The majority of the population of our country firmly believes that during a cold, drinking alcohol can significantly help the body on the path to recovery. But this is a big mistake. Not only will ethanol not help you get back on your feet faster, but it can do even more damage. So, can you drink alcohol at a temperature during a cold? We need to thoroughly understand this issue.
Ethyl alcohol and colds
The myth that alcohol helps the body cope with colds is based on the warming effect. But it just seems so, because after entering the bloodstream, ethanol causes vasodilation, which leads to blood flow to the skin. A person feels heat, but such feelings are deceptive because only the skin heats up and heat energy is quickly released into the environment and causes heat loss.
It is strictly not recommended to drink alcohol in the cold. The appearance of a false feeling of heat is dangerous, the person does not feel the right temperature.
If you drink during a cold, then, surprisingly, viruses and bacteria will not disperse to the sides, but will continue to exist. Alcohol only negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, which weakens the body and prevents it from fighting infection. Systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages during the disease will increase the number of pathogenic bacteria, so the course of the disease will only get worse.
But there is also an opinion among doctors that one glass of red wine can be a great prevention of colds. Since many do not know how to drink culturally, it is better not to think about such prevention.
Ethyl alcohol and temperature
An increase in temperature during the disease is not a symptom, but a reaction of the organism to the invasion of foreign agents. At high rates on the thermometer, the immune system is able to destroy pathogenic organisms. 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 become just that barrier.
In any condition, alcohol intake is undesirable, but even more so in the presence of fever. If, with readings in the range of 37-37, 5 ° C, it is still not so dangerous, then when you are on the thermometer 38 you do not have 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 it is necessary to drink plenty of fluids, and alcohol will only make the situation worse. Ethanol further dehydrates the body and complicates the course of the disease.
- During the 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 enormous stress. The pulse speeds up, blood pressure rises, alcohol negatively affects the entire cardiovascular system.
- Consuming alcohol at elevated temperatures can cause unexpected reactions in the body. It may even decrease a little at first, but then it will increase even more and cause a worsening of well-being.
It must always be borne in mind that not only a cold can be accompanied by a jump in temperature, but also more serious diseases. And consuming 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 consuming alcohol? Let's try to answer this question:
- Ethanol has dilated blood vessels, which can lead to a rise in temperature.
- In some people, the body may perceive alcohol as an allergen and react accordingly by increasing the temperature, a rash on the skin.
- There are cases when there is a congenital intolerance to ethanol, which can also increase the temperature.
- Alcohol intolerance can develop during life as a result of certain diseases or allergic reactions accompanied by high fever.
- Remember that alcoholic beverages can contain various impurities that can cause an allergic reaction with a rise in temperature.
- Alcohol can cause abdominal pain, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by fever.
- Poisoning of the organism with ethanol and its decomposition products is another probable reason that after drinking alcohol during a cold, the readings on the thermometer 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 recover with alcohol.
Exceptions to drinking alcohol for colds
If the temperature does not exceed 37, 5 ° C, then you can afford to drink alcohol, but only separately. This applies to mulled wine. The wine is heated to 70 ° and combined with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This drink gives the body useful substances and trace elements, which is important during illness. As for ethyl alcohol, when heated, it practically evaporates, so 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 little.
Beer can be used instead of wine, but the drink must be well heated to allow the ethanol molecules to evaporate and add spices. Beer contains B vitamins, vitamin C. But don't get carried away, a glass of mulled wine or beer will suffice.
Basal temperature and alcohol
The basal temperature chart is often compiled by women trying to conceive. It is easy to follow the moment when the eggs mature, which increases the chances of fertilization. For the sake of precision, such a graph is fixed for a long time so that all deviations can be tracked.
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 being born in a woman's body. Alcohol consumption can cause 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 medication should be taken at the same time as drinking alcohol. This also applies to antipyretic drugs. What happens if you take alcohol and a fever pill? The following complications are possible:
- The probability 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 amplifies the toxic effect of drugs on the liver, believe me, this organ will not thank you for such a gift.
- Even drinking beer during a cold and antipyretic therapy is filled with nausea and vomiting.
How long can you take the pills after taking alcohol? The answer may be as follows: not earlier than in 4-6 hours, if a glass of wine is drunk. Of course, with a large amount of alcohol consumed, the time period should be extended even more.
Complications and consequences of fever after alcohol
As it turned out, alcohol does not lower the temperature, but 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 danger of blood clots.
Do not delay calling a doctor if the temperature does not drop for a few days and is maintained at a high level. 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.
- Lung diseases are diagnosed.
- There are pathologies of the nervous system and mental abnormalities.
- The patient suffers from diabetes mellitus.
It must be borne in mind that damage can be caused not only by alcohol taken internally, 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 medications and not subject your body to even greater experiences.