The majority of the population of our country firmly believes that the consumption of alcoholic beverages with colds can significantly support the body on the way to recovery. But that's a big mistake. Not only does ethanol not help you get back on your feet faster, it can do even more damage. So, if you have a cold, can you drink alcohol with a temperature? We need to thoroughly understand this problem.
Ethyl alcohol and colds
The myth that alcohol helps the body with colds is based on a warming effect. But it only seems so because after ethanol enters the bloodstream it causes vasodilation and this leads to blood flow to the skin. A person feels warmth, but such sensations are deceptive because only the skin is heated and thermal energy is quickly released into the environment, causing heat loss.
We strongly advise against taking alcohol when it is cold. The false sense of warmth that arises is dangerous, the person does not feel the actual temperature.
Oddly enough, if you drink during a cold, viruses and bacteria will not be spread on the sides, but will continue to exist. Alcohol only has a negative effect on the functioning of the immune system, which weakens the body and prevents it from fighting infections. Systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages during an illness increases the number of pathogenic bacteria, so the course of the disease only worsens.
But there is also the opinion among doctors that a glass of red wine can be an excellent prevention against colds. Given that many do not know how to drink culturally, it is better not to think about such prevention.
Ethyl alcohol and temperature
A rise in temperature during illness is not a symptom, but a reaction of the body to the penetration of foreign substances. The immune system is able to kill pathogens at high rates on the thermometer. If the temperature does not exceed 38. 5 degrees, then do not rush to knock it down, let the body fight and form immunity, but you should not interfere. And alcohol can be just that obstacle.
In any case, the ingestion of alcohol is undesirable, but even more so when a temperature is present. If this is still not so dangerous with readings in the 37-37. 5 ° C range, you don't have to risk your health with a 38 thermometer. 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 a lot, and alcohol will only make the situation worse. Ethanol dehydrates the body even more and makes the disease more difficult.
- During an illness, the body begins to work in emergency mode, the heart rate increases, and if you drink even during this time, the heart experiences enormous stress. The pulse accelerates, the blood pressure rises, the entire cardiovascular system is affected by alcohol.
- Drinking alcohol at elevated temperatures can cause unexpected body reactions. At first it can even decrease a little, but then increase even more and provoke a deterioration in well-being.
It must always be remembered that not only a cold can be accompanied by a jump in temperature, but also more serious diseases. And drinking alcohol with them can be even more dangerous.
Why does alcohol cause the temperature to rise?
It's no secret that alcohol dilates blood vessels. But what are the reasons for the rise in temperature when consuming alcohol? Let's try to answer this question:
- Ethanol has dilated blood vessels, which can lead to a jump in temperature.
- With some, the body can perceive alcohol as an allergen and react accordingly with a rise in temperature and skin rashes.
- There are times when there is an innate intolerance to ethanol, which can also increase the temperature.
- Certain illnesses or allergic reactions with a high fever can cause alcohol intolerance to develop for a lifetime.
- Do not forget that alcoholic beverages can contain various impurities that, with a rise in temperature, can cause allergic reactions.
- Alcohol can cause stomach pain, gastrointestinal problems accompanied by fever.
- Poisoning the body with ethanol and its decay products is another likely reason why thermometer readings rise after ingesting alcohol during a cold.
So better don't take any chances and don't test your body for strength. Calling a doctor is much more logical than trying to get better with alcohol.
Exceptions for drinking alcohol for colds
If the temperature does not exceed 37. 5 ° C, then you can afford to consume alcohol, but only specifically. This applies to mulled wine. The drink is a wine warmed to 70 °, which is combined with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This drink provides the body with useful substances and trace elements, which is important in diseases. Ethyl alcohol practically evaporates when heated, therefore its content in the finished drink is reduced to zero.
If there is a temperature, it is better to cool the mulled wine a little.
Beer can also be used instead of wine, but the drink must also be heated well so that the ethanol molecules evaporate and add spices. The beer contains B vitamins, vitamin C. But don't get carried away, a glass of mulled wine or beer is enough.
Basal body temperature and alcohol
The basal body temperature chart is often made by women trying to get pregnant. It is easy to keep track of when the egg has matured, which increases the chances of fertilization. For reasons of accuracy, such a graph is fixed over a long period of time so that all deviations can be traced.
A woman should keep in mind that drinking alcohol can dramatically affect basal body temperature. The indicators 37. 1-37. 3 already symbolize that a new life is being born in a woman's body. Drinking alcohol can provoke a false increase in temperature, and the indicators can not be considered reliable.
Is it possible to combine antipyretics and alcohol?
A healthy person understands that medication should not be taken at the same time as drinking alcohol. This also applies to antipyretics. What happens if you take alcohol and a fever pill? The following complications are possible:
- The likelihood of side effects increases many times over. If they may not occur in a sober person, the risk in combination with ethanol increases many times.
- Ethyl alcohol increases the toxic effect of drugs on the liver, believe me, this organ will not thank you for such a gift.
- Drinking beer for colds and anti-fever therapy is also fraught with nausea and vomiting.
How long can you take tablets after taking alcohol? The answer can be as follows: no sooner than in 4-6 hours if a glass of wine has been taken. Of course, if there is a large amount of alcohol, the period should be extended even more.
Complications and consequences of fever after alcohol
As it turned out, alcohol doesn't lower the temperature, but rather increases it. This can lead to the following catastrophic consequences:
- There is a risk of damage to the nervous system.
- Risk of severe dehydration which is life threatening.
- The blood circulation is impaired.
- Blood pressure jumps.
- The blood becomes viscous and there is a risk of blood clots.
Do not postpone the visit to the doctor if the temperature has not decreased and is kept at a high level for several days. This situation becomes dangerous for the work of the whole organism. A temperature reduction is urgently required if:
- Cramps 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 abnormalities.
- The patient suffers from diabetes mellitus.
It should be noted that damage can be caused not only by ingested alcohol, but also in the form of rubbing and this is also often practiced. It is better to entrust the treatment of colds to specialists or proven remedies, and not to put your body to the test even more.