- Excessive drinking can have an adverse affect on cervical spondylosis. Alcohol use can give you the illusion of being pain-free after several drinks, but, according to author Shiv Dua, the alcohol will only exacerbate pain and cervical damage once the effect of drunkenness wears off.
- The pain medications and muscle relaxants you take to treat cervical spondylosis may not interact well with alcohol. The muscle relaxant diazepam can actually amplify the effects of alcohol. Codeine, often taken by sufferers as a pain reliever, also should not be taken with alcohol.
- The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm reported in 2008 that moderate alcohol intake could prevent arthritis. However, the report surveyed only those with rheumatoid arthritis, and the results cannot necessarily be generalized to cervical spondylosis.
- Excessive drinking before surgery for cervical spondylosis is also hazardous as alcohol prevents the anesthesia from working properly. Alcohol also thins the blood, which can lead to excess bleeding during the operation.
- Alcohol use should be decreased gradually prior to surgery, according to the Merck Manuals, because a sudden stop to a longtime habit can have adverse effects on the way anesthesia works in your body.
