Veisalgia

There is no consensus definition of veisalgia ("alcohol hangover," from the Norwegian kveis, or "uneasiness following debauchery," and the Greek algia, or "pain"). Most descriptive and experimental studies have identified a set of common symptoms: headache, diarrhea, anorexia, tremulousness, fatigue, and nausea[…]. Perhaps the most alarming feature of veisalgia is its high prevalence. In a study of college students, 25% of students reported experiencing a hangover in the previous week and 29% reported losing school time for hangover recovery.

Ms. J may be caught in the vicious cycle of headache related to a hangover, drinking more to relieve the headache and tremor (perceived as anxiety), daytime sleeping, and using the alcohol to try and induce sleep at night. The tremulousness, which the patient experiences as anxiety, is also part of the veisalgia syndrome.

Patients with alcohol hangover or veisalgia (from the Norwegian kveis or "uneasiness following debauchery" and the Greek algia or "pain") suffer from fatigue, insomnia, diarrhea, headaches, dry mouth, malaise, and nausea in addition to autonomic hyperactivity (tremor, sweating, tachycardia, and hypertension)[…].