Why am I getting so itchy and tingling every time I get hot? That is a question everyone who has suffered from cholinergic urticaria (heat hives) has probably asked themselves.
Cholinergic urticaria (CU) is a terrible condition in which the body will break out into a tingly, painful, but intensely itchy feeling when the person becomes hot, exercises, gets stressed out, nervous, or if the body temperature rises.
This condition can be extremely difficult to deal with. Trust me, I know since I have now had this on and off for the last 8 years or so of my life!
I have decided to write this article about it in hopes that any other sufferers out there may find comfort that they are not the “only ones.” Also, hopefully you can learn from my trial & error of “what has worked & what hasn’t worked” in helping to cure or calm the condition.
There are thousands of others that suffer from this condition- although it seems to be new & unheard of to most people (including doctors).
First, let me break down the symptoms of this horrible disease, then I will talk about my own personal story, and provide some additional information and things I have concluded about this condition that can help you deal with it better (hopefully).
Symptoms of Cholinergic Urticaria (hives)- Getting Itchy when you get hot, nervous, or exercise
The biggest and most obvious symptom of this disease is an INTENSE itching & tingling feeling when you get hot, stressed, nervous, when you exercise, work, or anything that causes your body to increase in temperature or release a chemical receptor telling your body to sweat.
Other symptoms may include:
- Red flushing during the breakout (like how your cheeks blush when you get embarrassed) on areas of the body. This is usually on the areas where the itching is occurring, and it disappears a few minutes after the itching stops.
- Small hives or bumps (ranging from the size of tiny mole to the size the pupil of your eye) that may appear on the body. Usually, these bumps only appear in a strong outbreak. They can appear within a few seconds, and they usually do not last any longer than about 5-15 minutes. They tend to completely disappear just a few minutes after the itching stops.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you could have cholinergic urticaria.
What are the Causes of Cholinergic Urticaria (heat hives)?
Generally, doctors have no clue as to what causes this condition. Many refer to it as idiopathic in nature (meaning it has no known cause).
Here are some of my own theories as to what could be causing this condition based on my own research and experience:
- One cause could be an undiscovered allergen in the atmosphere or a food allergy or insensitivity. This could be stressing the body out, causing the reaction to occur when you get hot.
- It could be an autoimmune disorder. Some doctors have conducted tests on CU sufferers where they will withdraw the serum from the blood & re-inject it into your body. They patient then experienced a localized reaction (wheal and flare) indicating autoimmunity (blackwell-synergy article).
- It could be shrinkage or blockage of the sweat glands. When the body gets hot or nervous, it tries to release sweat. However, the sweat pores are blocked. This causes an intense itching & burning/tingly feeling due to a nervous system response.
- It could be a vitamin deficiency, hormone problem, thyroid problem, or other imbalances in the body. This could be causing the body to produce to much histamine, IgE, or other chemical that is causing the body to have an allergic reaction.
Of course, those are just some theories I have developed or come across from my frequent researching of this condition. Those are not medical facts. But one thing is for sure, something is definitely causing this terrible condition.
My Own Personal Story
I developed this condition when I was 18 years old. I suddenly started noticing that every time I got hot, my body would start itching everywhere.
It would mostly itch on my head/face, neck, arms, chest, stomach, and back. Basically, it mostly affects my upper body, and occasionally my legs will itch on a bad breakout.
After this got worse and worse, I decided to go to the doctor. I seen a dermatologist. He immediately seen that my skin was flushing (it was hot inside the building).
He said “Something is stressing out your body. Do you have an infection any where?” I told him no. He then looked at my body, and then just prescribed me an antihistamine called hydroxazine.
At first, it seemed as if it was working. It almost knocked me out within 2 hours (it makes you extremely drowsy). However, after a few days when my body got less and less drowsy I could tell that I was still getting itchy.
After a couple of weeks it was just as bad as it ever was. I made another appointment to the doctor. This time, he decided to give me a steroid shot. This did not help either. Eventually, I decided to give up due to the fact that nothing was working and healthcare is too expensive anyways.
Since then I have suffered with this condition. Occasionally, my body seems to calm down. I went for a period of about 1 1/2 years where I had virtually no breakouts. Then, it came back. I have suffered from it ever since.
About 1 year ago a new problem developed. I started getting an eczema rash on the back of my neck, arms, and back of my lower legs. This would not go away either. Eventually I tried steroid cream.
The steroid cream would make it go away temporarily, but it kept coming back. Then, I decided to alter my diet & get more sun exposure. This made my eczema clear up, but the heat hives are still around.
Here are some additional details about me in case you find something in common with this condition:
Male, in my 20′s, Caucasian, no other diseases, I do absolutely NO drugs (I don’t drink, smoke or do anything), I take no medications, and I am otherwise very healthy. I weigh 160 pounds, fairly muscular build, and my height is 6’1″. I work mostly indoors, and do not get sun exposure often. No major family history of medical conditions similar to this.
It is the strangest condition too. If I am in a cool environment, I will never breakout itching. However, I can step outside on a 90 degree day, or start exercising, and out of nowhere I will start feeling this incredible itch sensation. It occurs in waves, one after the other, just pricks everywhere that itch so bad. You scratch, but it doesn’t relieve the itch.
This is not your ordinary “mosquito bite” type itch either. This is a “holy crap, I am going to rip my skin off” type of itch. It is impossible to ignore it. PERIOD. You cannot resist it, especially when it is a bad breakout.
Also, another strange thing is that I could start itching, and if I quickly cool down, the itching stops. If I get hot again, it starts back up. I could literally breakout into an itchy mess on demand if I wanted! I could have hives whenever I want!
So what does it look like exactly? Well again, I will usually just get itchy. If it is a bad breakout, then I will get red blotchy looking skin (called flushing). Also, I will break out in a few random tiny bumps (hives). I don’t always break out in these. It usually only occurs with an extreme breakout.
How Can Your Cure or Treat Cholinergic Urticaria (hives)?
Basically, there is no cure for this condition. However, it does usually clear up on its own.
According to several medical websites, it tends to go away on its own after about 5-10 years. It also has been known to go away for a period of time, and then come back. However, some people have reported having this on and off for as long as 20 years.
Some people that suffer from this condition have noticed that it only occurs during the winter months. During the summer, if they are outside & active, it usually clears up and their body sweats again normally.
Okay, so what has worked and what has not worked to cure this? Below are several things I have either tried, or talked about with others who have tried it. I am not a medical doctor, so please understand this is not medical advice.
What has helped with this condition:
- If you can force your body to sweat on a regular basis, this tends to help. Of course this is easier said than done. But most people I have talked to seem to say that they try to get out and exercise or get out in the hot sun & sweat for as long as they can. This tends to help keep the condition at bay & it maintains an open pathway for the sweat glands. Of course they will start itching initially, but they will then sweat & stop itching. After doing this for a period of time, some people report that the condition clears up completely.
- Avoiding hot temperatures and exercise is another way to keep the condition from breaking out. Of course, it is important to exercise, and unless you live in an igloo you will not be able to avoid this 100%. But as a general rule, if you are calm & cool, you won’t break out.
- Improving your diet could also help with this condition. I am guilty of eating lots of ice cream, dairy products, and sugar/chocolate. I have noticed when I eat more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat my skin & body does better.
- Humidifiers, shower filters, water softeners, and steam rooms have also helped to improve chronic hives in many people.
What has NOT helped with this condition:
- Acupuncture therapy does not seem to be effective in most individuals I have talked to.
- Antihistamines do not seem to help with this condition. Some people report a small improvement, some don’t. Most agree that they definitely do not make it go away completely. Personally, they do not help very much at all and make me sleepy.
- Parasite cleanses/Candida cleanses also do not seem to be very helpful for most people.
- Steroids also may help a little, but it is probably not worth the health risk.
- Other medication, such as immunosuppressants have seemed to provide some relief. However, please keep in mind that these types of drugs are very dangerous and studies have shown that they can lead to cancer, heart problems, and other effects.
Conclusion:
This is a terrible condition, however, it does seem to go away on its own (eventually). So far, no decrease in life span or associations with terminal diseases such as cancer, etc. have been linked to this condition (thankfully).
This is very difficult thing to deal with, however, you are not alone! Try to improve your diet, get out in the sun & sweat. This usually helps improve this condition and sometimes it will clear up permanently.
In my personal opinion I would avoid dangerous medications unless your doctor specifically says you NEED to take them for some other reason.
What can you do to help? You can check out a website & forum dedicated to Cholinergic Urticaria to help others & learn more about it.
More Information About Cholinergic Urticaria:
Cholinergic Urticaria Definition–What is Cholinergic Urticaria exactly? Learn basic medical information about cholinergic urticaria.
Cholinergic Urticaria Causes–Learn some of the physiological causes of cholinergic urticaria. Why does Cholinergic Urticaria Develop in the first place?
Cholinergic Urticaria Symptoms–What are the symptoms of Cholinergic Urticaria? Learn the signs and symptoms of Cholinergic Urticaria (hives).
Cholinergic Urticaria Treatment Options–Learn about different treatment options for cholinergic urticaria. Is there a cure for cholinergic urticaria? Can it be treated?
Cholinergic Urticaria Pictures–See photographs and images of individuals during a cholinergic urticaria attack. Pictures of pinpoint hives and flushing.
Cholinergic Urticaria Blog-See what it is like living with cholinergic urticaria.
Cholinergic Urticaria Forum–Talk to others struggling with cholinergic urticaria.
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