In fact, despite the known consequences, for some people a culture of drinking to excess is very much a part of every celebration.

So, it’s about this time of year we begin to consider once again whether there might be a cure of hangovers.

The search engine Google provides over 100,000 website results for the entry “hangover cures”. It’s an indication that either there are many effective treatments, or on the other hand, nothing really works. Unfortunately, the latter is the case.

Clearly the best way to avoid the problems of an alcohol induced hangover is to practise abstinence or at least moderation. However, there are some simple remedies that might reduce the severity of the symptoms of that morning after agony.

Last year the respected US-based business magazine Forbes published an article titled “Ten Top Hangover Cures”. Some were more mythical than medical; they included concoctions such as extract of prickly pear, said to be able to help overcome nausea, loss of appetite and dry mouth; and tripe soup made from the lining of cow’s stomach with the addition of chilli, garlic and other seasonings.

More likely to be effective are the fluid and electrolyte replacement products. Because despite being liquid themselves, alcohol–containing drinks (wine, beer and so on) actually take water away from the parts of our body which need it most. Drinks containing caffeine such as coffee, tea or cola can do the same.

To help prevent morning-after headaches, alternate your alcoholic drinks with plenty of water. It can be helpful also to drink a long glass of sugar-sweetened cordial, Gastrolyte or an isotonic sports drink before bed. It may not seem like the ideal beverage at the time, but it could prevent that really awful feeling the next day.

If that pain you feel needs a pain reliever, the products with paracetamol are probably the best bet; they’re less likely than aspirin to cause stomach upset. Try a couple of Panadol Clear and pray the noise of the fizz is not too loud for you!

Indigestion or dyspepsia are also often part of the problem caused by too much of a good thing. After a rich meal our stomachs have to work harder and pump out extra acid to help digest the food and alcohol. The pain or discomfort that follows this exercise in overindulgence can also occur with stress, cigarette smoking, pregnancy and some medicines.

Apart from that uneasy, queasy feeling, often symptoms of indigestion include belching or burping and heartburn (known medically as reflux).

If heartburn is the main problem, you might get relief with a liquid antacid like Gaviscon; and a range of potent antacids in tablet form is also now available without prescription. Zantac is one example of such products. For headache and nausea, the combination paracetamol/metoclopramide known as Metomax might help.

For more advice and information tailor-made to your need to cope with the after effects of the festive season, or morning after problems at anytime, ask at your pharmacy for one of the Self Care fact cards titled Headache and Heartburn and Indigestion.

They’re available from pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. You can call 1300 369 772 for the nearest location.

©2007 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia