Could Alcohol Help Ease Chronic Pain?

Beer and Chronic PainPeople who regularly reported having a beer or two appear to be less likely to experience chronic pain, according to researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

According to researchers, adding a beer or two to your regular routine could help ease pain and lessen the handicap caused by chronic pain. For their study, researchers examined 2,239 individuals who suffered from chronic pain caused by fibromyalgia. After taking a closer look at their alcohol consumption habits, researchers discovered that individuals who regularly reported having a beer or two experienced lower levels of disability than chronic pain sufferers who never drank.

“Although we cannot say that alcohol consumption causes less disability among people with chronic widespread pain, the observed link warrants further investigation,” said Gary Macfarlane of the University of Aberdeen.

Alcohol and Chronic Pain

The study asked patients to estimate their weekly alcohol consumption in an effort to see what role alcohol played in the chronic pain equation. Researchers uncovered that individuals who drank between 21 and 35 drinks a week were 67 percent less likely to experience inability to perform certain daily tasks. For reference, one drink was classified as an 8-oz beverage, or about the size of a small glass of win.

Although the findings are interesting, it doesn’t mean you should start pounding beers after dinner. The Arthritis Foundation wrote that moderation is key.

“The important part of that message is that “alcohol in moderation” means one or two glasses of wine, beer or spirits. Not three,” the Arthritis Foundation wrote on their website.

Related source: Mirror.Uk