Most of the population of our country firmly believes that during colds the intake of alcoholic beverages can provide significant help to the body on the road to recovery. But this is a big mistake. Not only will ethanol not help you step faster, but it can do even more harm. So can you drink alcohol at a temperature during colds? We will have to understand this issue well.
Ethyl alcohol and colds
The myth that alcohol helps the body deal with colds is based on a warming effect. But it only seems so because once it enters the bloodstream, ethanol provokes vasodilation, which leads to blood flow to the skin. One feels heat, but such sensations are deceptive, as only the skin is warmed and heat energy is quickly released into the environment and causes heat loss.
It is strongly not recommended to drink alcohol cold. The resulting false sensation of heat is dangerous, the person does not feel the true temperature.
If you drink during a cold, then, oddly enough, viruses and bacteria will not disperse, but will continue to exist. Alcohol only negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, which weakens the body and prevents it from fighting the infection. Systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages during illness will increase the number of pathogenic bacteria, so the course of the disease will only get worse.
But among doctors there is also the opinion that a glass of red wine can be an excellent prevention of colds. Given that many do not know how to drink culturally, it is better not to think about such prevention.
Ethyl alcohol and temperature
Rising temperature during illness is not a symptom, but rather a reaction of the body to the invasion of foreign agents. At high levels of the thermometer, the immune system is able to destroy pathogens. If the temperature does not exceed 38. 5 degrees, then you should not rush to bring it down, let the body fight and form immunity, but you should not interfere. And alcohol can just become that obstacle.
In any condition, alcohol consumption is undesirable, but even more so in the presence of fever. If at readings in the range of 37-37, 5 ° C it is still not so dangerous, then when you are on a thermometer 38, you do not need to risk your health. Alcohol and temperature are not compatible for the following reasons:
- When the temperature rises, the body suffers from a lack of water, so you need to drink plenty of fluids, and alcohol will only make the situation worse. Ethanol further dehydrates the body, complicating the course of the disease.
- During illness, the body begins to work in an emergency mode, the heart rate increases and if you drink even during this period, the heart experiences tremendous stress. The pulse rate increases, blood pressure rises, the entire cardiovascular system is adversely affected by alcohol.
- Drinking alcohol at elevated temperatures can cause unexpected reactions in the body. At first it may even decrease a little, but then it will increase even more and provoke a deterioration in well-being.
It should always be remembered that not only the common cold can be accompanied by a rise in temperature, but also more serious diseases. And drinking alcohol with them can be even more dangerous.
Why does alcohol cause a rise in temperature?
The fact that alcohol dilates blood vessels is no secret. But what are the reasons for the rise in temperature when drinking alcohol? Let's try to answer this question:
- Ethanol has dilated blood vessels, which can lead to a jump in temperature.
- In some people, the body may perceive alcohol as an allergen and react accordingly with a rise in temperature, skin rashes.
- There are cases when there is a congenital intolerance to ethanol, which can also raise the temperature.
- Alcohol intolerance can develop throughout life as a result of certain diseases or allergic reactions accompanied by fever.
- Remember that alcoholic beverages may contain various impurities that can cause an allergic reaction with a rise in temperature.
- Alcohol can cause stomach pain, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by fever.
- Poisoning the body with ethanol and its breakdown products is another possible reason that after drinking alcohol during a cold, the thermometer readings will increase.
So it is better not to take risks and not to test your body for strength. It is much more logical to call a doctor than to try to deal with alcohol.
Exceptions for drinking alcohol for colds
If the temperature does not exceed 37, 5 ° C, then you can afford to drink alcohol, but only special. This applies to mulled wine. The drink is a wine warmed to 70 ° and combined with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This drink provides the body with nutrients and trace elements, which is important during illness. As for ethyl alcohol, when heated it practically evaporates, therefore its content in the finished drink is reduced to zero.
If there is a temperature, then it is better to cool the mulled wine a bit.
Beer can be used instead of wine, but the drink must also be heated well to evaporate the ethanol molecules and add spices. Beer contains B vitamins, vitamin C. But do not get carried away, a glass of mulled wine or beer will suffice.
Basal body temperature and alcohol
The basal body temperature chart is often made by women trying to conceive. It is easy to trace the moment of maturation of the eggs, which increases the chances of fertilization. For accuracy, such a graph is fixed for a long time so that all deviations can be traced.
A woman should remember that drinking alcohol can drastically affect her basal body temperature. Indicators 37. 1-37. 3 already symbolize that a new life is born in a woman's body. Drinking alcohol can provoke a false rise in temperature, and indicators cannot be considered reliable.
Is it possible to combine antipyretic drugs and alcohol
A healthy person understands that no medicine should be taken at the same time as drinking alcohol. This also applies to antipyretic drugs. What if you take alcohol and a temperature pill? The following complications are possible:
- The likelihood of side effects increases many times over. If they may not occur in a sober person, then in combination with ethanol the risk increases several times.
- Ethyl alcohol enhances the toxic effect of drugs on the liver, believe me, this organ will not thank you for such a gift.
- Even drinking beer during colds and antipyretic therapy is fraught with nausea and vomiting.
How long can you take pills after drinking alcohol? The answer may be as follows: no earlier than 4-6 hours, if a glass of wine is taken. Naturally, with a large amount of alcohol consumed, the period of time should increase even more.
Complications and consequences of fever after alcohol
As it turned out, alcohol does not lower the temperature, but rather raises it. This can lead to the following catastrophic consequences:
- There is a risk of damage to the nervous system.
- Danger of severe dehydration, which is life-threatening.
- Blood circulation is disturbed.
- Blood pressure jumps.
- The blood becomes viscous and there is a risk of blood clots.
Do not delay calling a doctor if the temperature has not dropped for several days and is maintained at high levels. This situation becomes dangerous for the work of the whole organism. It is urgent to reduce the temperature if:
- Convulsions are observed.
- The patient has chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
- There are lung diseases in the diagnosis.
- There are pathologies of the nervous system and mental anomalies.
- The patient suffers from diabetes.
It should be borne in mind that the damage can be caused not only by alcohol taken internally, but also in the form of friction, and this is also often practiced. It is better to entrust the treatment of colds to specialists or proven means and not to subject your body to even more tests.