It's the news you've all been waiting for. A popular hangover cure myth might well be true. A study by The American Pain Society (what a name, by the way), has found that having three to four standard drinks, about two pints, can have a pain relieving effect on the body.
In a study called 'Analgesic Effects of Alcohol: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Experimental Studies in Healthy Participants' researchers found that blood alcohol content of approximately .08% produced "a small elevation of pain threshold" and a "moderate to large reduction in pain intensity ratings."
So that pounding headache you get at 11 in the morning after a few too many jars can be assuaged by... a few more jars.
The study goes onto postulate that there may be better ways to deal with pain than going back on the sauce the next morning:
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This meta-analysis provides robust evidence for the analgesic properties of alcohol, which could potentially contribute to alcohol misuse in pain patients. Strongest analgesia occurs for alcohol levels exceeding World Health Organization guidelines for low-risk drinking and suggests raising awareness of alternative, less harmful pain interventions to vulnerable patients may be beneficial.
So there you have it alcohol can help you deal with the negative effects of drinking alcohol. Next time one of your friends is dying and he refuses 'the hair of the dog' you'll have the scientific evidence to back up your argument.
