Combining alcohol with certain medications can also lead to similar reactions. Allergic reactions to alcohol can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing, a runny nose, or stomach upset. Yes, in addition to sneezing, drinking beer can cause nasal congestion, skin flushing, hives, abdominal pain, and in rare cases, more severe allergic reactions. If you have symptoms after drinking beer, but not after drinking wine or other alcoholic beverages, it’s not alcohol intolerance. More likely, you’re allergic to or sensitive to a particular ingredient in that beer. The symptoms of alcohol intolerance can include a stuffy or runny nose, skin flushing, red itchy skin bumps, and worsening of pre-existing asthma.
Ingredients in Alcoholic Beverages That Can Cause a Stuffy Nose After Drinking
The doctor may refer the person to an allergy specialist for further testing and treatment. Symptoms may occur within seconds or minutes of alcohol exposure and could trigger after exposure to even tiny amounts of the allergen. On this plan, you’ll cut a specific food out of your diet to see if your symptoms get better. Then, you’ll try to add the food back in later to see if your symptoms come back. A food and symptom diary can help you keep track of when your symptoms appear and whether they line up with certain things—such as alcohol. Allergy testing of the skin and blood should be able to determine your allergies, or at least rule some out.
Beer allergies can be caused by a reaction to grains, chemicals, or preservatives
Histamine is produced by yeast and bacteria during the fermentation process. While many people are able to metabolize the histamines found in beer, some are sensitive to it. In addition to histamine, beer also contains sulfites, which can irritate allergies for some Sobriety people. But experts do know that nonallergic rhinitis happens when blood vessels in the nose expand.
Allergy symptoms that alcohol makes worse
Food intolerances are far more common than food allergies, affecting up to 20% of people worldwide. Histamine intolerance may cause a reaction when you drink beer. That’s because beer contains histamine, produced during fermentation (yeast converts sugars to alcohol). A food (or drink) intolerance is different from a food allergy in that intolerance is not mediated by the the immune system protein IgE. Since alcohol products originate from various sources, you may be intolerant to one kind of alcohol and not another.
- We will also look at what causes alcohol allergies and review the differences between alcohol allergy and intolerance.
- While some foods are broken down in the intestines, others are digested in the stomach.
- More importantly, you’ll discover actionable ways to stop alcohol from inflaming nasal passages so you can avoid the dreaded stuffy nose hangover.
- The only surefire way to prevent a hangover is to abstain from drinking, he says.
- They are found in many processed foods – and in some types of beer.
Symptoms
Sulfites are preservatives, and most countries permit their addition to alcoholic drinks such sneezing when drinking beer as beer and wine. However, some people may experience allergy-like reactions after consumption. This genetic condition means that you experience negative symptoms when drinking alcohol because your body is unable to process it properly.
A study assessed the histamine levels in 17 beers, and the results ranged from 21 to 305 micrograms per litre. Red wines generally have higher histamine content than white wines, with levels ranging from 60 to 3,800 micrograms per litre in reds and 3 to 120 micrograms per litre in whites. However, if you have a serious reaction or severe pain, see your doctor. Also, if your symptoms seem to be linked to an allergy or a medication you’re taking, see your doctor. If you find that warm drinks make you sneeze, try chilling them before you drink them.
What to know about alcohol allergies
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. Mixed drinks containing any of the ingredients mentioned earlier are also likely to cause sneezing.
How To Prevent Nasal Congestion After Drinking Alcohol
- These antibodies trigger an allergic reaction in your body.
- Before you go to that party, drink water, eat well and make sure you’re surrounded by people who make you feel positive and connected.
- One is that alcohol dilates blood vessels in the nose, which can cause irritation and lead to sneezing.
- In addition to histamine, beer also contains sulfites, which can irritate allergies for some people.
- The immune system overreacts to this exposure in the body, treating alcohol as a threat.
- If someone has a true allergy to alcohol, they should avoid the substance entirely.
Because the body can’t break down alcohol, it’s toxic byproducts flood the system and accumulate with each drink you have. If you’ve ever experienced anaphylaxis after drinking beer, it’s important that you determine which ingredient caused it so you can avoid it all together. Ask your doctor if you should carry a prescription epinephrine pen. If you feel ill after drinking alcohol but don’t experience symptoms at any other time, it’s possible that you have an alcohol intolerance.