If you are sick of a hangover, then the best solution is to empty the stomach as much as possible. Vomit will leave the body, and with them the degree of intoxication will decrease. The problem is that withdrawal symptoms are characterized not only by the presence of nausea, but also by a number of other symptoms, which are much more difficult to deal with. If a person has withdrawal symptoms, then it is likely that chronic alcoholism has already developed. And here there is only one way: a complete refusal to take alcohol in any, even the smallest dosages.
The difference between hangover and withdrawal syndromes
To most ordinary people, the phrase "withdrawal syndrome" does not mean anything. We are used to thinking that a hangover makes us dizzy and nauseous, that the next day this condition will be completely removed. But it happens that a bad condition does not go away on the second or third day. In this case, we are already talking about the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms. This is a rather complex condition that requires some therapy and indicates the development of alcoholism.
We will understand what is the difference between a hangover and withdrawal syndrome.
- The hangover syndrome appears due to intoxication of the body. If the day before a person drinks a large amount of alcohol, then he will feel sick in the morning with a hangover. And this is very good: the body is cleansed in this way. Few of us are familiar with information about the toxic effects of ethyl alcohol, which is part of any alcoholic beverage. Meanwhile, ethyl alcohol destructively affects the liver, the products of its decay are toxic to cells of the nervous system, pancreas. When drinking alcohol, the esophagus, stomach suffers, jumps in blood pressure may begin. There is practically no system in the body that does not suffer from the toxic effects of ethyl alcohol. And a hangover is a natural result of abuse. It makes no difference which drink a person drank - wine, vodka, cognac, beer or cocktails. If a certain dosage is exceeded, a hangover the next day is inevitable.
- Withdrawal syndrome is a reaction of the body to constant poisoning. Abstinence often develops when the gag reflex is lost during alcohol abuse. In narcology, this condition is qualified as the second stage of chronic alcoholism. It happens that a person thinks that he is very sick from a hangover. However, the condition does not improve on the second or third day. In this case, be sure to see a doctor. This may not even be a usual withdrawal, but a symptom of a chronic disease. Chronic or acute pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, colitis, cholecystitis - all these diseases inevitably sooner or later develop in people who abuse alcohol. So if you are very sick from a hangover and this condition does not go away, you should consult a doctor. And then think about what caused the condition - a hangover or withdrawal, how to get rid of alcoholism. Withdrawal syndrome is characterized not only by a feeling of nausea, but also by problems with the nervous system (insomnia, depression, thoughts of suicide, irritability, etc.).
Why is a hangover sick and a headache?
Nausea and subsequent vomiting is a natural physiological way for the body to cope with poisoning at least partially. Of course, most of the breakdown products of alcohol are already in the process of excretion through the kidneys and intestines, some are excreted with sweat and breathing (fumes), and a small proportion with vomit.
Why is sick of a hangover? The process is due to the fact that enzymes that digest alcohol are present in the body of each person in different quantities. That is why some people have a strong feeling of nausea after the first small dose of alcohol, while others do not even have a headache after a bottle of vodka. But sooner or later, depending on the state of health, any alcohol-abusing person will overtake a hangover, and eventually withdrawal syndrome. About 70% of people always get sick with a hangover. What to do in this situation and what drugs to take is described below.
The head hurts after a drink due to the withdrawal of salts and dehydration. Also after abuse, many cells of the nervous system die - neurons, which subsequently do not recover. Also, as a result of ethyl alcohol poisoning, many people develop oxygen starvation. This condition is called hypoxia in medicine.
Hypoxia has a negative effect on the cerebral cortex. Regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed in the blood, clots begin to form. This is due to the fact that alcohol significantly increases the level of blood coagulability. After 4-6 hours, dead cells begin to be excreted from the body along with the decay products. It is at this moment that a headache appears with a dry mouth and weakness, a person is sick from a hangover. What will help in this case? Peace, sleep, and taking the medications described below.
Preparations for restoring the water-salt balance
If you get sick from a hangover, what to do at home? Below are the most effective and cheap medicines to restore the water-salt balance. Take any of these drugs should be for three to five days from the moment of poisoning. After the first day of admission, patients feel noticeable relief.
- "Regidron" is a glucose-salt powder for the preparation of a solution. Developed by WHO to correct electrolyte and energy balance during dehydration of an organism of various etiologies (for poisoning, diarrhea, intestinal infections, etc.). Take should be three servings per day.
- "Alvogen" - effervescent tablets for dissolution in water. Admission helps to restore the water-salt balance in adults and children. Like Regidron, Alvogen should be taken three servings per day. In severe condition, the amount of the drug taken can be increased, it is optimal to consult a doctor before doing this.
Drugs for restoring sleep during the period of withdrawal
Most patients after poisoning are interested in the question: "Hangover is sick, what should I do?" However, on the second or third day, after the nausea disappears, withdrawal symptoms begin. One of its most striking manifestations is sleep disturbance. A person suffers from insomnia, manages to shut off for several hours, but since the phases of sleep are disturbed, the brain and body do not rest. Often the patient is also haunted by nightmares. List of drugs that will help to establish a dream after severe alcohol poisoning:
- Atarax is a very mild tranquilizer. Some pharmacies can be bought without a prescription, but formally a pharmacist has to require a prescription from a doctor. Admission "Atarax" helps relieve irritation and stress, as well as reduce vomiting spasms and sleep soundly. Be careful: “Atarax” is undesirable to take immediately after poisoning, as there is a high risk that a person will feel sick and will die from mechanical asphyxiation (blockage of the airways by vomit).
- "Fitosedan" is a herbal tea, which includes valerian and motherwort. It has a mild soothing effect. During a hangover or withdrawal symptoms, taking this tea with a sedative effect will help calm anxiety and anxiety, fall asleep all night and not wake up from nightmare dreams. If withdrawal symptoms are pronounced, then the action of "Fitosedan" may not be enough. In this case, you need to go to a narcologist or psychiatrist and honestly explain the situation, ask for a prescription for a more powerful drug with a sedative effect.
What to do if bile sick after drinking?
This is a much more dangerous condition compared to regular vomiting. If, after a hangover, you feel sick with bile, then you should consult a doctor. It is highly likely that the outflow of bile was disturbed, this may indicate liver disease, acute cholecystitis or other pathologies of internal organs.
If there is no way to see a doctor, then you should not experiment with pills. It is better not to eat anything fatty and harmful, and especially not to drink alcohol. Every three hours you should eat oatmeal in the water. Taking medication without a diagnosis can lead to a worsening of the condition.
An even more dangerous signal is the presence of blood in the vomit. This indicates that internal bleeding has begun. In this case, you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible.
Preparations for the restoration of the liver and gall bladder
You can choose one or another drug only after the exact diagnosis becomes known. The most commonly prescribed drugs are:
- "Ursosan" with prolonged use is able to dissolve gallstones. It has a mild choleretic, moderate antispasmodic effect, has a beneficial effect on liver function.
- Heptral will help the liver "recover" after alcohol poisoning. Available in the form of capsules and solution for intravenous effect. It has a mild antidepressant effect. One of the best drugs during the period of withdrawal symptoms and hangover.
- Karsil is a hepatoprotector, the main active ingredient of which is silymarin. To restore the liver, you need to take Karsil for a course of at least two months, while abandoning the consumption of alcohol in any quantities and adhere to nutrition according to the principles of medical table No. 5.
The importance of proper nutrition during recovery
If you are very sick from a hangover, what should I do? First of all, refuse to re-use alcohol. The second step is to think about what you ate the day before. And the third step is taking restorative drugs.
The role of nutrition in poisoning is enormous. For two weeks from the moment of poisoning with ethyl alcohol, you should adhere to the principles of medical table No. 5 (such a diet reduces the load on the liver and gall bladder):
- exclude fatty meat, sausages, sausages;
- refuse to eat red fish and seafood;
- exclude fast food;
- bread can only be dried and not more than 150 g per day;
- dairy products can be low in fat;
- spicy and fatty sauces - mayonnaise, ketchup, etc. are prohibited;
- confectionery is also prohibited (it is permissible to occasionally eat lean cookies);
- nuts should also be excluded due to the high fat content;
- fried foods are prohibited, you can add vegetable oil to vegetable salads or stews.
If you feel sick and vomit with a hangover, what can you eat? In the acute period, cook oatmeal or rice porridge in water, add salt and a teaspoon of olive oil. There is a little bit, literally a few spoons. If the body does not take food or water at all, then you can starve a maximum of 24 hours. If even after this period the body rejects food, you should consult a doctor.
What is chronic alcoholism and how to deal with it?
If a person drinks so much that in the morning he has a hangover, is sick, has a headache and sleep is disturbed, then he is in danger. It is likely that a person has already developed or will soon develop chronic alcoholism. We are accustomed to consider as alcoholics those people who have rolled down the social ladder, lost their jobs, homes, families. But these are representatives of the third, final stage of alcoholism.
At the first stage, chronic alcoholism is completely harmless at first glance. A man gets drunk every weekend, explaining that he is tired, that he needs to relieve tension. When a person begins to get hangover in the morning, we can talk about the second stage of alcoholism. Only the narcologist can accurately determine the stage of the disease. When a person reaches the third stage, there is no question of cure, since ethanol becomes part of the metabolism. The personality is completely degraded, a person dies from fatal diseases provoked by the use of alcohol.
It is generally accepted that if a person has become an alcoholic, then this is for life. He will never be able to take a little alcohol, even from tiny doses he will be tormented by withdrawal symptoms. There is only one method of combating alcoholism - a sick person must realize that he should never drink.
Methods for the treatment of chronic alcoholism
To date, the following treatments are available:
- individual psychotherapy sessions (a specialist must have experience working with addicted people);
- attend meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and go through a 12-step program to change your personality;
- Dovzhenko coding or classes with a hypnotherapist;
- “stitching” with the Esperal drug capsule is a relatively unreliable method, since the patient does not change his attitude to alcohol, but hopes for “maybe”;
- independent work to change their established views on the need to drink alcohol.
On which of the methods to stop, the patient must decide. Remission entirely depends on the patient himself. Alas, the help of relatives here is useless. Moreover, the closer relatives put pressure on a sick person, obliging him to be encoded, the more resistance grows in him.
How to avoid relapse of the disease?
The insidiousness of alcoholism as a disease lies in the fact that only the patient considers that he has been cured - and a breakdown occurs. And again, a person is suffering from withdrawal symptoms, nausea, vomiting, headache, depression, remorse, etc. How to avoid relapse in alcoholism? It is necessary to maintain the work constantly, not to forget that the person is an alcoholic, not to quit visiting the therapist and a group of anonymous alcoholics. Cases are known in narcology, and there are many of them, as alcoholics in the second stage achieved remission for a period of 15 years or more. It all depends on the patient himself - what is his motivation, what is he ready to do for the sake of his sobriety?
It is important to understand that even if a person with an alcohol addiction drinks alcohol after ten years of sobriety, withdrawal will be overtaken by exactly the same extent as if these ten years had not happened. The production of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of ethanol is disrupted, and it will never be restored. There is no magic pill or miraculous way that would allow you to drink alcohol and not experience a hangover or withdrawal syndrome.