SMART NEWS

Hungover? There’s a Cure for That No Matter Where You Live

There are some things that are universal—trade, money, shelter, hangovers

Contributor

January 3, 2013

There are some things that are universal—trade, money, shelter, hangovers. And there are cures for hangovers from all over the world. National Geographic reports:

Suggestions range from greasy breakfasts to vanilla milkshakes to spending time in a steamy sauna. A friend insists hot peppers are the only way to combat a hangover’s wrath. Another swears by the palliative effects of a bloody mary. In fact, many people just have another drink, following the old “hair of the dog that bit you” strategy.

They’ve put together a graphic that shows how to cure that pounding headache no matter where you are. In Germany, you eat pickled herring. In China, you drink strong green tea. In Poland, relief comes in a sour pickle, and in Mexico, it travels by way of shrimp. Hungover in Romania? Try some tripe soup. In the Netherlands, you just drink more beer.

But doctors don’t necessarily agree. Here’s National Geographic again:

Doctors typically recommend water for hydration and ibuprofen to reduce inflammation. Taking B vitamins is also good, according to anesthesiologist Jason Burke, because they help the body metabolize alcohol and produce energy.

Burke should know a thing or two about veisalgia, the medical term for hangover. At his Las Vegas clinic Hangover Heaven, Burke treats thousands of people suffering from the effects of drinking to excess with hydrating fluids and medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“No two hangovers are the same,” he said, adding that the unfavorable condition costs society billions of dollars-mostly from lost productivity and people taking sick days from work.

And really, as we all unfortunately know, only time will soothe the hangover beast, no matter where you are.