It may surprise you after drinking a beer that your joints begin to ache, but if you have certain conditions, drinking beer may trigger inflammation in your joints. Beer is an alcoholic beverage that contains high levels of histamine, alcohol and wheat proteins. If you are histamine intolerant, have alcohol intolerance or are allergic to wheat, you may develop arthritis pain within a few hours of consuming the beverage. Avoid beer and other alcoholic beverages until you can be seen by your doctor.
Histamine Intolerance
Histamine is a chemical that naturally occurs in your body to protect soft tissues from developing infection. During an allergic reaction, your body produces excessive amounts of histamine, which leads to inflammation and swelling. Histamine intolerance occurs when your body is unable to metabolize the chemical properly. Histamine levels increase and lead to common allergy-like symptoms, such as sneezing, nasal congestion, throat irritation and asthma-related symptoms, according to the Michigan Allergy and Asthma Specialists. Histamine intolerance can cause the soft tissues between your joints to become inflamed, leading to pain and pressure in your joints.
Alcohol Intolerance
Alcohol intolerance, also called an alcohol allergy, is an adverse reaction that occurs when you consume alcohol. Most symptoms develop immediately, such as skin flushing, nasal congestion, itchy skin, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, rapid heart rate, abdominal pain and headache, according to MayoClinic.com. During an alcohol allergy, histamine is produced by white blood cells that affect soft tissues, leading to swelling and inflammation.
Wheat Allergy
If you've been diagnosed with arthritis, you may be at greater risk of developing joint aches from drinking beer. According to the Center for Food Allergies, food allergies are the primarily cause of arthritis pain. Beer is made from various grains, including wheat. Wheat is considered one of the most common food allergens. After you drink a beer, your immune system overreacts and attacks the wheat proteins with immunoglobulin E antibodies, which in turn trigger the production of histamine, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Joint aches from a food-related allergic reaction may take up to 24 hours before symptoms develop.
Treatment
Treatment begins with properly identifying and receiving clinical diagnosis of your condition. Once diagnosed, avoiding foods and beverages that contain the trigger ingredients is the most effective way to avoid symptoms. If you develop joint aches, you can talk with your doctor about using over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to alleviate the pain.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Alcohol Intolerance
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Histamine and Histamine Intolerance
- Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists: Foods that Contain Histamine
- Center for Food Allergies: Arthritis: Inflammation with a Cause
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: Wheat Allergy
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