Cholinergic Urticaria

New to this…

by

Hello, I experienced my first encounter with hives on a cold September run. I had them all over my body really badly.

I didn’t think much of it at the time. However, I went for a hike two days later and experienced it just as bad…it is not December and every single time I have exercised I break out into hives.

It starts as an itchiness on my head and neck, then will most often been my arms and torso. It is extremely discouraging. I met with my doctor who had never heard of something like this and told me to come back in a few weeks if it persists.

I am really not interested in taking medication and am considering an elimination diet but don’t really know where to start…It is encouraging to hear people have been cured of this and I am really hoping for the same outcome… Welcome to suggestions!

Thank you,

Sarah

Comments

  1. Sweat! The only thing that worked for me is sweating on a consistent basis. I just started going to the gym again this week and hitting the sauna and I haven’t had them. The first couple days you’re gonna get itchy at first but once you start sweating, it’s gone

    • Really?! Ok, will try this week each day to workout…Thanks for the suggestion!
      Will let you know how it goes..But I typically get to 15 minutes and have to stop as they get bad!

      • Many people use sweat therapy to help their hives. There are a few articles on this site about it, and I also have a video about it on youtube. I would add that it’s not safe or appropriate for everyone, so I’d recommend that you consult with your doctor and read about the risks/precautions before trying it. Nevertheless, it helps many people with cholinergic urticaria.

  2. My 31 year old son also does the sweat thing on a consistent basis. In addition, he has found that he is very sugar sensitive, and eats no sugar and can’t even eat fruit, other than blueberries and apples. He has also found he is sensitive to caffeine.

    An elimination diet can usually be done by only eating vegetables, cooked or raw. Most people are not allergic to vegetables. Then after being on that for 2 (preferably 3) weeks, begin to add in a new food every few days. It’s not as bad as it seems. My husband and I are vegan, and eat plant based, whole foods, no oil. It’s a very clean and healthy way to eat.

    Since my son has started exercising (in order to break a sweat), and has eliminated sugar and caffeine, he is now his ideal weight and looks fantastic. His skin is clear and healthy-looking. And his CU is sooo much better. Not completely gone, but waaaay better.

    • Did your son have any tests done for allergies or sensitivities? Or did he do an elimination diet?

  3. Hi, please see my October 24th post on this forum. I was cured of CU by adopting a whole-food, plant-based (“vegan”) diet. Modern science is beginning to understand the mechanism as to why this works. CU is an autoimmune disorder. Eating a diet high in fiber serves to regulate the immune system, preventing it from overreacting. This solution is easy, it is inexpensive, and it works. Give it a try.

    • This should be your first step for immediate action. Strictly no animal products. You must feed the right plant based fiber and nutrients to your gut microbiome and eliminate the animal products which feed the wrong bacteria which produce toxins that irritate and inflame. After many years of doing this most of the time I learned I had to do it ALL the time. Please save yourself some suffering. And many other problems will be avoided as well. Start learning on youtube from Dr. Michael Greger at NutritionFacts.com to continue your learning about this. Good luck.

  4. I had cholinergic urticaria throughout all of last winter (I live in Alberta where it gets pretty cold). Once summer came & I started sweating normally it went away. So when it started to get colder this year, I quickly bought a gym membership & forced myself to sweat everyday in an effort to keep the hives away. So far it’s December 3rd & I haven’t had a serious reaction. I do feel a little bit of itching on my head & neck at the beginning of my workout. But after 10 minutes on the cardio bike, I’m sweating normally & feel great. I also watch what I eat, as in sugar & fast food.

  5. I’m like Alex. I live in south Texas and these “stinging” hive feelings only come during the winter months. Thank you for the info and will try anything to slow this down.