Facts about Hangover .Cures from around the world.

       Hangover:  A common non medical term for the disagreeable physical effects following excessive consumption of alcohol (or the use of other drugs).
Veisalgia is the little-used medical name for the condition. It is also called a Spanish headache.
Hangovers been known since Biblical times (or before): "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink" (Isaiah 5:11). Here are a few post-biblical facts that may help prevent or reduce the dreaded symptoms of an hangover from too much alcohol!

1. First of all, it is important to realize that many researchers disagree on what may be the exact cause of the syndrome. Some feel that certain by-products that come from the liver's breakdown of alcohol may be responsible, others have postulated that "toxins" such as methanol found in high quantities in some drinks are responsible.
2. Second, to combat this unwanted side effect, it has been suggested that we eat foods rich in cysteine, such as eggs. The cysteine is used by the liver when it processes or metabolizes alcohol; therefore building back up this chemical may help.
3. Third, another reasonable approach is to be sure to drink lots of water, since alcohol tends to dehydrate the body and brain. Some of the electrolyte rich drinks can also be of value.
4. Lastly, blood sugar levels can decrease after alcohol use, so some extra sugar is advised by some experts.

The bottom line here is that physicians do not actually know what causes a "hangover" so these home remedies are based on educated guesses rather than science. The best cure here is, as always, "moderation."

The Truth About Hangover Cures

Myths about hangovers are as varied and as fanciful as the cocktails that cause the dreaded syndrome. 

• MYTH: Hangovers Are No Big Deal

A hangover is the body’s reaction to being poisoned with too much alcohol. Heavy drinking rocks the central nervous system. It tinkers with brain chemicals -- leading to headache, dizziness, and nausea -- and sends you running to the bathroom so often you become dehydrated. The morning-after price of this imbalance can include a pounding headache, fatigue, cotton mouth, queasy stomach – and a weakened immune system.

• MYTH: Hangovers Are Gender-Blind

Use caution when enjoying those free drinks on Ladies’ Night. Given the same drinks, women are more likely to be slammed with the effects of alcohol than men. Scientists say there’s good reason for this. Men have a higher percentage of water in their bodies, which helps dilute the alcohol they consume. When women drink the same amount, more alcohol builds up in the bloodstream.

• MYTH: Only Bingers Get Hangovers

While it’s true that binge drinking could speed your way to a hangover, you don’t have to get wasted to pay a price the next morning. Depending on your body composition, just a couple of drinks can trigger a headache and other hangover symptoms. Having water or a nonalcoholic drink between each beer or hard drink can help keep you hydrated and reduce the overall amount of alcohol you consume.

• MYTH: Wine is the Gentlest Choice

Red wine contains tannins, compounds that are known to trigger headaches in some people. Malt liquors, like whisky, also tend to produce more severe hangovers. If you’re worried about how you’ll feel in the morning, the gentlest choices are beer and clear liquors, such as vodka and gin.

• MYTH: Diet Cocktails Are a Safe Bet

Diet drinks may help if you’re counting calories, but not if you’re trying to avoid a hangover. Research suggests that consumption of fruits, fruit juices, or other sugar-containing liquids can decrease hangover intensity.

• MYTH: Liquor Before Beer, Never Fear

It’s the amount of alcohol you consume – not the order of your drinks – that matters. That said, the order of your drinks may affect how much you consume. If you have a cosmopolitan, and then switch to beer for the rest of the night, you slow down your intake of alcohol. If you switch from beer to shots, you accelerate your path to drunkenness. Of course, too much liquor can spell “sicker” regardless of whether you began with beer.

• MYTH: Eat Pasta Before Bed

This one is wrong on two counts. First, eating at bedtime (after you’re already drunk) is no help. Food has to be in your stomach before Happy Hour to have any impact. Second, while any food can slow the body’s absorption of alcohol, fat does it best. So go for steak or pizza before your first martini, and you might escape a hangover. One bedtime tip that does help – drink water to fight dehydration.

•  MYTH: Pop Pain Pills Before Bed

FACT: Over-the-counter painkillers peak in about four hours, so the effect of a bedtime dose will be gone by morning. A better plan is to take the pills when you first wake up. Avoid taking acetaminophen after a night of drinking. Alcohol disrupts how the liver processes acetaminophen, possibly leading to liver inflammation and permanent damage.

• MYTH: Alcohol Helps You Sleep Well

FACT: Alcohol disrupts sleep. While a nightcap may help you doze off more quickly, it undermines the quality of your sleep. You don’t spend as much time in all-important REM cycles and you tend to wake up too soon. If you’ve been drinking heavily, a hangover might strike in the last part of the night, leaving you too uncomfortable to get back to sleep.

• MYTH: A Wake-Up Cocktail is the Cure

FACT: More alcohol in the morning does nothing but postpone a hangover. The worst symptoms hit when blood-alcohol levels drop to zero. If you have a screwdriver at breakfast, this moment will just come later in the day. And if you find you can’t function without a wake-up cocktail, you should discuss the possibility of addiction with your doctor.

• MYTH: Coffee is the Cure

FACT: Coffee leads to more dehydration and could make your hangover worse. After a night of drunkenness, it’s best to avoid anything with caffeine. Instead, sip water and sports drinks to counter dehydration and replace lost electrolytes. This is especially important if you experienced any vomiting.

• MYTH: Herbal Remedies Can Help

FACT: British researchers reviewed the available studies on hangover pills, such as yeast and artichoke extract.They concluded that there is no compelling evidence of any effective treatment.  Another British team found a supplement made from prickly pear cactus may reduce the nausea and dry mouth associated with hangovers, but not the dreaded headache. The only proven cure is time.

• NO MYTH: Alcohol Poisoning

FACT: Alcohol poisoning is a potentially deadly medical emergency. If you see someone vomit multiple times or pass out after drinking heavily, a visit to the nearest emergency room is in order. It’s easy to blow off these symptoms as the price of partying hard, but there’s a danger of shock or, in the case of vomiting, becoming severely dehydrated.

Source:

• http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=26220

• emedicine.medscape.com http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=922
• http://webmd.com

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