Accompanying symptoms
If vomiting occurs after the consumption of alcohol, a moderate alcohol poisoning is to be assumed, which is usually accompanied by a number of other symptoms. In addition to behavioural disorders such as disinhibition or aggressiveness, cognitive disorders such as speech disorders or impaired judgment also occur. Those affected are usually unable to articulate themselves adequately and have slurred or slurred speech. Orientation and coordination are also disturbed, which is usually noticeable by an inability to walk. Hallucinations and visual perception disorders may also occur.
What can I do?
If vomiting occurs during alcohol consumption, the general condition of the person concerned must be well assessed. The vomiting often occurs once and the stomach contents are completely emptied. Afterwards, the person affected should switch to a non-alcoholic drink (water) and go home.
It is important to recognize when the affected person is no longer adequately oriented in space and time. In this case, care must be taken to ensure that the vomit is not swallowed, gets into the lungs (aspiration) and the affected person suffocates. The line between vomiting and a worse stage of alcohol poisoning with unconsciousness and shock is fluid.
For this reason in particular, the person who has vomited from alcohol should be closely monitored. If unconsciousness occurs, the person should be put in the stable lateral position to avoid aspiration of the vomit and to prevent the tongue from falling back and an emergency doctor should be called. In acutely drunk condition, vomiting is a protective reflex of the body against the toxic ethanol.
As it is a reflex, it can hardly be suppressed and in this situation it is also useful for the body. However, it is possible that vomiting after consuming too much alcohol may last the whole next day. In such cases, anti-emetic drugs can be used for acute symptom relief to give the body a chance to recover.
Alternatively, peppermint leaves can also prevent vomiting, for example you can make a tea from them and drink it. It is always important to ensure a sufficient fluid intake in acute vomiting, as the body loses a lot of volume and electrolytes. Even a light broth the following day can help to calm the stomach lining a little and replenish the electrolyte balance at the same time.There are many tips against vomiting when drinking alcohol.
Not all are equally effective for every person. Often the tip is given to eat a hearty, fatty meal before drinking so that the stomach is somewhat filled and the alcohol is absorbed more slowly. A similar tip is to drink some cooking oil (thistle oil, sunflower oil, olive oil) before drinking alcohol, so that the oil film covers the mucous membranes and thus the absorption of alcohol is slower.
A short break in the fresh air with water can also help to get the nausea under control. If you have drunk too much alcohol and want to induce vomiting, we recommend our topic: inducing vomitingWarm tea (peppermint, chamomile or ginger) can reduce the nausea. Another household remedy is lemons: Lemon juice or a slice of lemon should help against the nausea.
If the nausea occurs when you go to bed it is helpful to leave a small light on and put one leg on the floor to suppress the dizziness. In no case should vomiting be played down or ignored. Vomiting when drinking alcohol is a warning sign of the body that it has already had to drink too much alcohol.
It is therefore not advisable to vomit and then continue to consume alcohol. The only really effective way to avoid vomiting while drinking alcohol is to limit the consumption of alcohol, drink slowly and stop drinking when you notice a slight effect of the alcohol. None of the listed tips or household remedies are as effective as a responsible use of alcohol to prevent vomiting caused by alcohol.
