Painkillers and Alcohol

All painkillers are basically classified into two sections by the pharmaceutical companies namely, the ones that can be taken over the counter and the ones which can be only purchased with the help of a prescription. There is a common misconception that you can safely consume over the counter painkillers and alcohol. Many of the over the counter painkillers are also equally dangerous when consumed with alcohol. A rule of thumb that you can follow is to check the back of the strip. Almost all the pharmaceutical companies explicitly mention if the painkillers react with alcohol or not. Thus, the best precaution to prevent the side effects of mixing painkillers and alcohol is simple - stop drinking alcohol while you are taking a dose of any kind of painkillers.

Effects of Painkillers and Alcohol

The effects of mixing alcohol and painkillers are variable for every painkiller and are also affected by the amount of alcohol that has been consumed by the patient. The reason that painkillers and alcohol should not be taken at the same time is that both the substances are depressants, i.e., they affect the nervous system. The double effect of both the substances is not very healthy for the human nervous system and respiratory system. The respiratory system and the nervous system, due to the effects of both depressants, get relaxed and eventually slow down. The rate of breathing reduces, thus decreasing the volume of essential oxygen in the body. The second effect is that these substances also tend to affect the digestive system, especially the liver.

The following are some of the symptoms that can be observed when alcohol and some of the commonly used painkillers are consumed together.

Anticonvulsant: The anticonvulsants are basically the painkillers that are often used as mood stabilizers as they calm down the nervous system and the neurons. The anticonvulsants are used to treat seizures. However, if the anticonvulsant as a painkiller and alcohol are consumed together, then the person faces a strong possibility of suffering from a seizure. The instant symptoms that are easily noticeable are a genuine feeling of drowsiness that can become severe and also the feeling of lightheartedness.

Opioids: Opioids as painkillers and alcohol are an extremely lethal combination. The mixture causes severe dizziness and breathing problems that can lead to cardiac arrests if medical attention is not receive on time.

Over the Counter Drugs: As mentioned in the above, over the counter painkillers are not exactly dangerous for the human body. Apart from the short term risks like slowed down breathing, there are many different long term side effects such as developing ulcers and extensive liver damage.

Anti Depressants: The anti depressants which are also a part of the painkillers, pose a threat to the human body as well. One of worst effects of the combination of the two is suicidal thoughts and there is also very strong risk of over dose.

It can be concluded that it is pretty risky to consume alcohol along with painkillers. There is also a strong possibility of alcoholism, affecting other medications. Even if both the substances are consumed together, without any negative after effects, there is always a long term damage that has been inflicted upon the human body.