Head feels hot when I drink alcohol

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I don't drink alcohol a lot but sometimes when I do I notice my head feels really warm almost like a flushing sensation. This feeling tends to happen when I 1st start drinking like after a few sips. I'm wondering if this is a common thing & if anyone has an idea of what's going on

It's possible you have a mild allergy. If you chose you could probably drink through it. It is also possible it's just the fact that you are unfamiliar with the effects of alcohol.

I do drink through it & the feeling passes after a while. I never really considered I had an allergy to it before cuz I don't really notice any other symptoms except I feel tired. I think I would pass out before I would ever notice other effects of being drunk.

I doubt it is an allergy. I would go for the most obvious explanation first. Alcohol affects hypothalamus which affects thermoregulation.

A quick google provides the information. It is common.

Actually people who are drunk may feel warmer than they are and have been know to develop hypothermia as a result. So that St Bernard with his brandy keg on the collar not the best solution to mountain rescue.

It's normal for alcohol to make you feel warm, it is causing the blood vessels to dilate, increasing the blood flow in the skin which gives the sensation of being warm, but as stated above, it is actually cooling you down. It's one of those ironic things like eating hot chilli cooling you down.

Oh OK that stuff makes sense. Thanx for the info.

also, if you have any Asian heritage you may have inherited a partial intolerance to alcohol. the flushing sensation is quite common for some of those of Asian descent, actually. folks can have a enzyme deficiency that interferes with the metabolism of alcohol, if i recall correctly.

Join the club!

Ethanol dehydrogenase deficiency may be the cause of what you're experiencing. It's where your body lacks the ability to metabolise alcohol properly and consumption of even a small amount makes you feel sick, flushed skin and rapid heartbeat. As the previous poster mentioned many people of Asian heritage are affected. I'm a white Australian of English and German heritage and are badly affected. Nothing I can do to solve the problem and so stick to soft drink.

I don't think I have any Asian heritage but I'll have to look that deficiency up. I do feel flushing but only sometimes. I don't feel sick or anything thou.