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Alcohol-Related Breathing Problems
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it will slow down your nervous system. Depending on the amount of alcohol you consume, you may experience a variety of emotional and physical changes. For example, when alcohol is absorbed in your bloodstream, it is then dispersed to other organs. The liver is responsible for dispelling the alcohol from your body. However, if the liver cannot keep up with your alcohol consumption, then the alcohol will build up and lead to you becoming intoxicated, which cause certain functions controlled by your nerves to be impaired. Breathing is one of them.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Significance
Alcohol can cause problems with your breathing in a variety of ways. However, the most immediate breathing problem is after the alcohol leaves the stomach. After alcohol is consumed, it will pass through the stomach and rest in the small intestines for a short time. The alcohol is then immersed into the bloodstream from the walls of the intestines. The alcohol is then distributed to other areas of the body, and because it acts as a depressant, it begins to slow your breathing down.
- Alcohol can cause problems with your breathing in a variety of ways.
- After alcohol is consumed, it will pass through the stomach and rest in the small intestines for a short time.
Warning
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If you mix alcohol with narcotics or medications, i.e. heroin or Thorazine, you are at risk of experience breathing problems that have the potential to be fatal. When you consume alcohol with drugs or other medications, each substance will compete for absorption into the body and this can be very dangerous. So if you are on medication, you may want to refrain from drinking alcohol 3.
- If you mix alcohol with narcotics or medications, i.e.
- heroin or Thorazine, you are at risk of experience breathing problems that have the potential to be fatal.
Breathing Problems When Asleep
Alcohol irritates your nasal airway, so your airway may be rebellious when breathing. This defiance can cause you to have breathing problems when you sleep. For example, if you consume a moderate to high amount of alcohol before going to sleep you can put yourself at risk of experiencing “obstructive sleep apnea”. Obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, is a disorder that causes the upper air passage to narrow or close during sleep which means you can stop breathing. The pause in your breathing will cause you to wake; however, if this continuously happens throughout the night the amount of sleep you get will be drastically reduced.
- Alcohol irritates your nasal airway, so your airway may be rebellious when breathing.
- Obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, is a disorder that causes the upper air passage to narrow or close during sleep which means you can stop breathing.
Alcohol Poisoning
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If you suddenly experience difficulty breathing you should visit the emergency room. Irregular and difficulty breathing are also signs of alcohol poisoning, which essentially means you have consumed a large amount of alcohol in a short span of time. Additional signs of alcohol poisoning are: paleness, vomiting, mental confusion, and seizures.
Safe Drinking Tips
If you are going to drink alcohol, you should try to do so responsibly. To prevent breathing problems during sleep, refrain from drinking alcohol right before going to bed 3. If you want to prevent the alcohol from reaching the bloodstream so fast, drink slowly. In addition, you should never drink on an empty stomach.
- If you are going to drink alcohol, you should try to do so responsibly.
- In addition, you should never drink on an empty stomach.
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References
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation; Alcohol
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Alcohol Alert
- BBC; Alcohol: Tips for Safe Drinking
- Taylor B, Rehm J. The relationship between alcohol consumption and fatal motor vehicle injury: high risk at low alcohol levels. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2012;36(10):1827-34. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01785.x
- Ferré S, O'Brien MC. Alcohol and caffeine: The perfect storm. J Caffeine Res. 2011;1(3):153-162. doi:10.1089/jcr.2011.0017
- Stornetta A, Guidolin V, Balbo S. Alcohol-derived acetaldehyde exposure in the oral cavity. Cancers (Basel). 2018;10(1):20. doi:10.3390/cancers10010020
- Hadland SE, Levy S. Objective testing: Urine and other drug tests. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2016;25(3):549-65. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2016.02.005
- Stewart SH, Koch DG, Willner IR, Randall PK, Reuben A. Hair ethyl glucuronide is highly sensitive and specific for detecting moderate-to-heavy drinking in patients with liver disease. Alcohol Alcohol. 2013;48(1):83-7. doi:10.1093/alcalc/ags109
- Fillmore MT, Jude R. Defining "binge" drinking as five drinks per occasion or drinking to a .08% BAC: which is more sensitive to risk? Am J Addict. 2011;20(5):468-75. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2011.00156.x
- American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Ethanol. 2018.
- Cederbaum A. Alcohol metabolism. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2012;16(4):667-685. doi:10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.002
- LabCorp, Inc. Drugs of Abuse Reference Guide. 2007.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol Metabolism: An Update. Alcohol Research & Health. 2007;30(1).
Writer Bio
LaShon Fryer began freelance writing in 2006 while pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Temple University. Her articles have been published on the Web sites: Spend On Life, Powerful Voices for Kids and The Media Education Lab. Currently, Fryer is pursuing her Masters Degree in Broadcasting Telecommunications and Mass Media at her Alma Mater.