Chest pains shouldn’t be ignored. In many cases, they can be nothing worse than indigestion, but they could also indicate something more dangerous.
Drinking heavily will eventually have a lot of consequences on your life, but it will especially damage your health. Alcohol does not only affect your liver but can cause damage to all your organs – including your heart. Chest pains could point towards a more serious issue caused by alcohol.
If you have experienced chest pain after drinking, then you need to educate yourself on what that means. Leaving your drinking problems to worsen will only leave you more at risk of suffering from fatal health issues.
Can Alcohol Cause Chest Pain?
Yes, alcohol can cause pain in the chest after drinking and it can happen for many reasons.
Acid Reflux and GERD
Acid reflux is more commonly known as heartburn. It is something that everyone will experience in life and is caused not solely by alcohol.
Despite the name, acid reflux has nothing to do with the heart but the oesophagus, a long tube in your body that carries food and drink to your stomach from the mouth. Acid reflux happens when your oesophageal sphincter doesn’t work properly and contents from your stomach backs up – causing acid reflux symptoms like chest pain, burping and a sore throat.
GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease and is what you call acid reflux if you experience it chronically. GERD and alcohol are linked as alcohol relaxes the oesophageal sphincter so that it doesn’t close all the way – allowing contents in the stomach to come back. Drinking will also lead you to eat more unhealthily and smoke, which could trigger acid reflux.
To stop GERD, you should cut down on drinking. If that is too much at the moment, then look at other triggers. Eat more slowly, and don’t overeat. Cut down on caffeine and carbonated drinks and try not to sleep on a full stomach.
Heart-Related Issues
Alcohol and heart disease is a real concern if you are suffering from addiction.
Drinking heavily can increase your blood pressure, and if you keep it up, then it will remain high. This is dangerous; high blood pressure can increase the risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack.
Normally, your heart pumps blood around your body at a low pressure. High blood pressure means that your heart is working harder, putting your arteries under strain. Alcohol can also increase hormones that constrict your arteries, affect the nervous system that helps regulate blood pressure and increase your weight – which puts more strain on your heart.
High blood pressure can lead to arrhythmia, angina and other heart diseases. These conditions contribute to chest pain.
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Some people drink to relieve stress and the worries they may be feeling. Anxiety and alcohol are related as, eventually, the soothing effects of alcohol will wear off. Soon, drinking locks you in a cycle that can make your anxiety worse.
Alcohol works initially for anxiety because it is a depressant and slows down processes in your body. Soon, though, your body will become used to the alcohol in your central nervous system. When your alcohol level drops after you stop drinking, your body goes into withdrawal.
Anxiety can be a symptom of withdrawal. Being without alcohol may lead to panic attacks. These are an acute attack of anxiety, and chest pains are a symptom. They can be bad enough that some people mistake a panic attack for a cardiac arrest.
Practising mindfulness, eating well and exercising, learning breathing techniques and cutting down on drinking are all things you can do to alleviate anxiety symptoms.
Why Do I Get Chest Pain After Drinking Wine?
If chest tightness only seems to happen after wine, it’s more likely to be the sulfites or histamines as they’re in wine in much higher amounts than they are in spirits or beer.
Sulfites are added to most wines as a preservative. Sulfites can sometimes trigger a reaction that mimics an asthma attack (wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness). This is different from a true allergy which is usually classed as an intolerance or sensitivity, but it can still feel quite uncomfortable, especially if chest tightness is involved.
Histamines are found in high levels in red wine than white wine. Histamine builds up during the fermentation and ageing process, so in people with a reduced ability to break down histamine, this can trigger flushing, hives, rapid heartbeat, headaches, and chest or airway tightness.
Alcohol and Holiday Heart Syndrome
Drinking alcohol will do damage to your heart in the long term if not treated.
One of the many issues you may face is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Over time, the toxicity of alcohol will damage your heart muscle. A damaged heart cannot function efficiently, pumping less blood to the rest of your body. As your heart becomes larger to hold the extra blood, this puts a strain on it and your blood vessels.
You will experience chest pains, fatigue, and swelling of the legs, and it will eventually lead to heart failure.
Another issue is Holiday Heart Syndrome. This is a name for irregular heartbeat and is linked to binge drinking. It got the name because people tend to drink more around Christmas and New Year, increasing the risk of heart issues over this time. Chest pains, fatigue, dizziness and breathing difficulties are all symptoms of holiday heart syndrome.
What to Do if You’re Experiencing Chest Pains After Drinking Alcohol
When it comes to alcohol and chest pain, there are plenty of things you can do to feel better.
- Moderating Alcohol Intake: You may not be ready for a full detox but cutting down a little bit should help with chest pain after drinking.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking water will prevent dehydration, which is what alcohol does. Ensuring hydration means that your body will work efficiently.
- Avoid Triggering Foods: Foods that are fatty, acidic and spicy can worsen chest pains. Think about what foods trigger chest pain after drinking alcohol and try to cut them out.
- Seek Help: Your drinking may be severe enough to need professional intervention. If your chest pain is severe, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, you should consider professional help, such as going into an alcohol rehab.
Is My Chest Pain an Emergency?
Most chest pain after drinking alcohol is not a heart attack but knowing the warning signs and acting on them is the most important thing to take from this article.
Ring 999 straight away if any of the following are true for you:
- Severe chest pain, feeling like pressure, or a tight band round your chest that lasts longer than a few minutes or the sort that comes and goes
- The pain is spreading to your arm (your left arm is more worrying, but it can be either), your jaw, neck, back or tummy
- You find it hard to breathe
- You’re sweating but your skin is pale, cold and clammy
- You feel like being sick or you are sick
- You’re feeling dizzy or just suddenly feeling tired
A heart attack doesn’t always come with this super intense chest pain, and some people are more likely to experience the other symptoms without the pain being intense, so if you’re not sure whether what you’re feeling is serious enough to call an ambulance, it’s always better to be safe and ring 999 anyway.
Get Help with Rehab Clinics Group
We hope you’ve found this article on chest pain after drinking alcohol useful. If you’re struggling with alcohol, help is available.
Here at Rehab Clinics Group, we can provide the rehabilitation you need, with any one of the private drug and alcohol rehabs in our group capable of helping you.
To start your recovery journey, call us at 08004700382.
