More and more researches have demonstrated a strong link between alcohol consumption and pain. Different drinking patterns have different effects on the outcome and development of acute or chronic pain. In order to clarify the above effects, the hyperalgesia after alcohol withdrawal was analyzed, so as to provide new ideas for treatment. In this review, the drinking quantity, drinking mode and frequency of alcohol consumption were discussed. Long‑term moderate drinking can be mediated by γ‑aminobutyric acid (GABA) to inhibit chronic pain. However, long‑term excessive alcohol intake leads to the imbalance of central endogenous opioid system, leading to hyperalgesia during acute withdrawal. Short‑term acute alcohol intake can achieve short‑term analgesic effect by enzyme regulation, while long‑term moderate or excessive alcohol intake can prolong postoperative pain duration by enhancing receptor phosphorylation. More accurately population‑based self‑reports of alcohol consumption and pain are needed in future studies in order to explore the effects of alcohol consumption on pain and pain on alcohol consumption and its mechanisms, and to provide clues for clinical treatment of alcohol dependence, chronic pain, and withdrawal‑induced hyperalgesia.