About a month and a half ago my back, chest, neck and arms broke out with little goose bumps. At first I thought they would just go away. But then I noticed that whenever my body temperature rises, they itch uncontrollably–not so much itch but feel prickly.
This happens if I exercise, feel anxious, get angry or simply get into a hot car. The bumps are very small and depending on the light you might not even see them, but they are definitely there. I have been to two doctors who both told me that it is keratosis pilairis, and from pictures it does look very similar.
However, everything I’ve read about keratosis says its benign. The itching only happens in the locations where I have bumps and during an attack I get no red marks or wheels or anything like that. As soon as I cool down it stops. Also, the areas where I have the bumps I can’t sweat. But I still sweat everywhere else normally.
I have three kids and it’s ruining my life. I can’t play catch with my son or mow the lawn. Fortunately, I don’t have a physical job but it’s really effecting everything else. Does this sound like anything anyone out there has had?
Please help,
Josh
John says
Hmmmm…don’t want to contradict your doctors, but it does sound like cholinergic urticaria. If it is you are at the right place. I remember it was quite alarming when I first had an attack. Please be reassured, we are all sympathetic and understand how you are feeling, and if it is CU you are going to be fine, and it is benign although very uncomfortable and distrubing. Most like though you will find a cure for your problem. Don’t despair, and every time you have an attack just remind yourself it is temporary and will pass. Lucky you because some people have serious illnesses that don’t pass and you are not one of them. I have had it for 40 years and there are lots of things you can do to help yourself, but lucky for you that nowadays there is a site like this to discover answers that just were not available a few years ago.
Josh says
Thank you for the reassurance. I know there are people with far worse conditions. I actually found that carrying a water bottle around and splashing a little on my back when I have an attack calms it down. I live in the the northeast, at the beach actually. This didn’t start for me until after the summer. How does everyone cope in the summer or in the heat? I did order the book so I will be reading up on it.
Hivesguy says
Hello Josh,
Sorry to hear about the itching/prickling. It’s difficult to say with 100% certainty of what may be causing your issues, but there are a few things I’ll mention. First, I’ve written on this site before about cholinergic urticaria and keratosis pilaris. It’s not uncommon for people with CU to have KP. That doesn’t mean you have both, though, but that it is quite common. Not all people with KP have CU, but many with CU seem to have KP.
Second, it’s always possible that you have some variant of miliaria. There are different types, and they all involve the blockage of sweat pores at some level (either superficially or otherwise). I think I have an article about that on this site. The difference with miliaria, however, is that it is usually only temporary and can usually be treated with antibiotics or other meds. CU cannot be treated with antibiotics, and aside from removing food allergens or other possible causes, most people are left trying to mask symptoms through antihistamines or sweat therapy.
Third, it’s possible you have cholinergic urticaria, but the symptoms haven’t become extremely pronounced as of yet. When I first had CU, my major symptom was the prickling/itching feeling and some flushing. It later became much more visible with the pinpoint hives.
I hope that helps give you some answers. An allergist or dermatologist would be your best bet to get a definite diagnosis and tell you more about medicinal treatment options. For now, hang in there and try not to let it get you down. I believe you will find ways to make whatever you have get better or go away.
Anonymous says
Thank you Hivesguy. Your site has been very helpful and comforting to me over the last few days. I went to the dermatologist yesterday (they only had me see a PA) and she basically had no idea what CU was. However, they did do a biopsy and are having me come back in 2 weeks. I did take your suggestion to contact an allergist, I had not even thought of that. I’ve had KP on the backs of may arms my whole life. I never treated it since it really didn’t both me. The thing I have now spread over my whole back, neck and chest in maybe 2-3 days. You have to really look to see it though. It’s almost as if the bumps are obstructing the sweat as there are so many of them. Thanks again for your help.
Hivesguy says
You’re welcome. I hope you get it under control soon.
Josh says
Higesguy, I finished your book this weekend and had a few questions if you don’t mind. First of all, thank you for writing it. It has been very helpful.
1. As to sweat – when you first started exercising were you not able to sweat from anywhere? I tried running yesterday. It was only 55 degrees out which may have helped but I was able to run until I physically couldn’t (which isn’t very long for me since exercise had not previously been part of my routine). Maybe 20 minutes. I started having an attack, but it was mild and I could push through it. This was really suprising. Also, I could sweat from my head but not my back and chest. As I said before, I have a goosebumps like rash on my back and chest.
2. Have you ever woken up with a tingling sensation on the areas where you get hives? This has been happening to me on a nightly basis. The tingling is nothing compared to an attack. It’s more of an annoyance and goes away after a few minutes. Very strange. No hives or flushing. And it’s only on my back.
3. I trying to deal with this understanding that it may be for the long term. The weather here is cool fall weather right now. But I’m very worried about summer. I’ve read that humidity actually helps, but how have you dealt with the heat?
4. As to your diagnosis, did a doctor actually tell you what you have or did you have to convince them and then they agreed?
5. Finally, diet seems to be the root cause for you and helped you rid yourself of this condition. Have you heard of people who one day woke up and this was just gone? Sort of like how it arrived ?
Thanks again for your help. Josh
Hivesguy says
Hi Josh. To answer your questions:
1. I couldn’t get any sweat out at that specific time, but eventually I did begin to sweat when eliminating allergens and exercising. I had Cu for over 10 years (on and off), and at some points during that period, I could sweat in some areas.
2. I could get hives anywhere (from my head to legs). I often did wake up in a prickly/itchy hives reaction. I wouldn’t call it tingling but more like a prickling feeling. Sometimes I even had to rub water on my body or jump in the shower to stop the reaction in the middle of the night.
3. Some people’s CU actually goes away or improves during the summer, and they sweat regularly. It all depends on how your body reacts. The tips in my book discuss all I know about the different ways to treat it or suppress symptoms, and those treatment options can work for any season.
4. Doctors had no clue what was wrong with me initially. One later agreed that I had CU after discussing it with him. Many doctors are still ignorant of the condition, and most are less concerned with causes or diagnosis as they are with throwing a medication at it. A diagnosis is usually made after examining signs or hearing of symptoms. There is not an actual test where doctors can withdraw blood or something as with other disorders. When most doctors diagnose someone with Cu, it usually isn’t done with much formality. The doctor may say something like, “You probably have cholinergic urticaria.” There is something called an exercise challenge test, but doctors rarely use it when diagnosing CU.
5. Cu can spontaneously go away, and even cancer has been known to do that. As I said in the book, mine actually went away for a while, but they came back much worse (and now stays gone with my diet and other things I mention). You never know how or when it may go away. For most people, I assume it just becomes less and less of an issue and they notice they don’t react at all eventually. However, many have it chronically for years or decades.
Hope that helps.
Helen1668 says
The day hives leave me alone
It is not easy to figure out what the triggers are. Everyone has a different trigger. First, we have to understand what causes the break out of hives. There are a few factors involved: preservatives, pesticides, hormone imbalance, acid-alkaline imbalance, environment, diet, lack of exercise and stress.
When you are having a break out of hives. You got to avoid food like Gluten, Dairy, Refine sugar, and Nuts (except walnuts). Follow by going on a vegetarian diet for a month. Reduce your meat to less, but lean meat or preferable fish. Avoid any deep fried foods. Eat lots of vegetables, fruits and drink lots of water.
As for my personal experience, I have changed my diet entirely; whether I like it or not. I started to have hives during my peri-menopause which was 2 years ago. Everything seems to come to me, hives, back pain, problem standing long hour, walking long distances and could not do any garden work or heavy duty work like lifting 10bs or more objects. It drove me nuts and it seemed like the whole world is attacking me. Very depress and helpless.
I visited many different doctors and specialist those days. They all keep trying me on medications and cream. It was a temporary fix and the hives come back all the time. I was very frustrated and angry. Then I decided to tackle my health problems myself. I started with treating hives as it is the worst of all health problem I had. I rolled up my sleeves to start looking information online. I did research after research every day and gather all the information till I like to understand the hives issues. Then I started to apply the issues on me. But, this time it is all natural products and no side effects.
If you are serious with your hives, you should try out the following.
Morning
After brushing teeth, drink a glass of water. Ten minutes later, drink a glass of water with 1/8 tsp of sea salt. Fifteen minutes later, drink a glass of water with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar.
A half hour later, you can have your breakfast.
Breakfast: banana, quick oat, golden raisin, walnuts, chopped green onion, cilantro and dill. Take 1 capsule of Cod liver oil (1000mg), 1 chewable 1 Vitamin C 500mg, 1 chewable Extra strength calcium antacid (750mg) and
1 Vitamin D (1000 IU).
Lunch: Salad – any green vegetable, tomato, carrots, celery and sunflower seeds. Meat: Fish or any lean meat (No deep fried). Drink a glass of water with ¼ tsp of baking soda. Take 1 capsule of Cod liver oil (1000mg).
Lunch snack: Dried black fungus (you can purchase from a Chinese Herbs store). In a big bowl, soak 1/3 package of black fungus in water overnight. Boil it for 1 hour with medium heat until soft. Eat 3 to 4 big piece of this fungus. It is the best detox for your body.
Snacks drink: To stop the hot flash or warm temperature in your body. You could eat a kind of dried fruit called Lo Han Goa ( dried mangosteen). You can purchase this from a Chinese Herb Store. In a pot, add 8 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Break 1 dried Lo Han Goa into small pieces. Add these pieces into the boiling water and boil with low heat for another 15 minutes and let cool. Drink it as a tea. This would last for 4 to 5 days. Drink it everyday.
Dinner: Fruit salad – any fresh fruits and a touch of salad dressing.
Meat – Fish or any lean meat and mash potatoes or sweet potatoes or yam. Drink a glass of water. Take 1 capsule of Cod liver oil, ½ chewable calcium ( ½ of 750mg) and 1 Vitamin D (1000 IU).
Soup : Any soup add sea weed to the soup.
Bedtime: 2 hours before bedtime drink a glass of warm water with lemon juice.
Baking soda to remove pesticides on vegetables and fruits
Soak all vegetable and fruits in a sink full of water with ½ tsp of baking soda for 20 minutes and rinse of with water prior to consuming.
Detox bath
Add ¼ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup of Epsom salt and ¼ cup of sea salt to a hot tub. Soak it before bedtime for at least 20 minutes. This detox bath is drowsy. Do this twice a week for 2 months, once a week for 2 months, once every two weeks for 2 months and gradually once a month.
Stop the itchy area
Apply very salty water (use only sea salt) on the itchy area.
With the above method, you will definitely see improvement.
It is lots of work, but you will get used to it! You will adapt to it after a while and it will become a good habit…
ONCE THE DAY THE HIVES LEAVE YOU, YOU SHOULD DO THE ABOVE EVERYDAY TO KEEP IT FROM COMING BACK AND FOR YOUR HEALTH.
Special tonic to keep sickness away
Now I added another tonic daily.
Boil the following and add honey to it.
Cut a big piece of ginger root, 5 big whole garlic (not cloves).
In a blender, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of fresh lemon juice, add in the ginger roots and garlic. Blend it and filter the liquid mixture in a cloth bag and squeeze out the juice. Boil it for 150 minutes with medium heat, let it cool down for 1 hour. Add in some honey to make it easy to drink. Pour in a tight container and eep in the fridge. Every morning before breakfast, take 1 tbsp of this tonic. This is to unblock your blood vessels to allow smooth flow of blood and prevent blood clot. Therefore, sickness will leave you alone!
After drinking this tonic my back pain is gone.
Simple Exercise
– Swing both your hands while standing for 10 minutes.
– Walk with your toes for 5 minutes.
– Stand with your feet on your shoulder width, stretch your two hands out squad (just like you were in a sitting position) till you feel your heart beat fast repeat 10 times or till you feel tired.
– Move your head to the left, right, front, up, down for 5 minutes and rotate your neck around left slowly 5 times and right slowly 5 times.
– Stretch your both hands out and top and front repeat 5 times.
Good Luck and stay healthy everyone!
Anonymous says
Wow Helen, thank you for the detailed reply. I have read briefly about the benefits of apple vinegar and Cod Oil, as well as baking soda. I will definitely keep your diet and hygiene suggestions in mind. Unfortunately, with my job and 3 little kids, I’m lucky to get the time to take a 5 minute shower, let alone a bath! But it would be nice! I have already started upping the fish and veggies in my diet for other health reasons. I will probably look into some of your other suggestions. Which Cod oil do you recommend? There are some mixed opinions online. Thank you for your advice.