Legs hurt below the knees after drinking alcohol. Dysfunction of the nervous regulation of the legs. The main causes of pain in the legs

Drinkers complain that their legs hurt after drinking. Pain occurs for various reasons.

If your legs hurt after drinking alcohol, this sign most often indicates that serious pathological disorders. Ethyl alcohol destroys the membranes of nerve trunks. As a result, impulse conduction is disrupted, and sensitivity and motor function suffer. These changes develop gradually; it usually begins with the appearance of periodic aching pain and numbness in the legs after sitting in an uncomfortable position.

Later, my legs go numb without apparent reason and the pain becomes constant, especially in the calves, this is one of the first signs alcoholic impairment peripheral nerves, you should never ignore or suppress symptoms with pills.

Legs fail after drinking alcohol in cases where sensory and motor nerves are destroyed. In this case, any alcohol (drinking beer also has a negative effect) will aggravate the situation.

In cases where legs are lost, you should sound the alarm and notify your doctor about this symptom. You should not waste precious time, as your legs may become completely paralyzed.

Disturbances of water-salt metabolism

Drinking alcohol causes tissues to accumulate excess fluid. As a result, swelling of the legs appears, which intensifies towards the end of the day. Drinking any liquids leads to swelling in the legs. The cause of this phenomenon is often problems with the veins.

If libations lead to pain in your legs and muscle cramps, this indicates that the body lacks potassium and magnesium. Exactly these chemical elements are responsible for normal functioning muscle tissue. There is a shortage of them drinking people leads to periodic pain in the legs, seizures. Complaints of leg cramps intensify at night and lead to sleep disturbances.

Calcium deficiency also inevitably develops under the influence of ethanol-containing drinks. Without this element, bone and cartilage tissue. Destructive degenerative processes lead to pathological changes in the joints.

Development of osteoporosis

Systematic consumption of alcohol leads to the leaching of the important macronutrient calcium from bone tissue. As a result, it becomes less durable and osteoporosis develops. This disease causes vague pain in the legs. Women during menopause are especially susceptible to osteoporosis. To prevent the disease in this age range, it would be best to completely abstain from alcohol.

Joints and alcohol

Joint swelling is a sign of a beginner inflammatory process, which can be triggered by drinking alcohol. The joint begins to ache under load, then twists the knees, ankles and hip joints at rest and at night. When the joint tissue long acting ethanol is destroyed, he whines almost constantly.

Use alcoholic drinks, and especially red wine, causes gouty arthritis. This disease worsens when drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol and is accompanied by unbearable pain. Alcohol is contraindicated for gout.

Why your legs begin to hurt from alcohol must be decided individually in each case. Only competent specialists, after examination and examination, are able to find out what kind of process is developing.

Possible consequences

In cases where, after heavy libations, they ache lower limbs, swelling and even tumors in the joints appear, you need to sound the alarm. Pathological symptoms appear due to dysfunction of nerves, blood vessels, and joint tissue. Legs swell more often due to problems with blood circulation in the legs, although heart problems cannot be ruled out.

The pathology must be identified at the beginning so that the legs do not completely fail after alcohol. When the legs fail, this indicates the development of a very serious complication of alcoholism - the development of paralysis or paresis (partial movement disorder) with atrophic processes in muscle tissue. Treating this condition is very difficult and expensive; whether it can be cured completely, only time will tell, it all depends on the compensatory capabilities of the body.

Treatment options

If a specific joint hurts and inflammation appears, you can put a vodka compress on your leg. He will help you remove acute inflammation, if there is no improvement from treatment, then urgent consultation with a specialist is necessary.

The use of ointments and tinctures with chestnut will improve blood microcirculation. Warm baths with water will also help. medicinal herbs(decoction of chamomile, calendula), as well as pine-salt procedures.

Diet

Diet changes can help manage unpleasant sensations in the legs. It is highly advisable to enrich your diet with microelements and vitamins.

To restore potassium levels in the body, you should increase your intake:

• dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes, raisins, pears and apples);
• baked potatoes in skin;
• green peas;
• bananas

• butter;
• sprouted wheat;
• egg yolks;
• beef or pork liver.

• dairy products (especially cottage cheese and hard cheese);
• almond;
• canned sea fish.

Conclusion

It must be remembered that success can only be achieved by completely abstaining from alcohol, otherwise even the use of the best and effective means will not give positive result. Especially in a situation where the nerve sheath is being destroyed under the influence of alcohol, complete sobriety is a prerequisite. healing process. Even slight weakness in the lower extremities is a reason to think about why your legs are failing and take appropriate measures.

It is no secret that alcohol abuse has a negative impact on a person’s well-being and health, as well as on the performance of his body. Often, the morning after a fun feast, many are faced with an extremely unpleasant phenomenon - a hangover. Headache and dizziness, nausea and vomiting, nervousness and irritability, lack of appetite and discomfort in the liver - and this is not the whole list of unpleasant consequences of a fun holiday the day before.

In addition to the above sensations, many complain that after a feast they experience pain and discomfort in their legs. Why does alcohol-containing drinking provoke painful sensations in the lower extremities, how to get rid of unpleasant symptoms? You can find answers to these questions in our article.

What factors provoke pain in the lower extremities after drinking alcohol?

There may be several causes of pain in the lower extremities caused by alcoholic beverages. And the most interesting thing is that pain can occur even after small doses of alcohol. Let's look at the main factors:

1. Strong drinks have bad influence on vascular system. After a feast, large vessels expand to their maximum values, while small ones, on the contrary, become clogged. Such processes disrupt natural blood circulation, so pain and discomfort may occur in the legs after drinking.
2. The next reason can be stated venous insufficiency caused by alcohol, namely ethyl alcohol. Those who suffer from varicose veins veins, or those who have a tendency to this disease.
3. When a person drinks a lot of alcoholic beverages, his body accumulates a large number of fluid, which often leads to the formation of edema. This is especially true for drinks such as beer and alcohol-containing cocktails. Therefore, lovers of such drinks are often tormented by painful sensations in the calf and foot area.
4. Abuse of alcoholic beverages leads to a lack of so much in the body important element, like potassium. Alcohol in any quantity promotes its elimination, so a person’s leg muscles begin to ache. For the same reason, except pain syndrome, discomfort and even cramps of the lower extremities may also occur. Symptoms often appear at night, which leads to sleep disturbances and insomnia, as well as nervousness and irritability. Agree, not a very pleasant state!
5. It should also be taken into account that ethyl alcohol negatively affects the functionality of the central nervous system. Leg pain and numbness in the lower extremities are manifestations of central nervous system dysfunction. It is for this reason that heavy alcoholics often experience leg failure.

How to eliminate leg pain?

If in the morning you don’t want to feel all the delights of a hangover and face pain in the lower extremities, then the only correct solution in this situation would be complete failure from alcoholic drinks.

However, there are situations when it is not possible to avoid a feast and, of course, drinking alcohol, in which case it will help you following rules- control and moderate amount. But if you do end up with a hangover and feel pain in your legs, then you need to try to reduce the strength hangover syndrome, and the following recommendations will help you with this:

1. Try taking a warm bath with herbal decoctions and tinctures, which have long been famous for their healing properties. For example, you can prepare a solution from chamomile, motherwort, calendula, etc. Foot baths also perfectly relieve painful and uncomfortable symptoms. sea ​​salt. Dissolve it in warm water and keep your feet in the solution for a while.
2. At severe pain Massage manipulations will help. Start the activity with light and stroking movements, then massage your feet, calf, and areas where the pain is felt most clearly. To enhance the effect of the massage, use any warming ointment.
3. Special compression garments: tights or stockings help relieve pain and discomfort. They are mainly used for diseases such as varicose veins, as they produce a strong tightening effect. But in our situation, this method is also very effective and efficient.
4. You can also eliminate pain in the legs with pharmaceutical ointments that are used for varicose veins. For example, Troxevasin, Venitan, Lyoton. Medicine You need to apply a thin layer to the painful areas of the legs, after a while the pain will subside, and your condition will improve significantly.
5. When eliminating pain, it is important to reduce to a minimum the amount of fluid entering the body, especially alcohol. Even if its use has a therapeutic purpose.
6. If the cause of pain and discomfort in the lower extremities is an insufficient amount of potassium, then it is imperative to replenish its reserves. The most common products will help you with this: sunflower seeds, fruits (bananas, citrus fruits), potatoes, greens. Also will not harm multivitamin complexes, which contain potassium. But before using them, be sure to consult your doctor.

Let's take stock

Having discussed the main causes of painful sensations in the legs after drinking alcoholic beverages, we can draw only one correct conclusion: completely abstaining from alcohol will help get rid of discomfort and pain in the future.

However, if you are faced with such problems, and even small doses of alcohol are the cause of their occurrence, then a malfunction has occurred in your body. This may be a malfunction internal organs or systems. Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of leg pain. Based on the results of the examination and tests, the specialist will determine the problem and prescribe (if necessary) appropriate treatment.

Be healthy and take care of yourself!

As a rule, anyone who drank alcohol experienced a hangover, accompanied by body aches and a disgusting feeling due to alcohol poisoning. Moreover, not only the head can hurt, but also the legs. Why is this happening? Why do my legs hurt after drinking alcohol? Let's try to sort this issue out.

Why does a hangover occur?

Paradoxically, alcohol itself cannot cause harm. to the human body– it doesn’t hurt your back, your head, your arms or your legs. But one of its breakdown products (acetic aldehyde) is very toxic to humans. It is this that leads to intoxication and is the cause of a hangover and pain in the legs, arms, back, etc.

How does a hangover manifest?

The symptoms of a hangover are largely related to the general condition of the body of a person who has had too much alcohol. His head, back, arms, or legs may begin to hurt. It becomes difficult for him to breathe, and in some cases a cough appears.

Why does this happen?

Alcohol breakdown products lead to exacerbation chronic diseases, which, in turn, are accompanied by certain symptoms.

For example:

• Bronchial asthma can cause a person who has been drinking to develop a cough. It becomes difficult for him to breathe, he begins to choke.

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What alcoholic drinks do you drink most often?

How often do you drink alcohol?

The next day after drinking alcohol, do you feel like you have a hangover?

Which system do you think alcohol has the greatest negative impact on?

Do you think the measures taken by the government to restrict the sale of alcohol are sufficient?

• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system can cause back pain in a person who has had too much alcohol.
• Heart disease makes it difficult for him to breathe.

Why do your legs hurt after a hangover?

In fact, the answer to the question of why leg muscles hurt after a hangover is very ambiguous. This is explained by the fact that there are at least several reasons leading to the development of these symptoms. Let's look at some of them.

1. Poor circulation. The effects of alcohol on circulatory system a person leads to a sharp expansion of large vessels and a narrowing of small ones, which, in turn, is accompanied by a deterioration in blood circulation in the legs - they begin to hurt, and in some cases even go numb.
2. Venous insufficiency. In people suffering from varicose veins, alcohol can lead to the development of venous insufficiency and, accordingly, pain in the legs. That is why people with varicose veins should try to avoid drinking.
3. Edema. Alcohol not only affects blood vessels, but also promotes fluid retention in tissues, which, in turn, leads to swelling in the feet, calves and ankles, accompanied by aching legs. Most often similar phenomenon observed after drinking beer.
4. Loss of potassium. Alcohol promotes the active removal of potassium from the body, which is fraught not only with the appearance of pain from a hangover, but also with the development of seizures.
5. Damage to the central nervous system. As you know, alcohol in any quantity affects the nervous system. One of the complications of central nervous system dysfunction after drinking may be the appearance of pain in the legs. Moreover, as a rule, in this case, the legs from a hangover not only hurt, but also go numb.

Why is the central nervous system affected?

As mentioned earlier, alcohol not only affects blood vessels, but also affects the human central nervous system, which is accompanied by pain, cramps, involuntary muscle contractions, tremors, etc. Why is this happening? What causes muscles to contract and hurt?

The answer to this question is quite simple. All the described disorders are provoked by a lack of potassium, washed out by alcohol. And this is not surprising.

Unlike other microelements required for the functioning of the body, potassium does not accumulate in it, but is taken from incoming food and delivered to tissues and organs through the bloodstream. Potassium is then excreted by excretory system. Thus, there are no potassium reserves in the body, which leads to an immediate reaction to its deficiency. A person who has developed potassium deficiency faces:

• disorders of muscle and nervous tissue - muscles begin to ache and contract (and in this case both arms and legs hurt);
• decreased reflexes - the body stops obeying;
• decrease in pressure;
• weakness – it becomes difficult for a person to move, apathy appears;
• polyuria;
• intestinal obstruction;
• fluid retention in the tissues and, accordingly, swelling (both legs, arms and back can swell).

As soon as the potassium level is restored, the pain immediately goes away.

How to deal with leg pain

It is quite natural that pain in the legs caused by alcohol consumption should be dealt with. Otherwise, the intensity of the pain will increase, which can ultimately lead to numbness or loss of the lower extremities. And you should start with a complete examination of the patient - only this can clarify what is causing the pain, identify existing diseases and prescribe adequate treatment.

As for relieving a hangover, the following methods can be used for this purpose:

The best way to combat leg pain is to completely abstain from drinking alcohol.

• wearing special compression stockings that have a tightening effect and are excellent for helping with varicose veins;
• limiting the flow of fluid into the body - this will reduce swelling;
• taking warm or hot baths with sea salt - this will improve blood circulation in the lower extremities;
• massage of sore areas (you need to start the massage with light strokes, gradually increasing the pressure);
• enriching the diet with foods containing large amounts of potassium, for example, potatoes, sunflower seeds, bananas, herbs, citrus fruits.

And of course the best way To combat leg pain, you can completely stop drinking alcohol.

Good day to all my readers and subscribers! I won’t surprise anyone now if I say that alcohol causes irreparable harm almost all organs of the body. Sometimes we even underestimate how strong the poison is in alcohol and how it destroys our health.

Traditionally, we expect migraines, dizziness, blood pressure surges, etc. from a hangover. Today I want to tell you why your legs hurt after heavy drinking, what is the reason for this and how can you alleviate this condition?

General symptoms of binge drinking

Of course, it does not happen that binge drinking only manifests itself in painful sensations in the legs. As a rule, this is a whole bunch of symptoms that await an alcoholic.

• Headache;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Dizziness;
• Chills and fever;
• Increased body temperature;
• Limb spasms;
• Hallucinations;
• Insomnia;
• Painful sensations in the gastrointestinal tract;
• Heart arythmy.

Of course, one person cannot experience all the symptoms at the same time. It all depends on the amount you drink and the duration of the binge. But many alcoholics report pain in the legs. Patients characterize their painful condition as “muscle aches, joint twisting, cramps, tingling, burning.”

Let's figure out why your legs hurt after long drinking bout? But let's be honest: if the issue is only short-term pain that periodically occurs after a fair amount of “hot” drinks, then it’s one thing.

Here you can treat your problems folk remedies and various gadgets. If the pain is such that you cannot move and every step causes agony, then you need to undergo diagnostics in a specialized center. This could mean a lot more serious problems than you think!

What dangers does alcohol pose?

The fact is that alcoholism is not just a person’s weak will. This is a real disease, characterized by a gradual change in the entire structure of the body. Long-term alcohol consumption leads to illness of cardio-vascular system, damage to the liver, kidneys, death of brain cells, etc.

The peripheral and central nervous systems are gradually damaged. This is the main reason why leg muscles hurt after heavy drinking. In medicine this is called polyneuropathy. Very serious illness, which is practically impossible to cure.

What does this come from? By drinking small doses, ethyl alcohol is quickly absorbed into the gastric mucosa, from where the toxins then enter the blood. Afterwards, the liver comes to the rescue, because its main task is to filter the blood from all harmful substances that enter our body.

But we're talking about O small doses. In an alcoholic, with systematic long-term use alcoholic drinks, the liver gradually simply ceases to function normally. She is not able to withstand the load and the amount of toxins that the patient throws inside with each new glass.

Where does it hurt?

Gradually begins to be affected nerve endings and brain cells. The patient notices that after binge drinking he is not only tormented by nausea, dryness and loss of appetite, his legs also hurt badly. Their sensitivity intensifies, tingling and burning appear.

The muscles begin to atrophy and every step gives off pain. Sometimes after a binge, a person simply cannot get out of bed. The main causes of pain in the legs of an alcoholic after heavy drinking are:

• Brain cell damage;
• Termination of normal oxygen access;
• Slowing down electrical impulses;
• Venous insufficiency;
• Kidney dysfunction;
• Leaching calcium from the body.

Do not forget also that under the influence of toxins, all cells of the body, bones, organs, cartilage wear out three times faster. With prolonged use of alcohol, small vessels begin to become clogged, impeding normal blood flow. It is for this reason that an alcoholic feels his limbs gradually go numb and his feet become cold. A sudden spasm may occur.

For the same reason, swelling occurs. Moreover, you don’t have to be in a state of long-term drinking to notice that the morning after “ have a fun evening", legs swell. The fact is that the kidneys, like the liver, also play a filtration role. At excessive consumption any alcoholic drink, they stop coping. All the fluid gradually begins to accumulate in the legs, which leads to pain and discomfort.

How to help yourself with leg pain?

We have figured out what causes your legs to hurt when drinking alcohol for a long time. Now all that remains is to decide how to help yourself in this situation? It is unlikely that I will be original if I say that complete abstinence from alcohol will eventually give positive results, and that's all painful sensation, and bad feeling will pass.

Let's be realistic!

Prevention is the key to excellent health!

In addition to such urgent measures that will help relieve leg pain after heavy drinking, I would like to recommend you a number of preventive measures.

• Swimming in the pool will help improve your well-being;
• Light workout in the morning. Yoga or stretching helps a lot in such cases.
• Adjust your diet. Remove salty and smoked foods from it, this can also provoke venous insufficiency and the deposition of salts on the joints.
• Add to diet vitamin complex, which necessarily contains calcium, magnesium and potassium.

And I wish all my readers good health! If you are familiar with the problem of leg pain after drinking alcohol, share how you deal with it. Don't forget to share the link in in social networks and subscribe to new articles!