What should I do if my stomach feels uncomfortable after drinking alcohol?

What foods or drinks might help alleviate discomfort after drinking? Some individuals develop gastric mucosal injury following alcohol consumption, while others experience intoxication due to excessive alcohol absorption—leading to neurological changes and symptoms such as severe discomfort, gastric pain, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, and heartburn. How can we effectively relieve these post-alcohol symptoms?

First, practice moderation when drinking alcohol—and never drink on an empty stomach—to prevent gastric mucosal injury before it occurs. Second, if you’ve already consumed a large amount of alcohol and are experiencing discomfort, drink some warm water. For individuals without diabetes, adding a small amount of honey to the warm water—or consuming warm rice porridge—may aid alcohol metabolism and excretion, increase urine output, lower blood alcohol concentration, and thereby reduce alcohol-induced damage.

If alcohol intoxication is severe—particularly if accompanied by intense vomiting or hematemesis (vomiting blood)—seek immediate medical attention at a hospital. Prompt hemostatic treatment can be administered to prevent life-threatening complications. Additionally, intravenous fluid therapy may be used to accelerate alcohol clearance from the body and minimize its toxic effects on vital organs, especially the liver.