A hair of the dog, also known as guzzling even more of what laid you low in the first place, might sound counterintuitive but anecdotal evidence suggests it works, if only by delaying the dreaded symptoms for a few hours.

The Japanese refer to this approach as mukaizake, a “morning drink to get rid of a hangover”, while in Denmark they opt for a reparationsbajer, or a “recovery beer”.

Another much-loved morning-after livener is a Bloody Mary cocktail, made with vodka, tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce. Antioxidant-rich tomatoes are a tried and tested way of relieving alcohol-induced agony in many parts of the world.

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Sore-headed Americans chug raw eggs and tomato juice to regain their equilibrium and are partial to prairie oysters, which also contain the detoxifying pairing.

It appears to be a winning combination – studies suggest tomato juice replenishes fluids and electrolytes, and offers protection against liver injury, while the eggs expel toxins and replace vitamins and minerals lost during the previous evening.

Prairie oysters also contain vinegar, which brings us neatly to pickle-based hangover solutions.

Munching on pickles or sipping pickled gherkin brine might sound even less pleasant than the headbanging hangover itself, but for Russians and Poles it’s the only way to go.

The juice contains sodium and potassium and helps restore those much needed electrolytes, depleted after a night’s boozing, and the brine encourages the gulping down of much water.

Queasy Japanese suck on pickled plums – the fermented sour and salty stone fruit is believed to improve liver function and was reputedly eaten by Samurai warriors to cure stomach aches, counter fatigue and cure hangovers.

Germans get their pickle fix from rollmops – salted herring wrapped around pickled gherkins and skewered with a toothpick.

This so-called katerfrühstück (hangover breakfast) is also popular with the Swedes, Dutch and Danes, while, in the Czech Republic, pickled hot dog sausages double as a tangy bar snack and a means to banish hangovers.

The hard-drinking Czechs have another go-to remedy after downing excessive amounts of alcohol, however, and it’s a strategy repeated around the world.

When dehydration has you in its grip and your blood sugar levels are plummeting, what could be more comforting than a bowl of soup? Česnečka, or hangover soup, is a garlic- and potato-based cure-all Czech concoction for many a malady, from the common cold to a head-spinning hangover.

South Koreans are also convinced of the curative powers of soup. Haejangguk refers to any hearty, nutrient-rich broth that “chases away a hangover”.

When they’re not sucking plums, the Japanese turn to miso soup to counter self-inflicted morning trauma. The fermented superfood replaces water, sodium and B vitamins in the body, and replenishes healthy bacteria.

Other countries that place their faith in a humble bowl of soup to provide a post- partying pick-me-up include Colombia, where beefy caldo de costilla is known as levanta muertos, or raiser of the dead.

Multipurpose pho (noodle soup), Vietnam’s national dish, is pressed into action after a heavy night out, and if pickle brine doesn’t work for the Russians, they switch to beetrooty borscht to replace lost minerals such as magnesium, zinc and potassium.

When Mongolians have a thick head they choose either bantan, a soupy stew made of meat and dough crumbs, or pickled sheep eye in tomato juice. It’s not clear whether a so-called Mongolian Mary really aids recovery. Best take it with a pinch of salt – which will replenish your sodium levels if nothing else.

Thailand’s tipplers also believe soups to be hangover cures, and there are plenty of possibilities, from tom kha gai (chicken coconut soup) to spicy tom saap (hot and sour soup), which some say helps to sweat out the alcohol. Others reach for caffeine-rich energy drinks to banish queasiness.

Talking of coconuts, one gentle and delicious way of nursing a fragile digestive system back to health is with fresh coconut water. Far easier on the stomach than spicy soups, the refreshing liquid rehydrates and replenishes sodium, potassium, calcium and electrolytes.

Mineral-rich soil and year-round sunshine mean coconuts from Thailand are deliciously sweet and among the world’s most best. Why swig caffeinated drinks when there’s a 100 per cent natural option available?

Another stomach-soothing way of escaping the clutches of a head-banging hangover is a bowl of rice porridge, or congee. As popular in Asia as coconut water, chao (Vietnam), lugaw (the Philippines) or jok (Hong Kong) is customised with toppings ranging from chicken and salted duck eggs to fried tofu, garlic flakes and spring onions.

When they’re not prepared to wait for a morning-after bowl of congee, Hongkongers have another trick up their sleeve. Hanggone is a health supplement that aims to stop a hangover before it starts and can prevent the ruddy face phenomenon known as Asian flush.

Produced in Hong Kong, the supplement’s main ingredient is, according to manufacturer Alcolear, “a patented alcohol degradation protein extracted from beef liver sourced in Australia”.

Asian flush is known to be caused by acetaldehyde. In the presence of Hanggone, alcohol metabolism does not lead to an increase in acetaldehyde, claims Alcolear.

When 50 per cent of British drinkers need to get back to normal after a late night “bender”, they smear Marmite over toast (only 50 per cent, because the other half can’t stand the stuff). The gloopy black yeast extract contains a roll-call of hangover hinderers including sodium, B vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Novices should proceed with caution and non-Britons might consider a throbbing head, nausea and dizziness to be a less unpleasant experience.

In truth the only cure for a hangover is time, so your best bet is to take a couple of painkillers, gulp down a gallon of water and go back to bed.

And if that doesn’t do the trick, there’s always pickled sheep eye in tomato juice.