Why stuffy nose after drinking alcohol

Learn more. What causes my stuffy nose after drinking alcohol? Ask Question. Asked 1 year, 9 months ago. Active 1 year, 1 month ago. Viewed 11k times. This is an odd question, but one that I have wondered about for a long time. Here is what I have found: Beer : results in a stuffy nose after 1.

It clears after 3 - 4, like clockwork Wine : I don't drink it often but have noticed stuffiness on par with beer when I drink white wine. I have not experimented enough with red wine, but have not observed stuffiness after 3 - 4 glasses.

Liquor : For the most part, stuffiness does not occur with liquor. The occasions it does, it takes more 3 - 4 drinks to get stuffy and clears relatively quickly NOTE: I have not observed stuffiness from other non-alcoholic drinks and I do not have any known food allergies. Improve this question. Newbie Newbie 1 1 gold badge 1 1 silver badge 3 3 bronze badges.

I have the exact same issue with beer! Its been about 10 years since my stuffy drunken escapades lol. I doubt I'll ever find what it is. When you drink and pass out, fall down your friend puts tissue paper, if you are lucky, or some food product up your nose and posts the photos on fecesbook. Finally, acetate is further broken down into water and carbon dioxide and, voila! Your drink is on its way outside of your body.

Or, that's what's supposed to happen. But, if your nose is all stuffed up or runny after just a few sips of wine, this process probably isn't proceeding as smoothly for you as it does for other people. When we think about alcohol tolerance, we often think of the number of drinks a person can handle before getting giggly or slurring words.

But alcohol tolerance is more complicated than just being "a lightweight" or not. In fact, alcohol intolerance is a metabolic disorder that doesn't have anything to do with how many drinks you can down before your beer goggles switch on. Alcohol intolerance is a temporary, but pretty uncomfortable, reaction to alcohol — with nasal congestion and flushed skin being the two most common side effects.

It happens if your ALDH2 enzymes remember those? In either case, the result is less acetaldehyde being broken down into acetate. And remember how I said that if acetaldehyde is allowed to build up in your body, bad things can happen? Those bad things are the side effects of alcohol intolerance, and include:. Okay, so your body isn't great at processing alcohol.

But as you struggle to get your "m's" and "t's" out and your husband doesn't even have an inkling of a sniffle, your next question probably becomes: Why me?

Or, maybe, why not him, too? Specifically, genetic changes that make your corresponding ALDH2 enzyme bad at its job. What's more is that this genetic variation can be passed down from parent to child, making alcohol intolerance an inherited condition. And since it affects your genes, once you inherit it, you're stuck with it. An easy way to avoid this reaction is to pick alcoholic drinks without any grapes and you reaction should stop.

Histamine - This chemical is made naturally in the body and is released when someone is having an allergic reaction. While everyone can react negatively to histamines, some people are more sensitive than others. In drinks with higher levels of histamine like red wine, this could spark a reaction in someone who is sensitive to it. Sulfites - These are added to wine as a preservative so it will last longer. Unfortunately, people have reported to have sulfites intolerances or are more sensitive to the chemical.

Tannins - Tannins causes the mouth-puckering effect in red wine but can inadvertently cause headaches and stuffiness, depending on how sensitive you are to it. Just like wine, beer has a lot of ingredients that can make someone react negatively. Some of the most common cultripts for reactions are gluten, hops, wheat and yeast. Beer also contains histamines would could cause a reaction in some people, including sneezing and nasal congestion.

Millions of people worldwide deal with a condition called Asian Flush. This is sometimes called:. This genetic condition means that you experience negative symptoms when drinking alcohol because your body is unable to process it properly. Sunset Alcohol Flush Support is a natural supplement that works specifically to reduce all of these symptoms, including a stuffy nose after drinking alcohol. Want to learn more about Asian Flush?

Check out our Asian Flush Guide for everything you need to know about this condition. It can be tricky to nail down the true cause of nasal congestion from alcohol. Are you intolerant or allergic to a specific ingredient? Do you have alcohol flush reaction? Do you have a slight histamine sensitivity?

If you're intolerant or allergic to a specific ingredient - the easiest way to avoid nasal congestion in this situation is to avoid that specific ingredient. If you're truly allergic, it's really important not to expose yourself directly to that allergen.

If you're unsure, make sure to always speak to your doctor before drinking again. If you have alcohol flush reaction - Sunset Alcohol Flush Support is a great way to reduce your symptoms, including red facial flushing, a stuffy nose and headaches.