Many people, for some reason, hesitate or do not want to consult a doctor with various questions, including one that affects the compatibility of alcohol with vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, rabies or other infections that threaten a person with mortal danger. Often the situation develops in such a way that the day for vaccination falls on a date that was set aside for a party or event. And then the vaccinated patient is faced with a difficult choice - to take alcohol or not?
The most developed countries, in which medicine is becoming widely available and modern, long ago got rid of horrific epidemics and pandemics that easily claimed tens of thousands of human lives. Feeling a certain security and being in a society with an intensive pace of life, a person begins to take the vaccination procedure more lightly. However, there are enough myths about the dangerous effects of alcohol on humans.
Meanwhile, alcohol has a detrimental and negative effect on the entire human body, it cannot cure a person from various diseases (which some people are sure of), especially those that are of an infectious nature.
Varieties of vaccinations
There is a whole list of vaccines that need to be administered to an adult. Also, those vaccinations that were made in childhood, over time, cease to be effective, which will require re-vaccination.
- HPV. This vaccine is required to be given to girls aged 11 to 26 three times. The papillomavirus can result in a cancerous tumor of the cervix.
- Hepatitis A or B. Different vaccines are used for injection. Hepatitis A is given to healthcare professionals and people who have some problems with liver function, alcohol and drugs. Vaccinating against hepatitis B is important for those people who are not particularly picky about sex and regularly change partners.
- Flu. This vaccine should be given to young people and adults. In particular, it is required to vaccinate citizens who work in public places with high traffic (waiters, doctors, workers of social funds, sellers).
- Encephalitis. This is a pathology that threatens a person with mortal danger or disability. The most effective protection is provided by vaccination. The vaccine must be given before a person plans to travel to an area where the risk of infection is very high. Most often, vaccination takes two stages.
- Rabies. Such an injection must be given to persons at risk of infection. The patient receives six injections over the course of three months.
- An injection against tetanus, pertussis or diphtheria pathogens. This vaccine is administered once every ten years. If a woman is carrying a child, and more than a decade has passed since the previous vaccine, then it will be necessary to vaccinate before the onset of childbirth (in the second or third trimester).
- Mumps, rubella, or measles. In fact, this vaccination is carried out in childhood, but if one of the stages of vaccination was missed, and an adult did not suffer any of these diseases, then immunization must be performed urgently.
- Chicken pox. If an adult suffers from this disease, then in comparison with a younger age, the process of the course of the disease is more difficult. In addition, chickenpox in an adult can result in serious complications. Consequently, those persons who did not have chickenpox in childhood are required to be vaccinated. The disease can lead to shingles, and therefore people over the age of 60 need to get an injection of the vaccine too.
Why you need to vaccinate an adult
Children's hospitals and educational institutions exercise strict control to ensure that the mandatory vaccination schedule is strictly observed. Many people are under the misconception that only children should be vaccinated. Due to the correct approach to this process and government assistance, it was possible to reduce to almost zero the likelihood of developing infectious epidemics in countries where medicine is available to everyone and is at a high level of development.
Most often, after some time, the effect of the vaccine ends, therefore, it will be necessary to perform revaccination so that the person is still protected from various infections. Considering that a large number of adults have a habit of relieving stress or fatigue with alcohol, vaccination can change the established way of life for some time.
The importance of vaccination and the advice given by your doctor should not be taken lightly!
Self-medication and ignoring medical requirements often turns into serious deterioration in well-being, health problems.
Why is it forbidden to take alcohol after vaccination
The vaccination process quite intensively affects the human body, exerting a strong stress on it. Immunity responds sharply to dangerous agents that enter the body, rapidly producing large amounts of antibodies. Thus, a strong and stable immune system is formed.
In order for the stage of the formation of immunity and its protective function to proceed as calmly, painlessly and correctly as possible, it is important that the general state of human health is good. Preventive procedures aimed at preventing chronic diseases, a strong immune system help the body to safely overcome the first stages after vaccination.
Fact!Even when alcohol is taken in minimal quantities, it has a depressing effect on the immune system and performance of the internal systems and organs of a person.
Despite the fact that ethanol does not interact directly with those drugs contained in the vaccine, alcohol reduces the ability of the immune system to perform a protective function, and the production of antibodies becomes less effective. Therefore, drinking alcohol can reduce the effect of the supplied vaccine. Immunity, being in this case weakened, is unable to produce the required volume of antibodies, which can lead to side effects or even complete infection with the agent after vaccination.
What is the risk of drinking alcohol after vaccination
Now medicine is gradually moving away from the use of "live" viruses in the process of vaccination. Either way, even those vaccines that are considered "non-living" can lead to some complications or side effects that can be quite unpleasant. According to statistics provided by WHO, the body of a healthy person reacts negatively to the vaccine in only 1% of all cases.
This means that out of a hundred people who have been vaccinated, only one will experience unwanted side effects of the vaccine. Drinking alcohol significantly increases the likelihood of ailments associated with a weakened immune system during the action of the vaccine.
Among those who frequently drink alcohol, more than thirty percent may experience concomitant ailments after vaccination.
An overly negative reaction can occur after drinking alcohol, if the vaccination was performed against the following diseases:
- measles;
- tick encephalitis;
- tetanus;
- hepatitis A;
- rabies;
- diphtheria.
Most often, the following concomitant negative manifestations of the vaccine occur:
- diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders, vomiting;
- increased body temperature;
- sore throat, pain syndrome and cough;
- swelling at the injection site;
- increase or decrease in blood pressure, arrhythmic manifestations;
- a flu-like condition;
- loss of consciousness and dizziness;
- difficulty breathing;
- pain in the musculoskeletal system.
At the same time, the process when the immune system adjusts to a foreign agent lasts from a couple of days to 2 weeks. During this time, patients may experience excessive sleepiness, lack of appetite, excessive sweating, and weakness. At this stage, the "unfamiliar" infection is recognized by the body. If ethanol enters the blood at the indicated time, this can reduce the production of antibodies, which means that the virus strain will be blocked less efficiently than required. Also, drinking alcohol after vaccination can turn into completely unpredictable consequences, which will lead not only to complications, but also to real infection.
It is most dangerous to drink alcohol after having been vaccinated against hepatitis, rabies, measles and tetanus. Some diseases require vaccination, which is done in several steps, and it is most important to pay attention to how you feel on the first day of vaccination and the next 2-3 days.
Vaccination against the rabies virus lasts for three months, and during the established period it is absolutely forbidden to take alcohol, even in minimal quantities.
Often, vaccination against hepatitis is combined with vaccination against the causative agent of diphtheria. In this case, immunity retains its protective function for 10 years. Vaccination is carried out in several stages, which take about six months.
How long after vaccination can you drink alcohol?
Besides the fact that alcohol can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system, it is an excellent breeding ground for pathogens. Doctors who are loyal to the patient sometimes allow him to take a symbolic glass of good wine a few days after vaccination.
But it should be borne in mind that if vaccination is carried out against the infections mentioned above, even a small dose of alcohol can lead to an urgent need to hospitalize the patient and to prolonged therapy. Any person himself is responsible for his own health. Alcoholic drinks are not a food product that is necessary to maintain vital functions, so abstinence for some time will only result in benefits for a person, and the immune system will work more efficiently.
By following the doctor's recommendations, the patient will be able to prevent the occurrence of serious complications, and the vaccine will be as effective as possible.