Some people experience allergies due to the cold. What are the symptoms and treatments?
It's well known that some people have allergies to certain foods or pollen, but it's less known that some people have allergic reactions to the cold.
Allergic to the cold? It's a real thing and it can even kill
https://theconversation.com/allergic-to-the-cold-its-a-real-thing-and-it-can-even-kill-273984
In some people with cold urticaria, the immune system malfunctions when the skin is exposed to cold, causing symptoms such as hives, swelling, and pain. Some people also experience fatigue, fever, joint pain, and in some cases, life-threatening anaphylactic shock .
Cold urticaria was first reported in 1792, and is now estimated to affect a relatively low rate of approximately 6 in 10,000 people . Women are twice as likely to develop it than men, and the average age of onset is known to be in the early 20s, although cases have been reported in children as young as two . Fortunately, 24-50% of people with cold urticaria can expect their symptoms to improve or even fully recover over the course of several years.
The trigger for cold urticaria is cooling of the skin, which can be caused not only by cold weather but also by swimming, contact with cold objects, or ingesting ice or cold drinks. Taylor pointed out that cold urticaria is a risk for patients undergoing surgery where body temperature is lowered by anesthetics and the room is intentionally cooled.
There are two main types of cold urticaria. The most common is 'primary cold urticaria,' which accounts for approximately 95% of cases. In most cases, the cause is unknown, except in rare cases where
The reason for the onset of primary cold urticaria is unknown, but it is known that mast cells are involved in the mechanism. Mast cells act as sentinels in body tissues, including the skin, by first responding to external stimuli and transmitting danger signals to the immune system.
One theory is that cold urticaria sufferers' exposure to cold triggers autoallergens in their own tissues, triggering an immune response. This activates mast cells, which then release histamine , a substance that acts as a warning to immune cells.
When histamine is released, the blood vessels in the affected area expand, making plasma components more likely to leak out, resulting in swelling and itching. Normally, this response pushes immune cells out of the blood and into the surrounding tissues to fight pathogens, but in the case of cold urticaria, this is simply a false alarm and is meaningless.
Doctors diagnose cold urticaria by applying ice to the forearm of a patient suspected of having it and observing the patient's reaction after removing the ice. This test must be performed by a medical professional, as anaphylaxis occurs in approximately 20% of cases. However, not all patients have a significant reaction, and people living in warmer climates don't experience low temperatures in the first place, so the number of actual cases may be higher than those diagnosed.
If a patient is diagnosed with cold urticaria, doctors will measure, depending on the availability of measuring equipment, how quickly the skin reacts to cold and symptoms appear, and the temperature at which symptoms are likely to occur. This information can help patients prevent the onset of cold urticaria.
As with other allergies, cold urticaria can be treated with antihistamines, but many cold urticaria sufferers find that standard doses are insufficient. In some cases , up to four times the standard dose is needed, but caution is advised as some antihistamines have sedative effects. Corticosteroids can also be effective, but Taylor noted that long-term use can cause side effects such as weight gain, indigestion, and mood changes.
Omalizumab , which targets immunoglobulin E, a hormone involved in mast cell activation, is effective in treating cold urticaria. Some studies have also shown that desensitization, which involves gradually exposing the skin to cold temperatures over a period of hours or days to suppress the allergic reaction and histamine release, may be effective, but most of the studies are small.
'It's important to remember that for some people, the cold isn't just uncomfortable, it's truly dangerous,' said Taylor. 'Understanding and recognizing cold urticaria could mean the difference between life and death.'
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in Free Member, Science, Posted by log1h_ik