Five years ago, I started with cold urticaria (and it became cold/cholinergic a few years later). I don’t think it was ever really external temperature-based (except that one time I walked near a Costco refrigerator), as I’ve stood outside at midnight in the winter and been OK before.
I think mine, even now, is more of an internal shift in temperature, like if I’m exercising and sweating or if a rogue breeze sends chills down my back. Does anyone else have cholinergic urticaria in this way?
I feel like everyone’s posts that I read are more, like, “Don’t go outside if it’s below 40 degrees”…
-Elle
Hivesguy says
Hello Elle,
For most people with cholinergic urticaria, just walking into a hot room or placing something warm on the skin won’t necessary cause an immediate reaction (but it could quickly lead to one). It’s kind of like what you said: It’s when the body decides to respond to the temperature by taking action (sweating, for example). When the body becomes warm enough to induce a sweat response, that’s when most people get the reaction. Having said that, most people know that walking into a hot room will eventually cause a hives reaction, so they are probably uncomfortable about the situation.
I try to understand it this way: When your body finally gets too hot, the hypothalamus reacts by sending signals to cool it. When the sweat glands receive this signal, for some reason, it causes a breakdown of mast cells (often instead of sweating), and this is what causes the itching. I assume it’s the same with cold urticaria: when the hypothalamus initiates shivering (in an attempt to warm the body back up), that’s when the reaction happens.
I hope that helps! Sorry you have both of these conditions.
Elle says
Thanks for the insight. 🙂 It didn’t let me know that anyone responded. I must have missed a box somewhere or another.
Hivesguy says
You’re very welcome.