Hello Everyone!
I am trying a new “experiment” recently to see if it will have any effect on my heat rash. So far, it looks like the anti-candida treatment did virtually nothing for the hives. They are about the same. But hey, it was worth a shot.
So I thought I would forge ahead & try some other possible things to see if they help at all. I am still keeping the same basic premise that there is a very good chance the sweat pores/glands are blocked.
If they were blocked by Candida, theoretically the anti-candida treatment should have done the trick. So since it apparently isn’t blocked by Candida, it could still be blocked by other things (such as bacteria, etc.).
This past Monday I was watching an episode of House M.D., and a patient had these red bumps all over her chest (it was a form of folliculitis). She got this from being in a hot tub/jacuzzi that didn’t have enough chlorine to control the bacteria present. House did his usual arrogant joking routine, and then for the cure he told her to put on warm vinegar presses & it would resolve the issue in couple of weeks.
So it somewhat intrigued me because I know from my research into blocked hair follicles & sweat glands that in the case of folliculitis, a bacteria usually is the cause, and it clogs the pores & causes a red irritated bump. Again, as I pointed out in a previous post on sweat gland obstruction, depending on the level of bacterial infection (and whether it is a hair follicle or sweat gland), the skin can present with different symptoms and even a heat rash (miliaria) can be different in the exact appearance/symptoms.
So I thought, “What the heck.” I scrounged around in my cabinets for a while, and stumbled upon a large bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar we hardly use (I think white vinegar works as well). I diluted it a bit in a mug (about 75% vinegar to 25% water), and I heated it up. I then rubbed it onto my skin with a washcloth. It was slightly stinging, but nothing major. If you try this, I recommend you dilute it way more with more water to prevent a possible burn from the weak acid in the vinegar.
So I have been doing this for 2 days, and I will continue this treatment for about 2 weeks. The idea is that the acidity of the vinegar could potentially kill a majority of “bad” bacteria on the skin, which could be clogging pores. Vinegar itself is fairly weak acid, but usually enough to help clear bacteria on the skin, etc.
I also have a patch of small “scaly/dry skin” which is a little itchy. I suppose it is eczema/dermatitis, and it will be interesting to see if the vinegar solution will help that as well. Some websites seem to suggest that vinegar can be a good home remedy for various things (acne, eczema, rashes, etc).
After I apply it, I usually keep it on my skin until it dries for a couple of hours. I then take a shower, so that I don’t smell like a big pickle (that is what my wife said before I took a shower hehe).
So anyways, if it doesn’t work I can at least check off another attempt of the quest to cure my hives. I try to remember Thomas Edison when trying to invent the light bulb. It supposedly took him 1,000 attempts of trial & error before he found a good filament that would actually burn long enough to be efficient. When asked about it, he simply said, “”I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.”
So that is the state of mind I try to keep. I am not failing in my quest to cure cholinergic urticaria. I am succeeding in finding ways that WON’T cure it. The odds are in my favor that I will either stumble onto something that helps/cures it, or it will finally go away on its own during the process (in which case I have at least kept my mind occupied and felt like I was doing something positive to help cure it). So I can’t go wrong either way.
Just wanted to update everyone on this little experiment. I will post updates to let everyone know if it helps at all whatsoever. I suspect it would take a week or two to work IF it works at all. The vinegar will have to seep into the pores, kill the bacteria, and the old skin will have to grow out. I will keep my fingers crossed, and I will try to keep my nose closed with a clothespin =).
UPDATE: As mentioned above, this did not help my hives at all, or my eczema. It may work for some skin conditions, but it didn’t help mine at all. Instead, what’s worked to eliminate my eczema and cholinergic urticaria was to simply go through many elimination diet experiments and eliminate foods which were causing my body to react with an inflammatory response. I also work out regularly (about 3 days per week), and take a multi-vitamin, calcium supplement (since I can’t eat dairy), and some vitamin D3. You can read more on my cholinergic urticaria diet page.
dice says
GOOD LUCK OUR KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR!
Caroline says
Quite interesting! I have read about the power of vinegar. Hey- if it can do such a great job cleaning out the junk in the coffee maker…maybe it can do the same with our bodies! Our son who is four has had a terrible time with Eczema since he was a baby. His body has been covered with it and he has itched, bled, cried, not been able to sleep…and been to many specialists. There has never been a lot of support for us and they kept putting him on potent meds including steroids. Finally we gave probiotics a shot and were told to try Vidazorb. They have a kids chewable that he LOVES and eats like candy! God has heard our prayers and given us a miracle with this for sure, bc he hardly has any left now and is so much healthier and happier. He is a spunky little four year old and it has changed our lives. It’s hard to find anything that doesn’t burn the skin with this issue…sorry you are going through this too. You should give this a try too, I cannot believe how quickly he started to show improvement! I truly believe we have to heal the insides first and that there are answers out there, not just medicine that covers up the symptoms. I do believe it has it’s place….but it was not working for us. I am so happy that his Zorbee has helped and am thinking that our whole family should get some for prevention! Thanks for a good article, hopefully this will help you too or one of your readers! Caroline *mommy of two
Ben says
Thanks for the great tips Caroline. I am glad you were finally able to control the eczema. The probiotics sound interesting, and I may give them a try sometime! Thanks again for the comment!
Michelle says
I just found your blog as I am researching the same issues and felt the need to post. I have had cholinergic urticaria/candida for about 3 years now and have been to the derm, allergist, NP and received countless opinions of what people think I should do. I get a rash all over my entire body when my body over-heats. I do not want to go on any OTCs so I’m doing plenty of my own experiments as well. I’m working on a very pure and healthy diet, I’ve started skin brushing before showers and baths, I take epsom salt baths 1-2/wk, I began probiotics for digestive issues and am now contemplating seeing a naturopath to see if I can get tested for candida.
It’s frustrating not knowing what to do to help yourself rid the issue, but also nice to see your blog and know others are going through the same thing.
I look forward to updates!
Ben says
Hello,
I am so sorry you too have to deal with this. I know how frustrating it is not being able to cure yourself, and doctors really don’t know what is going on with our bodies. It sounds like you too are trying various things to see if it helps, and I hope some of it provides some relief for you. Just keep in mind you are not alone, and there are countless others on the forum as well going through this.
Thanks for the great post! Good luck with everything.
Cody says
wow i am not alone ill be trying that vinegar this itching problem is the sweat and we will stop this good work so far but together i think we will get rid of this please contact me, i have a few theories of my own and my doctor cant help so you are my only hope thanks bud
Ben says
Hey Cody,
I am sorry if you too are dealing with itching/hives. I have tried the vinegar thing for a while, and no luck. It hasn’t really helped at all except for making me smell all vinegary.
I am not losing hope, however. I will press forward & try to see if anything else can help it. Good luck to you!