Sneezing When You Drink Wine? 5 Common Culprits and How to Avoid Them

Privacy and security policies of ondemand.labcorp.com may differ from those practiced by thermofisher.com. Purchase the same tests your doctor orders and get insights into your health. Our convenient allergy tests can measure your immune response to common allergies found in the air, in foods and with pets.

Why Do I Experience Nasal Congestion After Drinking Alcohol?

Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe. Rarely, severe pain after drinking alcohol is a sign of a more serious disorder, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Early mild symptoms such as an upset stomach, headache, and sleeplessness can start to occur during this time. If you often feel sick after drinking—even just a little—it may be worth discussing your symptoms with a doctor. Filtration of wine is an important process in the production of a good quality beverage. It helps to remove harmful bacteria, unwanted tannins and other impurities from the liquid before it can be consumed.

Alcohol intolerance is linked not to your immune sneezing after drinking alcohol system, but to your metabolic system. With alcohol intolerance, your body isn’t reacting to the presence of alcohol; it’s simply taking a long time to break alcohol down and flush it from the body. Being intolerant to alcohol is different from being allergic to alcohol, and it’s not life-threatening.

Sulfites in beer

These symptoms can also make the nasal passage more sensitive, leading to sneezing. This reaction will happen whatever alcohol you consume, whether it is drunk or added to main courses or puddings. While most people don’t have a problem with sulphites, those who are sensitive to them might experience allergy-like symptoms, including sneezing, after drinking wine with them. You might be sensitive to sulphites if you also react to mustard and dried fruits like dried apple rings, dried pears, apricots, raisins, prunes, and figs. Some people (most commonly people with an Asian background) develop severe facial flushing (redness in the face) if they consume small amounts of alcohol.

Consulting with a healthcare provider is essential for an accurate diagnosis. Access videos and webinars delivered by key experts in the field of allergy.

Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis may include jaundice (yellowing skin or eyes), fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain. Treatment for alcoholic hepatitis usually involves lifestyle changes such as abstaining from alcohol, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. When people consume alcohol, their body tries to detoxify it by breaking down the compound into its smaller components. Grape is the main allergen found in wine, and it is present in both red and white wines. Botrytis cinerea is a mold that causes noble rot in wine, which can also cause reactions in some people. Alcohol itself can cause blood vessels to dilate, which can lead to swelling, nasal congestion, and excessive mucus drainage.

If you experience these symptoms sneezing after drinking alcohol, you must see a doctor as you may need to be treated for an allergy. This article provides clarity by explaining the key differences between alcohol intolerance and alcohol allergy. If you find yourself sneezing after consuming specific alcoholic beverages, the culprit could be an allergy to certain ingredients in those drinks.

Q 6: What else is in alcoholic drinks?

However, to eliminate them completely, it is necessary to avoid consuming red wine altogether. In one 2005 Swedish study, those with asthma, bronchitis and hay fever were more apt to sneeze, get a runny nose or have “lower-airway symptoms” after a drink, especially women. Ok, so now that we’ve answered the question – why does my nose get stuffy when I drink? – it’s time to determine whether this is really a cause for concern or not.

• The ALDH2 deficiency that causes alcohol intolerance is a genetic mutation.
• Sulphites are often added to wine as preservatives to keep them fresh and prevent oxidation, but they can also be created naturally during the process of winemaking.
• If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after consuming wine, it could be because you are allergic to one or more components found in the beverage.
• Dec. 24, 2012— — Kristin Brown loved to drink – perhaps partied a little too much when she was in her 20s, but when she hit her 30s, alcohol suddenly hit her the wrong way.
• The content provided is for education, communication and information purposes only and is not intended to replace or constitute medical advice or treatments.
• While alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, it has a negative effect on sleep quality and duration.

Q 9: How is alcohol allergy managed?

Sulfites have been used as preservatives since Roman times to preserve food flavour and colour, inhibit bacterial growth, and reduce food spoilage. You will have the option to discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost. In addition, rosacea can make your eyes feel itchy, dry and chronically irritated.

• When you drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream and quickly travels to your brain.
• Those who notice an increase in their asthma symptoms after drinking alcoholic beverages, especially wine, might be reacting to potassium metabisulfite, a common preservative.
• Researchers estimate that 8% of the world’s population has a defective ALDH2 gene.
• “For some people with sensitive airways, such as asthmatics, consuming sulphites in alcohol may cause wheezing,” she explains.
• A specialist can help you decide the best course of action to ensure your safety.

Q 3: What happens to alcohol in the body?

It causes heightened sensitivity to light and sound, tremors, seizures, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, and intense confusion. And maybe you can skip the hard stuff in those scenarios going forward, without it feeling like any kind of a loss. But at the same time, you don’t want to negate the benefits of the dry month you successfully observed. By being aware of this potential change, however, you can reframe it as a positive, Dr. Wakeman says. Now, post–Dry January, you might get the same effect from, say, one or two drinks in a sitting, which would be a win for both your health and your wallet.

Alcohol is more likely to cause flushing and irritant and contact reactions, but these reactions are not caused by an allergy to alcohol. Consuming alcohol can also increase the risk of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) from other causes such as food. The symptoms of alcohol intolerance usually occur immediately after drinking alcohol and can be intense. One of the primary symptoms is facial flushing, where the face quickly turns red and may feel warm due to increased blood flow. Alcohol intolerance can also cause a rapid onset of a throbbing headache or migraine. Nausea and vomiting are common, with severe abdominal cramping and retching occurring soon after drinking.