The Truth About Asian Alcohol Allergy
Asian flush, a condition that affects millions of people, is more commonly known as alcohol allergy. Obviously then, anyone who has the condition will experience a variety of different symptoms after drinking alcohol. If you think some of your symptoms may be signs of an allergy, you need to know some basic facts about it.
#1- Even if you aren’t Asian, you can still have the condition.
Statistics show that around 50% of Asians are affected by this condition. The term is a bit misleading though simply because Asians are not the only victims. People of Caucasian ancestry can also suffer from it. You’ll know for sure if you have it if you drink a glass or two of anything alcoholic. If you begin to experience a couple of different symptoms, then you definitely have an allergy to alcohol.
No matter who has it though, it’s obvious from all angles that any sufferer can suffer from a severe bout of embarrassment because of it. There is just nothing attractive about looking like a cherry. The negative feeling can be made even worse if you are with business associates or co-workers.
#2- The symptoms can be pretty unnerving.
Red skin, especially the sections on your face is probably what you’ll get first when you have your first glass. This is not the last symptom you’ll get though. Eventually, the red areas will appear splotchy and little rashes can grow on these areas. Naturally, they will be very itchy and a bit warm to the touch. The signs on your skin are nothing compared to the other alcohol allergy symptoms. The condition can restrict breathing and cause headaches.
Some people prefer not to pay attention to the condition. This isn’t the best course of action though. You will feel a great deal of discomfort with these symptoms and there is a huge chance that you will not be able to keep your hands from scratching all over. Even if you can hold back from doing so, people around you will still notice your unusual appearance.
#3- You have nature to blame for the cause.
The real key to getting a drink without incident is rooted in biology. Just like everything else we eat or drink, alcoholic beverages are metabolized by the body. If you have an allergy to alcohol however, the normal processing of alcoholic drinks is impaired. This is because the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 is inactive in Asian flush sufferers. The toxic substance acetaldehyde that then comes with alcoholic drinks remains intact. This is what can lead to the allergic reactions.
Because the root cause is biological, it isn’t very easy to find an excellent solution for it. Some sufferers claim that aspirin or other forms of medication not originally intended for treating Asian flush have reduced their symptoms. Experts maintain though that these medications are not medically proven to cure the condition and may even do more harm than good by creating false confidence in sufferers.
No one wants to have an alcohol allergy. If the red skin starts to show though, it’s an absolute must to try to find correct information about the condition. Information is simply your best weapon against the symptoms.
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