It may sound strange when some say that after drinking, their shoulder hurts. The fact is a big yes, drinking alcohol hurts the shoulder causing severe pain. Consumption of Alcohol leads to several side effects. The severity of the side effects depends on the alcohol they consume and how hale and healthy an individual is.
When you drink in excess, it causes a hangover giving you irritation and pain in the shoulder, head, liver, kidney, and so on. So in this blog, let’s see why shoulders hurt when you drink alcohol.
Why do shoulders hurt after drinking alcohol?
Many factors contribute to this shoulder pain. Nowadays, drinking alcohol has become a typical social engagement all over. If that alcohol consumption is moderate, it is suitable for health, but when it exceeds, you will face many health problems.
One such problem is shoulder pain or hurt. Below are a few reasons that play a vital role in the shoulder hurt while drinking.
1. Dehydration
Dehydration is a significant player in hurting one system during excess alcohol consumption. Too much alcohol makes one body dehydrated, which causes pain in the shoulder. During dehydration, the muscles become stiff and hurt, creating inflammation around the shoulder. You need to remember to drink water during the consumption of alcohol. That might cause severe dehydration. When dehydrated, the vertebrae supporting the neck and shoulder get irritated, causing pain.
2. Sleeping Posture
When you are drunk, it impairs coordination and judgment. You might need to learn the posture of how you sleep. A wrong posture for a prolonged period produces tenderness around the neck and shoulder area, leading to shoulder pain. During intoxication, it depresses brain activities and makes you feel asleep so you do not mind your sleeping posture.
3. Vitamin B
People who vitamin B deficiency will quickly fall under this category. Prolonged drinking of alcohol leads to a lack of vitamin B in your system. When your body loses vitamin B content, then it leads to shoulder pain. Because vitamin B aids in the proper function of the nervous system.
4. Alcohol Myopathy
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When you are addicted to alcohol, then it is evident that you face this alcohol myopathy side effect. Myopathy is a clinical condition that causes muscle strength and improper function loss. “alcoholic myopathy” describes chronic drinkers’ muscular atrophy and dysfunction. It is because alcohol makes people get fewer nutrients from the food. So people who are alcohol addicts will have fewer nutrients compared to others. Cramping, muscle stiffness and discomfort, and spasms are indications that you have alcoholic myopathy. So this will probably lead to shoulder pain after drinking.
5. Lymph Nodes
These lymph nodes protect the body from any bacterial or foreign body damage. Lymph nodes are some of the glands in the immune system situated in some body parts. When you consume alcohol, the cervical lymph nodes get swollen. It will lead to shoulder hurt while drinking alcohol.
6. Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis that creates swelling in the joints. The secretion of uric acid crystals at the joints is called gout. Liquor such as wine and beer can produce uric acid in the system. They tend to hurt the joints, in turn causing severe shoulder pain.
How to prevent your shoulders from hurting after drinking alcohol
Now you would have got the answer to “why shoulder hurt when I drink alcohol.” No, let us think about how to prevent shoulder pain when you drink. There are no such exact remedies that can treat your shoulder pain. So let us discuss how to avoid and reduce the pain.
1. Reduce Alcohol
It may be a general approach, but still, alcohol does much damage to the health of your body. So drinking under moderation or limitation help do wonders. Try reducing one or two glasses daily since you cannot do certain things immediately. Excess drinking of alcohol leads to quite many health problems. So keeping in mind health as a priority, try reducing alcohol.
2. Painkillers
If you are too drunk and the pain’s severity is intolerable, go for medications. The familiar over-counter medicine is aspirin to treat all the pains during a hangover. All the drugs will not be safe for people when they are drunk. Other well prevalent prescriptions like Ibuprofen and Naproxen as they hold anti-inflammatory possessions that support and reduce pain. However, these are general medicine that is safe to use. Trying out these medicines can help you ease your pain.
3. Excess Water Consumption
The most discussed approach is drinking lots of water. Drinking lots of water makes one hydrated. Even if you don’t drink while drinking, take it after the day or once you wake up. As discussed above, dehydration makes neck and abdomen muscles stiff. So drinking water makes you hydrated and eliminates toxins from the body, reducing the shoulder pain caused by dehydration.
4. Vitamin B and supplements
Alcohol affects the vitamin B content present in the body. Prolonged drinking can lead to vitamin B deficiency. Adding vitamin B to the diet helps replenish the lost vitamins. Green leafy vegetables, sprouts, fruits, almonds, and brown rice are good options for Vitamin B. Also, you can even take vitamin B supplements. So incorporating these will eliminate the shoulder hurt caused by drinking.
5. Take alcohol-absorbing food
Taking foods enriched with carbohydrates is the best for this approach. This food will help you flush out the alcohol from the blood. They are rich in omega-3 and help to eliminate alcohol faster. Try taking pasta, sandwich, bread, Legumes, fruits, milk, and yogurt since there is a high carb sources.
Conclusion
People who drink alcohol for a prolonged time will have this question “Why do my shoulders hurt when I drink alcohol.” So the above suggestion has made clear on the point. People who drink alcohol, their shoulders indeed hurts. The pain possibly will be painful and spoil your entire day’s activity. Reducing alcohol and preventing it with specific strategies help you get relief from the shoulder hurt. However, drinking in moderation can be a life safer.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
