Yes, individuals with pre-existing allergies or sensitivities to certain substances may be more prone to sneezing after drinking alcohol. If you’re looking for a way to prevent sneezing when you drink, try making your cocktails with fresh fruit juices instead of using pre-made mixes. This will help reduce the number of histamines in your drink and make it less likely to trigger a sneeze. If you find that certain foods make you sneeze, such as strawberries or shellfish, try avoiding them before you drink. This will help to reduce the number of histamines in your system and make it less likely that they’ll trigger a sneeze. According to experts, that awful feeling after drinking may not always be due to overindulgence—it could be alcohol intolerance or even an allergy.
Prevention
For those with severe allergies or asthma, sulfite intolerance can be life-threatening. For mild cases of sulfite intolerance, avoiding products with added sulfites may provide relief. Dr. Adkinson recommends that people who are prone to alcohol-related allergic reactions should avoid consuming these fruits as well as alcoholic beverages containing sulfites. He adds that the chances of having an adverse reaction to those foods or drinks is one out of every hundred. While the risk is low, those who experience such reactions should reduce or avoid alcohol and sulfite-containing foods altogether.
However, some individuals may find certain alcoholic beverages, such as wine or beer, more likely to trigger the sneezing reflex due to their individual sensitivities. When you take a sip of alcohol, your body triggers a reaction in which your blood vessels widen and blood flow increases. As a result, the nerve endings in your nasal passages become more sensitive.
Can drinking raise my blood pressure?
- An allergy occurs when something in the wine triggers an immune reaction, while an intolerance takes place when someone has difficulty digesting certain components of the beverage.
- If you have ever experienced sneezing after consuming alcohol, you might be wondering why this peculiar phenomenon occurs.
- To reduce the risk of having a reaction, look for labels on alcoholic beverages that indicate lower levels of sulfites or those labeled as “sulfite-free”.
- However, alcohol can also have effects with which many people may not be familiar.
- Alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer because it causes an increase in estrogen levels, and damages DNA, which can lead to the development of cancer cells.
- Rinsing your nose with salt water or a saline solution will help to soothe the mucous membranes in your nose and reduce inflammation.
- Red wine should be avoided if you have a sinus condition or are prone to developing them.
But if facial flushing is an issue for you at all, avoiding alcohol in all its forms might be the next best and most equitable solution. Normally, the food that you consume, gets broken down into the substances which are absorbed by the body for nutrition and the rest gets excreted. If you have milder symptoms, you may have a food sensitivity or intolerance rather than a true allergy.
- Alcoholics Anonymous defines this as “a physical compulsion, coupled with a mental obsession to consume alcohol,”in which cravings for alcohol are always catered to, even at times when…
- In very rare cases, sulfites may cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.
- If you think you might be allergic to wine, it is important that you seek medical attention right away.
- Additionally, some people may experience swelling of the lips, tongue and throat.
- One of the most common alcohol-related allergic reactions is to wines containing sulfites.
- Moderate drinkers, on the other hand, tend to exercise regularly, sleep more and have healthier habits in general, which could help explain their lower death rate.
The Benefits Of Sulfites In Wine
However, high amounts of tannins may irritate you, and some of us may be intolerant to tannins altogether. Each week, you’ll get an amazing recipe, a useful health tip, and an ingredient to jazz up your shopping basket! He worked as a bartender instructor for many years, teaching people how to make cocktails like a pro. Barry loves experimenting with flavors, and he’s always coming up with innovative cocktail recipes.
Nasal congestion
Dilated blood vessels can cause inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages. In some people, drinking alcohol may also trigger an allergic reaction, which can cause sneezing and other symptoms. As a result, their bodies produce inactive ALDH enzymes that are unable to properly break down the alcohol into acetic vinegar. Beer contains histamines, which are produced by yeast and bacteria during the fermentation process. They can help you determine if it is indeed the cause of your unpleasant reactions and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
When to see a doctor
The amounts of histamine vary between wines, but generally, there is more histamine in red than white wine. We may never know for sure but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a glass of vino every now and then. If you suffer from this perplexing phenomenon, just remember that you’re not alone – and there are worse things in life! Besides, maybe your sneezes are just nature’s way of making sure why do i sneeze when i drink alcohol you don’t have too much fun ;).
Spirits such as vodka and gin can also cause sneezing due to the presence of histamines. In addition, some people find that the alcohol in these drinks irritates their nose, leading to sneezing. This dilation occurs first in the brain, so you may feel flushed or warm after only a few sips of alcohol.