Dangers of Alcohol on Fibromyalgia Patients
Despite its benefits, there are dangers and adverse effects that can arise when fibromyalgia patients take alcohol depending on individual tolerance or when consumed excessively:
Alcohol increases pain
Some patients of fibromyalgia find that drinking alcohol only increases pain. This is because alcohol can raise inflammation levels and affect the pain quotient, among other symptoms.
Alcohol affects sleep patterns and quality
Although alcohol can aid in sleep, it has an adverse effects on sleep patterns and quality. Alcohol is known to disturb the delicate balance between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. The brain, however, needs both. Alcohol can also make people wake up often during the night and can worsen sleep apnea and ruin the quality of sleep.
Alcohol is a depressant
Some fibromyalgia patients resort to alcohol as a form of self-medication to numb their depression and pain. However, alcohol, on the contrary, is a depressant which can affect brain chemistry and worsen depression. It also interacts with antidepressants.
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