Hello! I have been a doctor for 21 years. My name is Georgy Olegovich Sapego. In this article, I'll talk about how alcohol affects the respiratory tract.
I recently again complained that from alcohol flows from the nose. This is not a very popular topic, so I will try to tell you about it from all sides.
People have allergic rhinitis or asthma. They are exacerbated by various stimuli called triggers. Alcohol can also be such a trigger.
Snot
Most often they complain of nasal congestion and the appearance of discharge after drinking alcohol. Alcohol can be anything, but for some reason they often complain about red wine. This type of runny nose affects about 3% of people in the Western world.
Asians with their enzymes
In Asia, people often lack the enzyme to detoxify acetaldehyde. Therefore, there is a reaction to any alcohol in the form of hot flashes and a runny nose.
It is not related to allergies. You can read about how alcohol breaks down in our body at the link below.
Polyps
In people with normal enzymes, alcohol sometimes provokes an exacerbation of an allergic rhinitis. This was noticed because people with polyps in their nose complained of snot and congestion. Polyps are a physical confirmation of an allergic rhinitis that cannot be confused with anything.
And nasal polyps are often associated with bronchial asthma. This is the very same group with asthma and allergic rhinitis who complain about red wine.
Asthma
With bronchial asthma or bronchitis, alcohol can act in different ways. I have already told how people try to fight a cough with a sip of strong alcohol. It happened that this was even saved from fatal pulmonary edema.
In common asthma, alcohol is more likely to be harmful and aggravating.
It turns out to be an interesting thing. If an asthmatic person lived calmly and did not complain of asthma, then he may have an exacerbation from alcohol. Moreover, in scientific studies, they could not find out whether there will be an aggravation of alcohol itself or additives from wine and other drinks.
On the other hand, some asthmatics swear that alcohol helps them cope with flare-ups of asthma. I have only one example of a sick woman who required pure alcohol to stop an asthma attack.
It turns out that diluted alcohol with additives provokes bronchospasm in healthy people, and strong alcohol without additives helps to reduce shortness of breath during an attack of bronchial asthma.
The mechanism of this beneficial effect in asthma is not well understood. The bronchi seem to expand. I do not know. Personally, I'm only sure about the effect of alcohol on phlegm. She dissolves from him, and it becomes easier.
Burnt out lungs
In general, there are many interesting things in the history of alcohol and lung disease. Everyone has heard the story of a man who abuses alcohol, whose lungs burned out. It was he who had pneumonia - pneumonia.
Alcoholics have reduced immunity, and pneumonia can easily kill. Such pneumonia in alcohol abusers is even singled out as a separate type.
The whole chip is in the fume. Or even "fresh". Alcohol is released from the lungs. This is how the smell appears. So they find him on examination. This is due to the small arteries that supply blood to the bronchi. From small arteries, alcohol enters the cells lining the bronchi, and then evaporates from their surface.
But besides the fact that it evaporates, alcohol is also simultaneously and again absorbed into the blood. It turns out a kind of circulation - a vicious circle. Because of this carousel, lung cells are exposed to alcohol for a long time. It is harmful.
In the last article I talked about chronic bronchitis, in which the cilia in the bronchi die. In people who abuse alcohol, the cilia also work poorly and cannot get rid of the microbes that fly into the bronchi. This is how pneumonia happens.
And what can be learned from all this
From any alcohol there is a runny nose.
Wine aggravates bronchial asthma.
Pulmonary edema and severe asthma attacks were treated with strong alcohol without additives.
Alcoholics have decreased immunity in the lungs and may have severe pneumonia.
There's a lot more, but I think it's enough for one time.
If you liked the article, then like it and subscribe to my channel. Check out my articles on related topics:
Lies about obstructive bronchitis
Alcoholic liver disease
Local effects of alcohol when ingested
