A hangover is not a health condition, but feelings of discomfort that follow excess drinking of alcohol the night before.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of a hangover are a headache, fatigue, "brain fog", grogginess, and sometimes nausea. In some cases, a hangover can lead to vomiting as the body attempts to expel the residual alcohol that remains in the person`s system.

Cause
Excess alcohol consumption is a health hazard. If you find yourself experiencing a hangover on a regular basis, you could be suffering from alcohol addiction, in which case you should seek immediate medical attention and counseling.

Treatment

Aromatherapy: Rosemary, rose, and fennel are useful essential oils for reducing the effects of a hangover.

Diet: Eat a piece of dry whole grain bread before drinking or before going to bed. This will help absorb alcohol and minimize after-effects. Upon awakening the next morning, drink a glass of orange juice or tomato juice. To counteract the dehydration that results from excess alcohol consumption, drink several glasses of pure, filtered water before going to bed and upon rising, preferably adding the juice of a fresh-squeezed lemon if available.

Herbs: Digestive bitter herbs can help clear a hangover if taken first thing in the morning or last thing the night before. Take 1/4 teaspoon of a tincture combination of digestive bitters or, as an alternative, combine gentian, mugwort, and dandelion root tinctures and take in the same amount.

Homeopathy: Nux vom., Arsen alb., Aconite, Sulfur, and Lachesis are helpful homeopathic remedies.

Nutritional Supplementation: The following supplements are advised: vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and lipotropic factors that contain cysteine and folic acid to aid in liver detoxification.

Supplementing with the amino acid glutamine (2 grams taken in divided doses throughout the day, away from meals) can also help. More importantly, glutamine has been shown to significantly reduce the craving for alcohol in 90 percent of cases.

Alternative Professional Care: If your symptoms persist despite the above measures, seek the help of a qualified health professional. The following professional care therapies have all been shown to be useful for treating hangover: Acupressure, Acupuncture, Environmental Medicine, Magnetic Field Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Reflexology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.