Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage with many incarnations from various regions of the globe including Germany, Scotland and multiple regions in the United States. But drinking can have various risks associated with it, and many people worry that the sting of whiskey in the back of the throat may be a warning sign of serious problems to follow.
Whiskey Description
Whiskey is a type of liquor that is made from grains and aged in wooden barrels in order to acquire a certain taste. There are many varieties of whiskey based on the type of wood and the length of time the whiskey is stored in a barrel. Whiskey often features a high alcohol volume of 40 percent by volume (80 proof) or more. The drink can be taken on its own as a shot or mixed with water for a pure whiskey flavor, or it can be mixed into other drinks to disguise the whiskey flavoring.
Stinging Sensation
Whiskey is known to cause a stinging sensation in the mouth and the throat when consumed, making it an unappealing drink to many individuals. This stinging or burning sensation in the throat is caused by the alcohol in the drink, which is antiseptic in nature and has a cleaning effect that can irritate and kill germs and cells, including healthy cells in your throat. This can cause some rawness and discomfort in the short-term, and in the long-term it may have other consequences.
Throat Condition Problems and Symptoms
Some throat conditions are identified by a fever, as well as difficulty swallowing or talking. Visible bumps may have developed at the back of the throat, and coughing and wheezing may occur. Mucus often develops and drains down the back of the throat, and this can cause congestion in your chest. A sore throat is a common occurrence when you get the cold or the flu, but soreness or pain in the throat can result from other causes. Strep throat is a very painful condition caused by a bacterial infection, and bronchitis is a chronic irritation of the bronchial tree that can occur through one of several influencing factors such as smoking. In less common cases, sores may develop at the back of the throat.
Conclusion
In the short term, whiskey does not cause any significant damage to the throat. It can dry out the throat, which may cause some irritations and put extra strain on the throat in people who sing or talk frequently. In the long term, though, excessive use of alcoholic drinks like whiskey can increase your risk of cancer in the throat and elsewhere in the digestive tract, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Whiskey increases this risk as much as other liquors of similar alcoholic content -- vodkas and rums, for example -- so while whiskey does cause some negative side effects on your throat, it's the alcohol in the whiskey doing the damage.
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