Why does Beer not like me?

November 21, 2006 8:56 AM

For some reason, the first few sips of beer give me sharp pains in my shoulder and elbow joints. First noticed it a few years ago and forgot all about it until last weekend as I only drink red wine and the occassional pint of cider now.

I have no known allergies at all and the pain in my joints goes away after around about the first half pint of beer. Whether this is due to the alcohol numbing it I don't know. My question is - should I worry about it, especially considering I might have a beer once in a blue moon. Also, any ideas as to why this is happening? Cheers!

posted by twistedonion to food & drink (16 comments total)

Strange. No problem with soda or other carbonated beverages?

Does it happen to both shoulders/elbows, or just the drinking (or not drinking) arm?
posted by Good Brain at 9:28 AM on November 21, 2006

Hey! The same thing often happens to me, but it's my jaw and neck that hurts. No idea why.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:36 AM on November 21, 2006

None that I've been aware of, though I pretty much only drink water, wine and coffee (and cider doesn't really have much fizz). Will try a tin of soda when I get home.

It's kind of hard to describe as it is quite brief though sharp and sore. Now I would say that my weak spot physically is my joints (pains in my knees are pretty regular, and my left shoulder is actually giving me a few issues at the minute (feels like it's not sitting in it's socket right, but nothing too painful.... though now that I think about it the pain is quite similar!?!).

Both shoulders and elbows get sharp pain though it's mainly my shoulders. Maybe it's worth mentioning that I also would get pains in my finger joints if the weather is too cold. So, yeah, my joints are not great... but the Beer thing is just strange I'd love to work out the reason.
posted by twistedonion at 9:40 AM on November 21, 2006

sorry, my last message was in reply to Good Brain, thanks
posted by twistedonion at 9:41 AM on November 21, 2006

my first thought would be temperature, not alcohol -- but that's based on the frosty cold temperature at which i am accustomed to drinking canned/bottled beer in the U.S. it may not be relevant, if you're drinking pints in belfast, but you could chug a glass of ice water and see if it triggers the same thing.
posted by sonofslim at 10:01 AM on November 21, 2006

In the context of other joint pain, it sounds like gout, which you might want to get checked out for.

The corpse in the library: how long has that been happening? Has it been getting worse? Are you having any other inexplicable health issues, in particular night sweats, itching, or sudden chills?
posted by myeviltwin at 10:21 AM on November 21, 2006

I get the same, but in the back of my jaw, just under my ears. I always assumed it was some sort of gland reacting to the flavor/acids or some such thing. ???
posted by afx114 at 10:54 AM on November 21, 2006

I used to get that shoulder pain when I drank wine. I always assumed it was the alcohol acting as a muscle relaxant - tension ebbing abruptly, or something.
posted by scratch at 11:05 AM on November 21, 2006

Yeah, check the carbonation angle.

Because it sounds like gas to me.
posted by CoffeeCake at 2:39 PM on November 21, 2006

Gout is associated with beer drinking, but I get the impression that it's a long term correlation, not a sip:ow correlation.
posted by NortonDC at 2:56 PM on November 21, 2006

I had thought about gout in the past in a previous fit of hypochondria but there is no swelling or redness. Tried a big cold tin of soda when I got home but no pain at all. Also, I always put ice in the Cider so it would be as cold as a beer.

It's strange because I would have put it to the cold as well, my shoulder hurting at the minute is more than likely because we've had our first frosty week.

At least other people seem to get random pain from alcohol (Well, it's not good but reassuring), thanks for the replies!
posted by twistedonion at 3:02 PM on November 21, 2006

Put me down as another one with the "back of my jaw, just under my ears" pain. I've had this all my life, mostly with beer, occasionally with Scotch.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:44 PM on November 21, 2006

myeviltwin -- nope, no other problems. I don't remember how long it's been going on, but several years.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:43 PM on November 21, 2006

Put me down as another one with the "back of my jaw, just under my ears" pain. I've had this all my life, mostly with beer, occasionally with Scotch.

Now that could be malt.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:49 AM on November 22, 2006

My twist on this is that if I drink any alcohol on a very empty stomach, I get sharp, mean pain on the right front side of my shoulder and down my right arm.

Never happens unless I'm starved.
posted by Irontom at 7:27 AM on November 22, 2006

I have gout, and gout doesn't work like this. Gout will give you extreme joint pain -- I think it's like having glass shards coating your joints. Further, there's a good delay between drinking and pain -- the body has to process the beer before it realizes it can't break down the purine and OMG time to cram it in the bloodstream. Gout is also noticably set off by red meat and peas. If you can eat these in any quantity without misery, there's little chance you have the gout.

Perhaps you have an allergy to sulfates?
posted by boo_radley at 3:56 PM on December 14, 2006