The best way to get rid of a hangover

Headache, nausea, anxiety, bottomless thirst, junk food cravings. Whole days lost to feeling awful.

In the UK, like so many countries, life, death and everything in-between are often observed with alcohol. So hangovers have become part of the culture.

We turn our hangovers into funny stories, invent unconventional cures for them - egg drop soup, anyone? - and even celebrate them in song and in books.

Yet when it comes to your physical and emotional health, hangovers - and the drinking too much that precedes them - are no laughing matter.

What causes a hangover?

The main cause of a hangover is ethanol - the pure alcohol in drinks. This toxic chemical that works as a diuretic - making you pee more and become dehydrated - is one of the main causes of a hangover.

One 10 millilitre unit of alcohol contains 8 grams of ethanol. The UK Chief Medical Officer advises that men and women should drink no more than 14 units a week, ideally spread evenly over three or more days.

As well as a headache, nausea, tiredness and dehydration, hangovers can also leave people struggling to concentrate, feeling irritable and sensitive to light.

Binge drinking is even more harmful than regular alcohol intake since higher levels of alcohol are in the body at one time, leading to more toxicity.

There is also a higher level of acetaldehyde - a chemical made from alcohol during the breakdown process. Even more toxic than alcohol itself, acetaldehyde is responsible for many hangover symptoms.

How to avoid a hangover

Prevention may be better than cure, but if you have over-indulged then there are ways to treat your hangover symptoms.

Dr Clare Morrison, Blackberry Clinic, Fareham, UK says: "There is no evidence that the celebrity favourite IV vitamin drip will help you avoid or get over a hangover. Mineral loss can also be overcome by eating soup, eggs, nuts, or even a rehydration sachet, while feeling sick can be eased by eating ginger."

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The effects of excessive drinking

Drinking too much alcohol is associated with everything from liver disease, depression and cancer - particularly of throat, oesophagus, mouth, breast, bowel and liver - to pancreatitis, strokes and heart disease.

Too much alcohol can also lead to overly-impulsive behaviour, resulting in accidents, fights and unsafe sex. If a woman drinks heavily during pregnancy, the baby may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, behavioural problems and facial deformity.

Morrison has had first-hand experience of the devastating effects of alcoholism on health and personal relationships.

"I often see people with alcohol issues during the course of my work as a doctor - sadly, many of these are young women," she says. "They are often pleasant people who have low self-esteem.

"I can think of one woman, who lost her husband, young children, job, home and health because of her uncontrolled drinking. It ruined her life for several years. However, with support and treatment, she managed to stop drinking and get her life back on track."

Worried about your drinking? Here's how to cut down

If you drink alcohol regularly - for example, to relax and de-stress after work - it is easy to build up a tolerance. Before long, you may feel anxious, jittery, or be unable to sleep if you don't have a drink.

It can take some willpower, but it is possible to reverse your reliance on alcohol.