A noisy party, a lot of friends and a couple of glasses of alcohol - a situation that is probably familiar to everyone. In such an environment, a person relaxes, he communicates with people of his circle and just enjoys it. But are all the colors of such a holiday so bright? Indeed, in the morning after the party, the rainbow of emotions and fun is replaced by gray tones and a terrible headache, which is popularly called a hangover. But here's why headache after alcohol, even if you drink just a little, try to figure it out.
The main causes of migraine
US scientists have been studying the hangover syndrome, or rather, the effect of alcohol on the human body, for a long time. Over the years of research, they identified two groups of causes that cause a temporal hangover headache. The first - the main group - includes oxygen starvation of the cells of the cerebral cortex. It occurs because under the influence of alcohol the formation of blood cell clots is observed, the function of which is to transport oxygen. And since this biological process is disrupted, the human brain, like other organs, does not receive the necessary nutrition. As a result, the death of cells of the cerebral cortex and headache.
It is also worth noting that the next morning in the human body there is rejection of dead tissue. And it is this process that is to blame for having a headache from a hangover. Indeed, a strong increase in intracranial pressure to remove dead cells from the body cannot pass unnoticed. Therefore, when taking alcohol, it is worth remembering that the duration of a hangover syndrome and headaches completely depends on the number of drunk glasses and the number of dead brain cells.
Indirect Causes of Headaches
Do not underestimate the harmful effects of alcohol on the human body. And in this case we will not talk about addiction or consequences, we will consider only those processes that provoke the appearance of external symptoms of a hangover. And also partially answer the question of why the head hurts after alcohol.
So, to begin with, getting into the human body, alcohol-containing drinks are absorbed through the digestive tract into the blood and liver. In this case, the latter reacts to ethanol by stopping the production of glucose, which the brain so needs.
Secondly, the intake of alcohol provokes an increase in the diuretic effect, which after a couple of hours leads to dehydration. In this case, a person feels thirsty. The lack of fluid in the body disrupts the normal metabolism and the supply of nutrients to the brain, which causes a headache from a hangover.
In addition to the above-mentioned effects of alcohol on the human body, one should not forget that ethanol contributes to the production of acetaldehyde. And this leads to vomiting, nausea, heart palpitations, as well as migraines.
How to cope with a headache?
In order not to have to be interested in the question of which pills for the hangover are most effective, it is better not to drink. But, unfortunately, this solution to the problem is suitable only for units. The rest are not stopped by severe symptoms of a hangover syndrome from a few glasses of champagne, beer or stronger alcoholic beverages. Therefore, it’s still worthwhile to stop on the study of medications that will help restore normal health in the morning after a party.
So, today, pharmacists have provided several drugs for the comprehensive treatment of a hangover. The most famous of them are "Limontar", "Alkozeltser", "Zorex", "Antipohmelin", "R-IKS 1". Any of these drugs can not only relieve the external symptoms of a hangover syndrome, but also cope with the intoxication of the body. In addition, it is worth noting that drugs such as Limontar can be used for preventive purposes. In other words, the pill taken an hour before the feast will lead to the fact that the next day you do not have to complain that the head hurts after alcohol.
What to do if the medicine was not purchased in advance? This is another question, but there is a very simple answer to it. You can use the medicines that are in almost every home medicine cabinet. It can be both “Aspirin” and activated carbon.
Dehydration treatment
After we figured out why the head hurts after alcohol, it becomes clear that restoring the water-salt balance helps to get rid of the headache. After all, the faster the dead cells of the cerebral cortex are removed from the body, the faster the migraine will pass.
The ideal remedy for dealing with dehydration can rightly be called "Rehydron." The powder, diluted in a liter of water, has a salty taste and quenches thirst. If such a tool was not at hand, you can use the old reliable methods of previous generations.
Folk treatments for a hangover
Undoubtedly, the best cure for headache after a party is a full sleep, while the body will independently cope with the cleaning of toxic substances. But if there is no such opportunity and you need to urgently run away, for example, to work, you should take a contrast shower.
Mineral water with lemon, kefir, ginger tea, fresh citrus juice will help quench thirst and restore water-salt balance, which will also fill up the supply of potassium lost during the feast.
But our ancestors did not really think about the question of how to be treated if the head hurts after alcohol. What to do, they knew for sure - to drink pickled cabbage pickles or cucumbers.
Prevention
If an alcoholic feast is just around the corner, you should properly prepare for it. Firstly, purchase medicines such as Limontar, Alkozeltser or activated carbon, as well as alkaline mineral water with lemon, at the pharmacy.
Secondly, taking alcohol should not neglect food, and it is better if it is oily. This will slow down the absorption of toxins. In addition, food and alcohol should be drunk with plenty of fluids. For example, tomato juice.
If you follow these simple rules, you do not need to think about why the head hurts after alcohol. And the symptoms of a hangover, even if they appear the next morning, will be so insignificant that they will not violate the usual rhythm of life.