Why Does Alcohol Make Your Head Hurt?

Can drinking bring on a migraine? – Alcohol is a diuretic – it acts on your kidneys to make you pee more fluid than you’re taking in. Losing fluid from your body like this can lead to dehydration, which can cause headaches. So if you’re prone to migraines, you might get one if you drink to excess.

How do I get rid of a headache from drinking?

What helps with a hangover – Dr. Robert Swift, a researcher at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Rhode Island, coauthored one of the few review papers on hangovers in 1998. It’s still one of the most frequently cited sources on the topic.

The rundown on hangover remedies that follows is based on that review, an interview with Dr. Swift, and several other sources.1. Hair of the dog. Drinking to ease the symptoms of a hangover is sometimes called taking the hair of the dog, or hair of the dog that bit you. The notion is that hangovers are a form of alcohol withdrawal, so a drink or two will ease the withdrawal.

There may be something to it, says Dr. Swift. Both alcohol and certain sedatives, such as benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium), interact with GABA receptors on brain cells, he explains. And it’s well documented that some people have withdrawal symptoms from short-acting sedatives as they wear off.

• Perhaps the brain reacts similarly as blood alcohol levels begin to drop.
• Even so, Dr.
• Swift advises against using alcohol as a hangover remedy.
• The hair of the dog just perpetuates a cycle,” he says.
• It doesn’t allow you to recover.” 2.
• Drink fluids.
• Alcohol promotes urination because it inhibits the release of vasopressin, a hormone that decreases the volume of urine made by the kidneys.

If your hangover includes diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting, you may be even more dehydrated. Although nausea can make it difficult to get anything down, even just a few sips of water might help your hangover.3. Get some carbohydrates into your system. Drinking may lower blood sugar levels, so theoretically some of the fatigue and headaches of a hangover may be from a brain working without enough of its main fuel.

• Moreover, many people forget to eat when they drink, further lowering their blood sugar.
• Toast and juice is a way to gently nudge levels back to normal.4.
• Avoid darker-colored alcoholic beverages.
• Experiments have shown that clear liquors, such as vodka and gin, tend to cause hangovers less frequently than dark ones, such as whiskey, red wine, and tequila.

The main form of alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethanol, but the darker liquors contain chemically related compounds (congeners), including methanol. According to Dr. Swift’s review paper, the same enzymes process ethanol and methanol, but methanol metabolites are especially toxic, so they may cause a worse hangover.5.

1. Take a pain reliever, but not Tylenol.
2. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, other brands), and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help with the headache and the overall achy feelings.
3. NSAIDs, though, may irritate a stomach already irritated by alcohol.
4. Don’t take acetaminophen (Tylenol).
5. If alcohol is lingering in your system, it may accentuate acetaminophen’s toxic effects on the liver.6.

Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine may not have any special anti-hangover powers, but as a stimulant, it could help with the grogginess.7. B vitamins and zinc. A study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine evaluated the diets for 24 hours before and after excessive drinking occurred.

Can alcohol cause an immediate headache?

Frequently Asked Questions –

• Can alcohol give you an instant headache? Yes, some people can experience what is medically referred to as an immediate alcohol-induced headache. This was previously known as a cocktail headache. The medical definition of an immediate alcohol-induced headache is that it occurs within three hours of consuming alcohol.
• What does a cocktail headache feel like? An immediate alcohol-induced headache, also called a cocktail headache, typically occurs on both sides of the head. This kind of headache is often a pulsating or throbbing type of pain.
• How do you treat an alcohol-related headache? Alcohol-induced headaches can be treated with an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). In addition, it is essential to drink water or a hydrating electrolyte drink like Pedialyte or Gatorade. If you are hungry, eat something bland. And get plenty of rest. Alcohol-induced headaches can last for a few hours, though they may linger for the rest of the day.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Panconesi A. Alcohol-induced headaches: evidence for a central mechanism ? J Neurosci Rural Pract,2016;7(2):269–275. doi:10.4103/0976-3147.178654.
2. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, Cephalalgia,2018;38(1):1-211.
3. Onderwater GLJ, Van Ooosterhout WPJ, Schoonman GG, Ferrari MD, Terwindt GM. Alcoholic beverages as trigger factor and the effect on alcohol consumption behavior in patients with migraine, Eur J Neurol,2019;26(4):588-595. doi:10.1111/ene.13861
4. Pergolizzi JV, Coluzzi F, Varrassi G, et al. Red wine triggers may lead to better understanding of migraine headache: a narrative review, J Wine Res,2019;30(1):15-30. doi:10.1080/09571264.2019.1573360
5. García-Martín E, Martínez C, Serrador M, et al. Alcohol dehydrogenase 2 genotype and risk for migraine, Headache,2010;50(1):85-91. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01396.x
6. Davis-Martin RE, Polk AN, Smitherman TA. Alcohol use as a comorbidity and precipitant of primary headache: review and meta-analysis, Curr Pain Headache Rep,2017;21(10):42. doi:10.1007/s11916-017-0642-8
7. U.S. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus. Headache,

By Colleen Doherty, MD Colleen Doherty, MD, is a board-certified internist living with multiple sclerosis. Thanks for your feedback!

Why do I get the worst headaches after drinking?

After a night on the town, it’s easy to blame a headache on too much alcohol. But if you’re prone to migraine headaches, drinking even a small amount of alcohol can bring on an attack. Many things can trigger a migraine, from stress at work to changes in the weather to foods like aged cheese,

• And for about one-third of people who have migraines, alcohol is also a trigger.
• Alcohol’s exact role in triggering a migraine isn’t fully known.
• Many things are probably at play.
• For instance, alcohol byproducts called congeners have been linked to headaches.
• Dark-colored alcohols like red wine, brandy, and whiskey may contain more of them.

Learn more about the effects of alcohol on the brain, Alcohol not only contains a chemical called histamine, but it also spurs your immune system to make more. This boosts inflammation throughout your body. A chemical called ethanol is alcohol’s main ingredient.

1. Once it gets into your system, it is converted into a chemical that triggers migraine.
2. Ethanol is also a natural diuretic,
3. That means it makes you pee more than normal.
4. All of these things can set you up for a migraine.
5. You might have heard that red wine is most likely to cause problems.
6. But other drinks like sparkling wine, beer, and hard liquor may be just as likely, if not more, to cause problems.

Alcohol can cause two different types of migraine headaches. You could get a headache within 30 minutes to 3 hours of drinking. You don’t have to chug a large amount for this to happen. Some people only sip a glass or two of wine before their head starts to throb.

Or you might be fine until after your blood alcohol level returns to normal. This is called a delayed alcohol-induced headache (DAIH). It may not show up until the morning after you drink. This type of headache can happen to anyone, but people with migraines are more likely to get one. It can happen even if you drink less than people who don’t get migraine headaches.

Drinking a small amount of alcohol may be good for you. It can lower your odds of heart disease and strokes. But if you’re prone to migraine headaches, you’ll need to be careful about how much you drink. A 5-ounce glass of wine (or 12 ounces of beer or a 1.5-fluid-ounce shot) may be OK every now and then, so long as it doesn’t bring on a headache.

If it does, you’ll need to drink less or stay away from all alcohol. If you aren’t sure that alcohol is to blame for your headaches, try keeping a diary. Each time you drink, write down the type of alcohol you have, the amount, and if and when you had a migraine. Include how you felt the prior 48 hours as well as any stress or anxiety you were under at the time.

Over time, you should be able to see a pattern. A migraine each time you have a night out should be good reason to abstain. You can also try to: Have alcohol with a meal. This may lower the chance of bringing on a migraine. Don’t drink when you’re stressed.

• It’s linked to a higher number of migraine headaches.
• Skip home hangover remedies.
• There’s no proof that drinking raw eggs or downing hot sauce will get rid of your morning-after migraine faster.
• Downing more alcohol (the “hair of the dog” theory) won’t help either.
• Try triptans,
• Ask your doctor if this medicine might help.

It can’t prevent a migraine, but it can help stop one after it starts. Triptans work best when you take them at the early signs of a migraine. Still, they can cause serious health risks for many people.

How long do hangover headaches last?

Frequently Asked Questions –

• How can I get rid of a hangover headache? You can’t make it go away instantly, but you can minimize the severity of the symptoms by taking certain measures such as hydrating, resting, and taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen.
• How long does it take for a hangover headache to go away? It generally takes around 24 hours for a hangover headache to go away completely. There are things you can do to minimize the symptoms, but there is no fast way to get over a hangover headache and the only true cure is time.
• Do showers help hangovers? A cold shower may feel stimulating, and a hot shower may dilate your blood vessels and improve blood flow. But it’s a myth that taking a shower will cure hangover headache symptoms. The only real hangover cure is time, and a shower won’t make it happen faster.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Hangover headache,
2. National Institutes of Health. National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism. Hangovers,
3. Wang DY, Patel S, Maiton K, et al. Effects of the hangover secret on mitigating hangover symptoms: A pilot study, Health Science Reports,2021;4(3). doi:10.1002/hsr2.330
4. Zlotnik Y, Plakht Y, Aven A, Engel Y, Am NB, Ifergane G. Alcohol consumption and hangover patterns among migraine sufferers, J Neurosci Rural Pract,2014;5(2):128-134. doi:10.4103/0976-3147.131652
5. Harper KM, Knapp DJ, Criswell HE, Breese GR. Vasopressin and alcohol: a multifaceted relationship, Psychopharmacology (Berl),2018;235(12):3363-3379. doi:10.1007/s00213-018-5099-x
6. Mackus M, Adams S, Barzilay A, et al. Proceeding of the 8th Alcohol Hangover Research Group Meeting, Curr Drug Abuse Rev,2016;9(2):106-112. doi:10.2174/1874473709666161229121527
7. National Headache Foundation. Alcohol and Headache,
8. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta version), Cephalalgia,2013 Jul;33(9):629-808. doi:10.1177/0333102413485658
9. Yoon E, Babar A, Choudhary M, Kutner M, Pyrsopoulos N. Acetaminophen-Induced hepatotoxicity: A comprehensive update, J Clin Transl Hepatol.2016;4(2):131-142. doi:10.14218/JCTH.2015.00052
10. MedlinePlus. Hangover treatment,
11. USDA. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025,
12. National Headache Foundation. Prevention and treatment of hangover headaches,

By Colleen Doherty, MD Colleen Doherty, MD, is a board-certified internist living with multiple sclerosis. Thanks for your feedback!

Can I take paracetamol after drinking alcohol?

Drinking a small amount of alcohol while taking paracetamol is usually safe. Try to keep to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.

Why do I wake up with a headache after drinking?

– Alcohol contains a chemical called ethanol. As you drink alcohol, your stomach absorbs about 20 percent of this ethanol while your small intestine absorbs the rest. From the small intestine, ethanol travels into the bloodstream and throughout your body, including your brain.

Ethanol’s diuretic effects can also quickly dehydrate you, and a headache is just one of many symptoms of dehydration. In your bloodstream, ethanol can cause headaches through vasodilation. This means that it makes your blood vessels expand. Vasodilation can stimulate certain brain nerves and result in pain.

Alcohol also affects chemicals and hormones in your brain, such as histamine and serotonin, which contribute to the development of a headache.

Why does alcohol make you hot?

Effects on the heart and blood vessels – Alcohol affects the body in many ways, and this includes its effects on the heart. It can cause the heart rate to become too fast or the heart rhythm to become irregular, With alcohol intake, the blood vessels in the skin tend to widen when the heart rate speeds up.

• This process is called vasodilation,
• Dilated blood vessels cause the skin to feel warm and flushed, which can trigger the release of sweat.
• This sweating could occur at any time of day.
• However, as many people drink alcohol in the evening, night sweats are common.
• While many people feel warm after drinking alcohol, the core body temperature drops as blood moves from the core to the skin through dilated blood vessels.

Sweat also removes heat from the body. People may not realize that because of this, they are at risk of hypothermia in cold weather. During hot weather, they may begin to experience nausea and dizziness with dehydration in addition to sweating.

What foods are good for a hangover?

3. Toast and Honey – Lots of people crave carbs after a big night of drinking. And rightly so. Carb-heavy foods such as bread, sandwiches, toast, and crackers are some of the best things to eat with a hangover, They’re easy for the stomach to digest and offer an immediate source of energy.

Does drinking the next day help a hangover?

Are There Any Remedies for a Hangover? – Although many remedies for alleviating hangovers are mentioned on the web and in social media, none have been scientifically proven to be effective. There is no magic potion for beating hangovers—and only time can help.

1. A person must wait for the body to finish clearing the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism, to rehydrate, to heal irritated tissue, and to restore immune and brain activity to normal.
2. There is no way to speed up the brain’s recovery from alcohol use—drinking coffee, taking a shower, or having an alcoholic beverage the next morning will not cure a hangover.

Some people take over-the-counter pain relievers (often acetaminophen) before going to bed to minimize hangovers. It is important to recognize that the combination of alcohol and acetaminophen can be toxic to the liver. Like alcohol, certain over-the-counter pain relievers, including aspirin and ibuprofen, can increase acid release and irritate the lining of the stomach.

Proceed with caution when using these medications before or after consuming alcohol. To help ease their hangover symptoms, some people turn to electrolyte-rich sports drinks or other products, or even intravenous (IV) treatments, in an effort to treat electrolyte imbalance caused by increased urination and fluid loss as a result of drinking.

Research has not found a correlation between the extent of electrolyte disruptions and the severity of hangovers, or the impact of added electrolytes on hangover severity. In most people, the body will quickly restore electrolyte balance once the effects of alcohol subside.

How long does it take for an alcohol headache to go away?

2. Delayed Alcohol-Induced Headaches – The most common type of headache caused by alcohol is the delayed headache, which is seen to occur around 12 hours after drinking alcohol. It is frequently referred to as the ‘hangover’ headache. While similar symptoms to the immediate headache are experienced, this type of headache is usually a more dull, throbbing pain.

• As we have discovered from looking at the types of alcohol-induced headaches, you may experience one from as little as three hours after drinking alcohol.
• However, if you tend to suffer more from a delayed headache, you will usually notice the onset around 12 hours after drinking.
• Although it has been seen that this headache can start from as little as five hours after drinking.

For most people, a hangover headache will last no more than 24 hours, with many people finding that a good night’s sleep and plenty of water can relieve their symptoms completely. Unfortunately, some may notice that their headache takes a little longer to go away, this could be up to 72 hours.

You may think that a single glass of wine might not be enough to cause an alcohol-induced headache, but this isn’t necessarily true. You may find that one day you can drink a lot of alcohol and not experience a headache at all, yet another day just a few glasses will leave you with a pounding head. There are varying factors at play that will determine how much is enough.

These might include the following:

The quality of the alcohol Your current general health How hydrated you are What type of alcohol you are drinking

Whilst all types of alcohol stand to cause some sort of headache, there may be types that you find you tolerate better than others. This can differ for each person and whilst one may find that spirits cause a headache, another may find that lager doesn’t agree with them, It is widely reported that red wine is the worst culprit for causing an alcohol-induced headache, with white wine being not too far behind in second place. The third worst drink for causing a headache was Champagne. Some of the things that can be found inside wine may cause some sort of reaction in the person drinking it.

Histamine, which is essentially something that can cause an allergic reaction in the body can be found in great quantities in wine, with red wine having up to 200 times more than white wine. Aside from this, there is some evidence to show that drinks that have been through an ageing process are liable to cause more reactions within the body.

Wine contains tannins that are found in the skins of the grapes used to make the wine. Whilst many people do not suffer any side effects from ingesting tannins, there are some who find them to be a source of their headaches. There is a lot of sugar found in wine, which is something else that can play a role in the dehydration associated with alcohol consumption,

Of course, the best way to avoid an alcohol-induced headache is to avoid alcohol completely – but we know this isn’t always possible. If you are struggling with how much alcohol you consume, cutting it out altogether may not be the best idea. Cutting down slowly can eradicate any nasty withdrawal symptoms and ease you into a new way of life.

In the meantime, there are steps that you can take in order to reduce your chances of suffering a headache associated with alcohol. These steps are:

Know your triggers: Create a journal of any trigger which leads to a headache. For example, making a note of what you drink and which days you have a headache will show you what drinks tend to cause more problems for you. By knowing this, you can avoid those drinks Slow your pace: Drink alcohol at a slower rate, perhaps taking a drink of water between each alcoholic drink. This will ensure that you are better hydrated Sweeten up: Eating honey before drinking alcohol can reduce the chances of getting a headache due to the high levels of vitamin B6 found within it Accordion Sample Title: Ensure that you are drinking alcohol on a full stomach since this can slow down how quickly your body is able to absorb the chemicals and therefore slow down the effects

If you find yourself waking up with a headache after drinking alcohol, or if you experience one shortly after drinking, taking care of yourself is crucial. Here are some steps you can implement to improve an alcohol-induced headache:

Taking painkillers such as paracetamol can relieve the pain of a headache Drink plenty of water. Alcohol dehydrates you and this is one of the main causes of the headache. Replacing lost fluids is vital in your recovery Drinking bouillon can help to restore the balance of the body and will be easy to digest as your stomach may be a little delicate. Fresh fruit drinks containing fructose are a great way to create a more even chemical balance within the body Eating certain foods can greatly aid your recovery. You should look to eat things such as eggs, bananas, and spinach all of which will replenish your body’s nutrients

Alcohol can cause many health problems, but one of the most common and less severe is the alcohol-induced headache. These can be very uncomfortable and can be caused by dehydration after consuming alcohol. Gaining a greater understanding of these headaches can be key in battling them.

How long do hangover headaches last?

Frequently Asked Questions –

• How can I get rid of a hangover headache? You can’t make it go away instantly, but you can minimize the severity of the symptoms by taking certain measures such as hydrating, resting, and taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen.
• How long does it take for a hangover headache to go away? It generally takes around 24 hours for a hangover headache to go away completely. There are things you can do to minimize the symptoms, but there is no fast way to get over a hangover headache and the only true cure is time.
• Do showers help hangovers? A cold shower may feel stimulating, and a hot shower may dilate your blood vessels and improve blood flow. But it’s a myth that taking a shower will cure hangover headache symptoms. The only real hangover cure is time, and a shower won’t make it happen faster.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Hangover headache,
2. National Institutes of Health. National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism. Hangovers,
3. Wang DY, Patel S, Maiton K, et al. Effects of the hangover secret on mitigating hangover symptoms: A pilot study, Health Science Reports,2021;4(3). doi:10.1002/hsr2.330
4. Zlotnik Y, Plakht Y, Aven A, Engel Y, Am NB, Ifergane G. Alcohol consumption and hangover patterns among migraine sufferers, J Neurosci Rural Pract,2014;5(2):128-134. doi:10.4103/0976-3147.131652
5. Harper KM, Knapp DJ, Criswell HE, Breese GR. Vasopressin and alcohol: a multifaceted relationship, Psychopharmacology (Berl),2018;235(12):3363-3379. doi:10.1007/s00213-018-5099-x
6. Mackus M, Adams S, Barzilay A, et al. Proceeding of the 8th Alcohol Hangover Research Group Meeting, Curr Drug Abuse Rev,2016;9(2):106-112. doi:10.2174/1874473709666161229121527
7. National Headache Foundation. Alcohol and Headache,
8. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta version), Cephalalgia,2013 Jul;33(9):629-808. doi:10.1177/0333102413485658
9. Yoon E, Babar A, Choudhary M, Kutner M, Pyrsopoulos N. Acetaminophen-Induced hepatotoxicity: A comprehensive update, J Clin Transl Hepatol.2016;4(2):131-142. doi:10.14218/JCTH.2015.00052
10. MedlinePlus. Hangover treatment,
11. USDA. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025,
12. National Headache Foundation. Prevention and treatment of hangover headaches,

By Colleen Doherty, MD Colleen Doherty, MD, is a board-certified internist living with multiple sclerosis. Thanks for your feedback!