It is believed that treating viruses and colds with alcohol has a beneficial effect on the body. However, alcohol consumption during a period of illness and a weakened immune system is only recommended in the early stages of the disease. In this article we will tell you how the body behaves during illness and how alcohol cures the common cold.
Alcohol and flu
Experts agree that colds and alcohol are in no way related. In the course of a viral disease (ARVI), pathogenic bacteria spread throughout the body. First of all, they act on the mucous membrane of the oral and nasal cavities. As a result, the symptoms of ARVI appear:
- runny nose;
- To cough;
- Temperature rise;
- Sore throat.
Alcohol for colds cannot kill bacteria. When a small dose of wine or brandy is consumed, there is irritation of the mucous membranes, swelling, and sometimes the patient's condition worsens.
For information! A small dose of an alcoholic drink can disrupt the functioning of the pancreas, suppressing the production and restoration of new cells in the tissues. Experts do not recommend drinking alcohol when you have a cold, as ethanol products do not kill bacteria.
It is not recommended to drink vodka when the body temperature is high. Therefore, during an illness, the body becomes poisonous, and drinking alcohol can significantly increase it and harm a person. If the patient decides to treat the common cold with alcohol in the case of acute respiratory infections, the body's own protective function slows down the production of interferon and can cause an increase in body temperature. This process will increase significantly over time and in the fight against viruses.
How do you treat viral infections with alcohol?
The main function of alcohol is to disinfect. For acute sore throats, it is recommended to drink a few sips of a strong alcoholic drink. Ethanol products help neutralize viruses and prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the bronchi and lungs. However, alcohol should be consumed carefully when you have a cold, otherwise you can get drunk.
For information! Mulled wine or a glass of vodka can prevent disease, but not cure it. Because spirits change the acid-base balance and increase the acidity.
But is it possible to drink vodka with a sore throat? It is known that tonsillitis or tonsillitis is acute inflammation of the tonsils that occurs with influenza, its complications, sinusitis and pathologies of the upper respiratory tract. Alcoholic beverages consumed for angina can cause a sharp jump in temperature and dehydration of the body, so it is not recommended to drink alcohol during tonsillitis. Effective treatment of colds with ethanol products is possible with the following symptoms:
- Sore throat;
- Weakness, lethargy, pain;
- Chills.
With such a complex of symptoms, it is enough to drink a cup of hot tea with the addition of 60 ml of wine or other strong drink. Mulled wine with the addition of herbs, spices and honey can also have a positive effect on the general well-being of the patient.
Angina and alcohol
Can I drink alcohol with angina? Experts say angina and alcohol are incompatible. Strong drinks (40 degrees) have a negative effect on the inflamed mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and irritated tonsils. Most often, with angina, the pathogenic microflora affected by the bacteria of staphylococci and streptococci is disturbed. When a person falls ill, the body's resistance decreases, pathogenic bacteria develop and attack healthy tissue. Therefore, from a medical point of view, alcohol cannot kill a sore throat, only clears the first symptoms of a viral disease.
Important! In acute angina, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited.
Preventive measures
It is possible to get results in the fight against ARVI with the help of alcohol only at the initial stages of the disease (hypothermia, the appearance of a runny nose, a feeling of congestion in the throat and nasal cavity). A small dose of alcohol after the resulting hypothermia has a beneficial effect on the body, neutralizing pathogenic microbes. If a person has been drinking and has been outside at a low temperature for a long time, their heat transfer will be significantly reduced and there is a possibility of further hypothermia.
For information! Research has shown that even 50 ml of strong drink can have a positive effect on fighting colds.
The main thing in the treatment of influenza is not to increase the dose of alcohol. If you drink more than you should, the immune system decreases, the functionality of all organs and systems is impaired. If the patient has alcoholism, treatment with this method is not possible.
Treatment of acute viral diseases is recommended to be carried out in a complex with mandatory bed rest. Drinking with a cold is possible only if the infection has not yet had time to infect the patient's lungs and bronchi.