Strange winter allergies Patient showed severe allergic reactions to low temperatures

21-year-old woman is allergic to winter

Many people prefer to stay indoors in the winter because they find the cold outside temperatures very unpleasant. In a young woman from Canada, the cold can sometimes even be life-threatening. Because the 21-year-old suffers from cold allergy.

Multiple hospital stays for cold allergy

Dry skin in winter is truly nothing unusual. Other skin problems are common in the cold season. In people who suffer from "cold urticaria" (also called "cold allergy"), the low temperatures have a particularly intense effect: Itching, wheals, swelling or redness of the skin. In the worst case, it can even lead to a life-threatening allergic shock. A young woman from Canada suffers especially from the rare disease. The 21-year-old therefore had to go to the hospital several times.

The cold in the winter makes many people worry. A young woman from Canada suffers especially. Because she has a "cold allergy", which means that she can hardly go out. (Image: Esmeralda / fotolia.com)

Asphyxia-like breathlessness

Urticaria, also known as hives or nettle fever, is the most common skin disorder. About one in four people get sick at least once during their lifetime.

The causes of hives can have many causes: intolerances, infections or even physical stimuli such as pressure or light.

"Even cold can be a trigger for urticaria," writes the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB) on its website.

"In the affected" cold-allergic "it comes to itching, wheals, swelling or redness of the skin," said the experts.

And: "In very rare, but then dangerous cases, the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat can swell and lead to suffocation-like shortness of breath."

Even opening the refrigerator can be problematic

With Arianna Kent, the symptoms are often so severe that she always has to go to hospital because of her "cold allergy".

According to a report in the British newspaper Daily Mail, the 21-year-old lives in Edmonton, Canada, where temperatures can reach -40 ° C.

She often avoids leaving the house because even walking to her car is "potentially dangerous".

According to the information, she must be careful not only when going out, but also when opening a fridge, eating ice cream or holding a glass of ice.

"I've probably had a thousand reactions," said the 21-year-old.

It usually starts with a rash on the arm that gets bigger and bigger. The disease "causes my skin to burn and itch. It's like asthma to my throat. "

She added, "I can get an anaphylactic shock, so I have to carry an EpiPen with me."

Improvement through diet change

"People often do not believe me or do not know it's a real allergy," said the young woman who had the first allergic reactions at age 14 when she was shoveling snow.

Even doctors are often at a loss, but now they could deal better with the patient.

"Mostly, if I go to the hospital right now, I'll be there for two hours. They give me adrenaline and warm liquids, "said the 21-year-old.

Over time, Ms. Kent reduced the number of hospital admissions from three times a month to once a month.

This had become possible because they changed their diet and reduced their consumption of foods that contain histamine.

So it avoids foods like cheese, yogurt, cream, pickles and pineapple. (Ad)