[research] Alcohol reduces pain, says systematic review | Journal of Pain Relief

Taken together, findings suggest that alcohol is an effective analgesic that delivers clinically-relevant reductions in ratings of pain intensity, which could explain alcohol misuse in those with persistent pain despite its potential consequences for long-term health. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings for clinical pain states.

Source: http://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(16)30334-0/fulltext