Alcohol Allergy

Despite its physical disabilities caused when excessively consumed, alcohol has provided people with happy hours and good times. However, those unfortunate people who suffer from allergic responses when consuming alcohol products have limited experience with the booze. Although this may be a blessing in disguise, alcohol allergy is still something that people should take seriously in order to properly function.

Alcoholic beverages is popularly known to contain ethanol, the product that causes inebriation. However, this is not what causes the allergic reactions, but the other substances such as grapes, wheat-based products and barley, among others. In addition, alcohol contains “fining agents” primarily composed of proteins, which may play a part in the allergic reactions.

The said products that trigger allergic reactions are not harmful itself, but the immune system of the person somehow considers them as adverse to the body. As a result, once alcohol is consumed and recognized in the body, the immune system releases chemicals (one of them is known as immunoglobin E or IgE in short) that cause the allergic reactions.

Symptoms that are associated with alcohol allergy are the following: palpitation of heart, dizziness, uneasiness in the abdomens, and a drop in blood pressure. Asians – particularly Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans – are prone to having their faces flushed after drinking alcohol known as the “oriental flushing” syndrome. However, for more severe symptoms, people experience asthmatic attacks caused by sulphites usually contained in beer, champagne, and especially wine. In addition, a condition known as anaphylaxis is recognized as a rare symptom that causes difficulty in breathing and stomach cramping. Most of the precursors to alcohol allergy are not as extreme compared to other allergies, but they must be treated immediately before anything worse happens.

In order to ensure safety, the person who is suffering from allergic reactions when drinking alcohol should take a skin test. The doctor will take a sample of your skin and he will apply different allergens on each to determine to which extent the alcohol allergy applies.

As of today, there is neither a medication nor exact method for curing alcohol allergy. Doctors can supply you medication to control and inhibit the reactions to the alcohols, but the only way that a person can get rid of the allergy on alcohol is by staying away from it. Obviously, this is not as easy as it may sound, but willpower and enough luck could do the trick.