It might be rare, but there is a small percentage of the world population that suffer from an allergy to alcohol. This rare allergy can cause nasal congestion, as well as rashes throughout the body that go along with an overall uncomfortable feeling. The effects are not that bad considering it is an allergy, but that is a reason it can be worse than any other allergy. Before you experience these symptoms, you might not even know you have an allergy to alcohol.
Alcohol Allergy can be diagnosed improperly as an intolerance to alcohol, which is not quite the same thing. The alcohol tolerance is caused by the lack of being able to break down alcohol and can only be prevented by not drinking any alcohol. An Alcohol Allergy is often times caused by a simple reaction to something that the alcohol was made from. You could be allergic to barely, hops, yeast, rye, wheat or even gluten and if you are consuming alcohol that is made from these things, you could see the side effects.
The side effects of an Alcohol Allergy include headache, digestive pain, heartburn, vomiting, rapid heartbeat and stuffy nose, just to name a few. If you think that you have an allergy to alcohol, you should contact an allergist to get more information about your possible condition. In most cases the allergy is coming from the the ezyme that takes the alcohol inside your body and changes it into vinegar in the liver. If you have an allergy to vinegar you are going to have a quick reaction after drinking alcohol.
Because all alcohol is made differently from one another, it is hard to pinpoint what part of the consuming it is causing your reaction. That is why it is important to visit an allergist to find out what you might be allergic to before you go any further. Even though you might experience flushing of the skin, it could be caused by things like sulfur dioxide, which is a common component in alcohol. That ingredient can also cause a reaction if you are allergic to wheat or sulfites.
Things that you commonly find in wine, like tannins and histamines, can also cause this flushing affect, so it does not necessarily mean you are allergic to alcohol at that point. The best way to avoid the affects of an alcohol allergy is to avoid consuming alcohol at all costs. If you are only allergic to a specific thing that is in the beverage, it might be as simple as switching to some other drink that you can enjoy without any reactions.