Hangover cures: Doctor lays out best ways to get rid of that alcohol-induced headache

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Friday, January 1, 2021
Doctor describes best hangover cures
There's no cure all for that morning after hangover, but there are some things you can do to help you get through it.

There's no cure all for that morning after hangover, but there are some things you can do to help you get through it.

Dr. Imran Ali said the key to overcoming a hangover is knowing what caused it--namely: dehydration.

"You know, for every 250 milliliters of alcohol, you lose about a liter of water; biggest thing you can do for yourself is to hydrate, drink plenty of water," Ali said.

Another way to help you shake the hangover: eat some food.

Low blood sugar can make your hangover symptoms worse. So eating some sort of breakfast will help.

Also consider taking a pain reliever. Aspirin and ibuprofens are good, but do not take Tylenol.

"Tylenol can affect your liver and your liver is already trying to metabolize all that alcohol. So that can be quite dangerous," Ali explained.

Now back to those fluids. Water is obviously the best option, but Gatorade and coffee can be beneficial too. Oh and Pedialyte--yes the drink designed to help children feeling under the weather does help big kids after one too many cocktails.

Pedialyte has more electrolytes and less sugar than sports drinks like Gatorade.

This next option may sound...well odd.

"Prickly pear juice. It's from a cactus that grows in the southwest and it actually has been shown to decrease inflammation," Ali said.

Finally, it may be daunting, but doing a workout will help. Endorphins and sweating will help end your hangover earlier.

Dr. Ali warns the hair of the dog is really not a good idea. While a mimosa may help temporarily, Ali said it is a slippery slope which could lead to alcohol dependence.