Why Drinking Can Make You Throw Up

By James Madeiros

 

It’s no fun, and if you’ve never been there, you don’t want to go. The smell is awful, no matter where you turn the floor is there to greet you and the person who has to hold your hair will never – never – let you forget it. And, that’s if someone is even willing to hold your hair (or your tie, or your dignity).

You have just explored the physical limits of your alcohol tolerance, and your body is in revolt. Why?

Believe it or not, there is a “vomiting center” of the brain; that’s right, a whole place dedicated to letting you know in quick order when it’s time to get rid of whatever has gotten into your body, or whatever you’ve been putting into your body. This area of the brain can be triggered by signals coming from the stomach, intestines, bloodstream, balancing systems (ears) or the brain itself.

And, one of the things that can trigger an explosion is the intake of alcohol. The human body is capable of recognizing when it has been exposed to a toxic level of alcohol, even if the person drinking cannot. If this point is reached “the morning after” (when the body has had time to fully absorb the quantity ingested) or while drinking, the body will take measures to expel the offending substance in an effort to safeguard itself from damage.

In the event that you (or someone you know) do vomit as the result of drinking alcohol, you should not immediately suspect alcohol poisoning. The possibility should not be ruled out, of course, but unless it is accompanied by blood, seizure, irregular breathing and a bluish tint to the skin (signaling hypothermia), then it is much more likely a stern warning from your body to wise up.

 

Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid =).

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