Although rarely found, in fact there are also people who have allergies to the ingredients contained in liquor. Sometimes, an allergic reaction also appears because your body actually builds an intolerance to alcohol itself. In some cases, the symptoms of alcohol intolerance caused by a buildup of acetaldehyde in the body can cause severe discomfort. If you think you have an alcohol intolerance, immediately find the physical and internal symptoms, then see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Remember, the existence of an allergy or intolerance to alcohol must be found because consuming chemicals that cannot be digested by the body can have dangerous consequences. If you have a very severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing, call emergency medical services immediately!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Identifying Physical Symptoms
Step 1. Watch your face, neck, chest, or arms turn red after drinking alcohol
Pseudo-redness of the skin is one of the most common symptoms of alcohol intolerance. Generally, the condition is experienced by Asians, and is therefore often referred to as the 'Asian flush.' In particular, sufferers will experience a burning or tingling sensation just before the appearance of redness appears. In some cases, their eyes may even look red. These symptoms may appear in a very short time, such as when your face and neck already look flushed even though you only have one glass of beer or fermented wine.
- The reaction is caused by a mutation in the acetaldehyde dehydrogenation enzyme, which is supposed to help the body metabolize alcohol.
- People who have this condition actually have a higher risk of getting cancer. Although there are many products that claim to be able to treat Asian flush syndrome, such as Pepcid, all of these products will not actually protect your body from the long-term side effects of alcohol. Therefore, you should still limit your alcohol intake to 5 drinks per week if you experience these symptoms.
- Your face may also turn red if alcohol is taken along with certain drugs.
Step 2. Watch for swelling around your face and eyes
Generally, swelling will be seen around the area of the face that is flushed with redness. In other words, the skin around your eyes, cheeks, and mouth may appear swollen after consuming alcohol, which may indicate an alcohol intolerance.
Step 3. Watch out for rashes appearing on the skin
In general, the appearance of a rash or itchy red bump on the skin, is one of the most common symptoms of allergies. Usually, the lump looks pale red, and may be painful or hot. Although it can appear on any part of the body, you will generally find the rash on the face, neck, or ears. Generally, the rash will go away on its own although it can last for hours or even days on your skin.
- The appearance of a rash indicates that you have an allergy to the ingredients in alcohol. Therefore, immediately stop consuming alcohol and replace it with a bottle of water!
- If a rash appears on the skin, immediately compress it with a cold compress or wet cloth to relieve the itching or burning sensation that appears.
Method 2 of 3: Identifying Digestive Disorders or Other Internal Medical Disorders
Step 1. Be aware of nausea and vomiting that occurs after consuming alcohol
Although this situation is common to anyone, be wary if you experience it after consuming just 1 to 2 drinks. Generally, nausea and vomiting due to alcohol intolerance will also be accompanied by abdominal pain.
Step 2. Watch out for diarrhea that occurs after you consume alcohol
Diarrhea is a medical disorder that feels very uncomfortable, and is indicated by the presence of stools that look watery or not solid. Generally, this condition will also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a bloated stomach, cramping, and/or nausea. If diarrhea occurs after drinking alcohol, it is likely that you have an allergy or intolerance to alcohol and should stop the behavior as soon as possible.
- Drink as much fluid as possible (preferably water) if you feel you have diarrhea. If you have to defecate many times a day and pass very watery stools, and if at the same time you don't drink enough water, you can easily run the risk of dehydration.
- See a doctor if you have very severe symptoms accompanied by diarrhea, such as blood-tinged stools, a fever that lasts for more than 24 hours, or very chronic pain in the abdominal area.
Step 3. Watch for headaches or migraines that appear within 1 to 2 hours after you consume alcohol
If you have a severe intolerance to alcohol, you are more likely to experience severe headaches or migraines after consuming alcohol. Some of the symptoms of migraine to watch out for are a throbbing sensation in the head, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light. The pain may only be felt 1 to 2 hours after you consume alcohol, and can last for several hours.
Step 4. Watch for congestion (mucus buildup) or other allergy symptoms
In general, fermented wine, champagne, and beer contain histamine, a chemical produced by the immune system to ward off allergens. In other words, the body will release histamine if you eat foods that are allergens, and cause congestion (buildup of mucus), itchy and runny nose, and watery eyes. That is why, people who have an intolerance to alcohol will be very sensitive to fermented red wine and other alcoholic beverages that contain very high levels of histamine.
Fermented wine and beer also contain sulfites or other substances that can trigger allergy symptoms
Method 3 of 3: Performing a Medical Examination
Step 1. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor
If you think you have an allergy or intolerance to alcohol, stop consuming it and see a doctor immediately. Generally, the doctor will ask for information about your family history and symptoms, as well as perform a physical examination. In addition, the doctor may also perform other tests to identify the presence or absence of allergies or other medical disorders that trigger the intolerance.
Tips: Remember, the only way to prevent symptoms of alcohol intolerance from appearing is to stop drinking alcohol completely.
Step 2. Perform a skin prick procedure for a quick diagnosis
A very popular type of examination to identify allergens is the skin prick procedure. In this procedure, the doctor will prepare various solutions containing various types of food allergens. Then, the doctor will prick your skin with a needle and apply the solution to the area below the skin's surface. If a large white bump surrounded by a reddish color appears, it means that your body has an allergy to the allergen in question. If no bumps or redness appear, it means you are not allergic to the allergen.
- Ask your doctor to check for foods that are commonly found in alcohol, such as grapes, gluten, seafood, and wheat.
- The results of the examination will generally come out within 30 minutes.
Step 3. Do a blood test
Blood tests can help measure the immune system's response to certain foods. The method? Your doctor will see if your blood contains antibodies to a specific substance. To perform this test, your doctor will send a sample of your blood to a laboratory. There, your blood reaction to various types of food will be checked.
Generally, the results will come out within a maximum of 2 weeks
Step 4. Be careful about drinking alcohol if you have asthma or hay fever due to an allergy to pollen
Although not many studies have studied the relationship between asthma and intolerance to alcohol, some researchers have found that drinking alcohol can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms in sufferers. Some types of alcoholic beverages that commonly exacerbate asthma disorders are champagne, beer, fermented white wine, fermented red wine, fermented wine fortified by other ingredients (such as sherry and port), and spirits (whiskey, brandy, and vodka). Alcohol can also have a negative effect on those of you who have hay fever due to allergies to pollen because various histamine content in it can worsen the symptoms that appear.
Therefore, if you have asthma or hay fever due to an allergy to pollen and also feel you have an intolerance to alcohol, stay away from fermented red wine which contains very high levels of histamine
Step 5. Avoid alcohol if you have allergies to wheat or other foods
Since alcoholic beverages contain a wide variety of ingredients, having an allergy to any of these ingredients can cause your body to have a negative reaction after consuming alcohol. In particular, fermented red wine is one of the types of alcoholic beverages that most often causes allergic reactions in the body of the connoisseur. In addition, beer and whiskey often trigger allergic reactions because they contain 4 common allergens, namely yeast, barley, wheat, and hops. Some other food allergens that are commonly found in alcohol and may trigger a negative reaction in your body are:
- Wine
- Gluten
- Protein in marine animals
- Rye (rye)
- Protein in eggs
- Sulfite
- Histamine
Warning
- This article is intended for people who already have the legality to consume alcohol.
- Chances are, moderate alcohol intolerance does not need to be checked by a doctor. However, if you experience very severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting, or increased heart rate, contact the nearest medical service immediately because all of these symptoms may be an allergic reaction that can be fatal.
