I am an ultra runner (I run anything over 26.2 miles – a marathon) who suddenly has mild hives showing up on my arms (2 weeks now, and diagnosed one week ago), and if I rub my under my eye to remove my sweat, I have get burn marks from where I rubbed (seems like dermatographia).
I have researched a lot about this, and I realize that my case is extremely mild. My right arm just looks like goosebumps a little. Long story short, I am not taking any medicine except for Singulair and plan on staying that way until it is absolutely necessary.
Needless to say I am scared to death that this will change my whole athletic life. I take running extremely seriously, I cannot stop – it is part of who I am. I still run daily with lifting too.
So, my question: if I run outside now, in the winter, and then enter into a warm car or home is this dangerous? Should I wear Vaseline or something on my face for moisture or does this block pores and cause hives on my face? It seems from what I read that winter time is more unbearable for those with heat hives due to the core body temperature’s extreme fluctuation from cold to hot.
Should my runs stay inside during the winter? I run on trails in the woods and want to make sure I am safe. I do not have anaphylaxis – but am I allowed to continue running if I get hives (goosebumps) on my arms and under my eyes? I do.
Thank you so much everyone!
-Newbie
Hivesguy says
Hello, Newbie.
It’s impossible to say how your hives might react to running, because allergic conditions (and hives) can be unpredictable. You could be fine today, and two weeks from now, your hives could disappear altogether or erupt into an awful anaphylactic shock reaction like you’ve never experienced before. Or they could stay the same for years.
The best-case scenario is that running in the winter produces the same symptoms you have now. The worst-case scenario is a severe reaction that lands you in the hospital (or dead). With cholinergic urticaria, it seems that people with anaphylaxis are probably in the minority, but they do exist.
If you’re worried, I’d definitely look into getting an Epi-Pen (in the chance you do start experiencing severe symptoms), and I’d recommend discussing this with your doctor, too.
People with cholinergic urticaria sometimes use “sweat therapy” to ease the symptoms of their hives. Some use a portable sauna during winter months to heat up quickly so as to get the sweat out, and then they work out and do other things. Again, that isn’t something that works for everyone (some people can’t get the sweat out with this method, some continue to itch after having a reaction, and some have anaphylaxis issues).