Tribune Staff

It is not any coincidence that Milwaukee is the number one "drunkest" city in America. The cold temperatures, compiled with seasonal and post-holiday depression, lead many to find warmth at the bottom of a bottle.

With no signs of the inclement weather- or the city's drinking habits- letting up, it is a worthy endeavor to actively combat the causes of a hangover, so at least we won't have a headache while we are stuck inside.,”

It is not any coincidence that Milwaukee is the number one "drunkest" city in America. The cold temperatures, compiled with seasonal and post-holiday depression, lead many to find warmth at the bottom of a bottle.

With no signs of the inclement weather – or the city's drinking habits – letting up, it is a worthy endeavor to actively combat the causes of a hangover, so at least we won't have a headache while we are stuck inside.

Symptoms and causes

The most telltale sign of a hangover is a headache, followed by dehydration and fatigue. A pounding headache is linked to the dehydration symptom because other organs take water from the brain, which causes the brain to shrink. The pain results from the membranes that attach the brain to the skull pulling away because of the shrinkage.

Alcohol's dehydrating properties are because of its "diuretic effect," according to www.how?stuffworks.com. For every part of alcohol that is absorbed, four times that amount is dispelled – hence why drinking causes frequent urination.

Sheer amount of alcohol consumed is not the only determiner in causing a hangover. Body weight and gender also play a role, as women have more of a deficiency in the chemicals that help process the toxins in alcohol.

Type of alcohol also plays a role. Ingredients called congeners give many types of alcohol their flavor and are more abundant in darker liquors, including whiskey and tequila. These ingredients can cause hangovers, and those who drink clear liquor, like gin and vodka, report fewer hangovers, according to www.mayoclinic.com.

Students' personal experiences

Michael Sherry, a recent College of Engineering alumnus, recounts an experience from his sophomore year in Schroeder Hall. After a night of drinking, he said, "I puked in the elevator and when the doors opened, there was a janitor standing there. I just said, 'I'm sorry,' and ended up getting off on a girls' floor."

Sherry's experience is indicative of alcohol taking many hours to wear off, and alcohol's tendency to intoxicate for up to 90 minutes after the user has stopped imbibing.

Unintended physical risks also include getting "stretch marks" around your eyes after vomiting, as Tom Rooney, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, has said he has personally experienced. Even those who try to re-hydrate with orange juice react to its acidity differently, as well as those who eat greasy food.

How to prevent these experiences

Abstinence from alcohol is the only 100 percent way to avoid a hangover, but some preventative measures can be taken.

Take two aspirin before going to sleep with a glass of water, and then two more when you wake up. Tylenol and other aspirin containing acetaminophen should be avoided, as it can cause severe liver damage when combined with excessive amounts of alcohol, according to www.mayoclinic.com. Vitamins B and C can help to replenish your system, as will a non-greasy breakfast.

Those who are looking for a quick fix in some of the pills that are available at many gas stations around the country should be aware of the differences. While none of the technically classified "dietary supplements" have any adverse effects, the independent site, Hangover Review (www.hangoverreview.com), says the best "cure" is Sob'r-K Hangover Stopper because it uses the highest grade of carbon for filtering purposes and is patented.

Other types of pills are purported to work well only because they advise taking a full glass of water with each pill for every few drinks, such as the popularly advertised Chaser pill.

Other precautions

Alcohol poisoning is very different from a hangover. While both may be suggestive of alcoholism, alcohol poisoning has very different symptoms, such as cold or bluish skin, unconsciousness or irregular and slowed breathing. Medical attention should be attained immediately.

If you are one of the 25 percent of people who drink to the point of intoxication but aren't hungover the next day, your tolerance may be indicative of being at a higher risk for alcohol related diseases because of your increased consumption of ethanol (www.mayoclinic.com).

Since alcohol affects everyone slightly differently, the University of Texas created a free, online alcohol self-assessment that is helpful in determining your monthly caloric intake of alcohol (represented in cheeseburgers) and your personal drinking-related risks (http://healthyhorns.utexas.edu/education/echug.html).

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