dehydration—the primary cause of hangovers.

Dehydration can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness. Alcohol also affects your central nervous system, which regulates your appetite and digestion—so you may suffer from dry mouth, abdominal cramps, or constipation. If you drink too much alcohol during a single sitting, you could end up with alcohol poisoning—an emergency requiring immediate medical attention.

dizzy side effect efect

Anti-nausea medications

First and foremost, it’s important to determine whether you have, in fact, experienced nausea. The most common hangover side effect is headaches, and if you’re feeling nauseous along with your headache, then anti-nausea medication may be needed. If not, go ahead and skip anti-nausea.

Some medicines that treat post-drinking nausea are:

These medications can be found over the counter and don’t require a prescription.

If you have experienced nausea and vomiting from alcohol consumption, two main categories of medications are available. The first is anti-nausea, which works by suppressing your stomach acid production.

oval pills

The second category is called anti-emetics, which prevents your body from sending signals to your brain that cause nausea and vomiting.

Pain killers

Ibuprofen is probably your best bet for treating pain that results from a night of overindulgence. Advil’s NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) can block prostaglandins, which are involved in sending pain signals from your brain to your body. And it can also help reduce inflammation and swelling. But don’t go overboard—taking too much ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding, so stick with the recommended dosage. And be sure to drink plenty of water when you pop these pills—ibuprofen reduces inflammation and swelling around injured tissue; if you don’t stay hydrated enough, it won’t work either.

round red pills, ibuprofen

Other treatments

Home remedies for hangovers may not be as effective as some remedies, but many sufferers swear by them.

Start your morning with a glass of orange juice or two, and throw in an apple or two if you can stomach it. Drink plenty of water while avoiding sugar-rich foods like cookies and candy bars. While at it, keep drinking water throughout your day—at least eight 8-ounce glasses—to help stave off headaches later on.

It’s tough to know exactly what works and what doesn’t. Some home remedies like eating pretzels or drinking pickle juice may be effective—but no one knows why. Some people swear by foods like bananas or peanut butter, but there’s no scientific evidence that these foods can cure your hangover symptoms.

big bottle of water and a lot of fruits around it

We only know that dehydration is a major cause of hangovers, so it’s important to replenish lost fluids with water and other non-alcoholic beverages throughout your day after drinking heavily. That’s why hangover IVs have grown in popularity.

Hangover IVs

In large hospitals and medical clinics, IV drips with saline (salt water) solution may be used to hydrate and rehydrate patients suffering from dehydration. Most major markets now have companies like Drip Hydration offering at-home hangover IVs. They are a blend of IV fluids, electrolytes, vitamins, and medications to detoxify your body. Hangover IVs are safe if you’re healthy enough to receive an IV. The procedure is not painful or invasive.

You get comfortable while a nurse inserts an IV needle into one of your veins in both arms. Afterward, you can return to your normal routine without worrying about missing class or work!

With at-home infusions, you just need to schedule a time with your local company and have them come to your home or office. You’ll receive a series of IV bags containing saline solution and detoxifying medications. You’ll be in a relaxing environment. No need to waste time, energy, and money going to a local clinic! You can get up and go about your day while they do their work!

iv therapy and relaxing at home vitamins vitamin therapy

It’s a great alternative to traditional hangover remedies like eating greasy food or taking painkillers that leave you feeling worse than before.

In-Home IV Treatments With Drip Hydration

Drip Hydration offers mobile IV therapy in the comfort of your home. Once you book your appointment, a certified nurse will come to your desired location and administer the treatment, which usually takes less than an hour. During this time, you can do anything you’d like, such as relax under a warm blanket or watch TV. Drip Hydration will also go to hotels, worksites, or other locations upon request.

You can either browse our treatment options and decide which is best for you or speak to a representative who can help you choose what you need based on your health goals. To schedule your appointment or learn more, contact us today!

Hangover IV - Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in our hangover IV?

Our Hangover IV treatment contains a blend of IV fluids, electrolytes, vitamins and medication to restore the vitamins in your body and help your body battle with the unwanted hangover symptoms. Among the main ingredients are B-Complex vitamins, Vitamin B12, Toradol and Anti-Nausea medication. 

Why is hangover IV much more effective than hangover drinks?

Hangover IV is more effective than hangover drinks because the IV solution is introduced directly into your blood without having to go through the digestive system which is already overloaded. This means you will feel the effects much faster and feel much better very quickly. 

How long does it take for our Hangover IV to start working?

It usually takes between 30-60 minutes for you to feel the benefits of our Hangover IV drip.

What are the levels of hangover severity?

IV therapy in general is FDA approved. Our nurses are overseen by our Medical Director, Abe Malkin, and every nurse is registered and certified per state standards.

Read more: Hangover IV FAQ