Excessive alcohol consumption can weaken a person's immune system, increasing their susceptibility to lung conditions, such as pneumonia, syncytial respiratory virus, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Excessive alcohol consumption can also worsen asthma and increase the risk of choking and aspiration pneumonia.
Alcohol's damage to lung cells and the immune system is so well known that it is a syndrome termed alcoholic lung. One study showed that chronic alcohol use can start to harm the lungs in as little as six weeks. Alcohol abuse can also cause inflammation and harm cells in both the upper and lower parts of the airway.
Alcohol abuse increases the risk for acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
The Effect of Alcohol on Lungs
Heavy drinking can lead to pneumonia because alcoholics have lower levels of white blood cells that help fend off pneumonia. The damaged immune system cannot fight against the disease, which can cause intense chest pain, fever, painful coughing, and even death.
Additionally, drinking too much alcohol often leads to nausea and lightheadedness, so it's possible that these factors are also causing you to cough. If you find yourself coughing every time you drink, you may need to make an appointment with a chronic cough doctor, as this may signal an underlying position.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
In some cases, alcoholic lung disease can be reversed. However, a cure is more plausible in the earliest stages of the disease. For someone who's developed a chronic or acute alcohol lung disease, a cure is less likely or simply not possible.
Chronic ingestion of alcohol actually damages the surface of your lungs; and it's on the surface that the mucociliary transport system operates, attracting mucus and eradicating it from your lungs.
Alcohol ingestion impairs glottic reflexes, and alcoholics are predisposed to pneumonias and lung abscesses from aspiration of oropharyngeal bacteria. Alcohol intoxication also increases the frequency of sleep apnea and may result in respiratory failure from oversedation.
Although chronic alcohol use and heavy drinking are commonly linked to liver disease, alcohol can damage your lungs as well, causing a variety of conditions like alcoholic pneumonia, acute lung injury, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including: Steatosis, or fatty liver. Alcoholic hepatitis.
There are many reasons why a person struggling with alcohol abuse may contract pneumonia and suffer serious harm or even death. Some of these reasons include: Blunted cough and gag reflexes which may more commonly lead to aspiration of certain oropharyngeal organisms. Decreased ability to clear mucus from lungs.
In general, alcohol can be detected for up to: 6 hours in the blood. 12 to 24 hours on the breath. 12 to 24 hours in urine (longer depending on the type of test conducted)
Potential mechanism of crosstalk between the liver and the lungs in alcohol-induced organ injury. Ethanol preexposure primes both the liver and lung to enhanced injury and inflammation caused by LPS.
What do you mean by heavy drinking? For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 8 drinks or more per week.
Regular, heavy drinking can damage the immune system and the lungs. This may increase a person's risk for COPD. If a person has COPD or is at risk for the disease, they should consider staying away from alcohol.
Grate ginger (a medium-sized piece), add a tsp (or more) of honey and a few drops of lemon juice in water and put it to a boil. Reduce the mixture to half and strain in a cup. Sip it warm to detoxify your lungs naturally.
Lead to some kinds of cancer, liver damage, immune system disorders, and brain damage. Worsen some health conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, ulcers, memory loss, and mood disorders. Make some medical conditions hard for doctors to accurately diagnose and treat.
Heavy Alcohol Use:
NIAAA defines heavy drinking as follows: For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week. For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week.
Myth: I don't drink every day OR I only drink wine or beer, so I can't be an alcoholic. Fact: Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It's the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem.