Can I drink alcohol for flu and colds?

It is believed that treating viral cold with alcohol has a beneficial effect on the body. However, the use of alcohol during a period of illness and a weakening of the immune system is recommended only in the initial stages of the disease. In this article, we will show you how the body behaves during the period of illness, and we will also examine how alcohol cures the common cold.

Alcohol and flu

Cold pills and alcohol consumption

Experts agree that cooling and alcohol are not related in any way. In the course of a viral disease (ARVI), pathogenic bacteria spread throughout the body. First of all, they affect the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity. As a result, the symptoms of ARVI appear:

  • runny nose;
  • cough;
  • temperature rise;
  • sore throat.

Alcohol for colds can not kill bacteria. When a small dose of wine or brandy is consumed, mucosal irritation occurs, swelling is formed, and the patient's condition occasionally worsens.

For information! A small dose of any alcoholic beverage can disrupt the functioning of the pancreas, as a result of which the production and restoration of new cells in the tissue is suppressed. Experts do not recommend drinking alcohol for colds, because Ethanol products do not kill bacteria.

It is not recommended to drink vodka at a high body temperature, during an illness, the body, therefore, becomes intoxicated, and drinking alcohol can significantly increase it and harm a person. If with acute respiratory infections, the patient decides to treat the cold with alcohol, the body's protective function will slow down the production of interferon and may provoke an increase in body temperature. This process will increase significantly over time and in the fight against viruses.

How to treat viral infections with alcohol?

boiled wine for cold treatment

The main function performed by alcohol is disinfection. For acute sore throats it is recommended to drink a few sips of any strong alcoholic beverage. Ethanol products will help neutralize viruses as well as prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the bronchi and lungs. However, alcohol for colds should be taken with caution, otherwise you may get drunk.

For information! Hot wine or a glass of vodka can prevent the disease but not cure it. This is because spirits change the acid-base balance and increase the level of acidity.

But is it possible to drink vodka with a sore throat? Tonsillitis or tonsillitis is known to be an acute inflammation of the tonsils that manifests with the flu, its complications, sinusitis, and upper respiratory tract pathologies. Alcoholic beverages taken for angina can provoke a sharp jump in temperature and dehydration of the body, so it is not recommended to drink alcohol during almonds. Effective treatment of colds with ethanol products is possible with the following symptoms:

  • a sore throat;
  • weakness, lethargy, pain;
  • chills.

With such a complex of symptoms, it will be enough to drink a cup of hot tea with the addition of 60 ml of wine or other strong drink. Boiled wine with the addition of herbs, spices and honey can also have a positive effect on the overall condition of the patient.

Angina and alcohol

sore throat and alcohol consumption

Can I drink alcohol with angina? Experts say angina and alcohol are incompatible. Strong drinks (40 degrees) have a negative effect on the inflamed mucosa of the nasopharynx and irritated tonsils. Most often, with angina, the pathogenic microflora is disturbed, which is affected by staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteria. When a person gets sick, his body's resistance decreases, pathogenic bacteria develop and affect healthy tissues. Therefore, from a medical point of view, alcohol can not kill the sore throat, it can only remove the initial symptoms of a viral disease.

Important! With acute angina, the use of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited.

Preventive actions

It is possible to achieve results in the fight against ARVI with the help of alcohol only in the initial stage of the disease (hypothermia, the appearance of a runny nose, a feeling of congestion in the throat and nasal cavity). A small dose of alcohol after the resulting hypothermia will have a beneficial effect on the body and neutralize pathogenic microbes. If a person has been drinking and has been outside at a low temperature for some time, his heat transfer is significantly reduced and there is a possibility of over-cooling even more.

For information! Research has shown that just 50 ml of strong drink can have a beneficial effect in fighting cold.

The main thing in treating the flu is not to increase the dose of alcohol, if you drink too much, the immune system is reduced, the functioning of all organs and systems is impaired. If the patient suffers from alcoholism, treatment with this method is impossible.

It is recommended to carry out the treatment of acute viral diseases in a complex with mandatory observance of bed rest. Drinking with a cold is only possible if the infection has not yet had time to infect the patient's lungs and bronchi.