Cold temperatures trigger cold hives:

I am 27 years old and suffering with cold allergy for last 3 years.

It may sound strange but yes it is possible to have an allergy of cold.



Cold allergy is often known as cold hives or utricaria in medical language. In cold allergy when your skin is exposed to cold temperatures it triggers histamine and other chemicals in the skin. This in turn causes allergic symptoms on the skin like itching, swelling, redness and hives.



In such cases the symptoms often begin with an exposure to a cold environment but tend to worsen during re warming of the exposed skin. There is no known cause for cold allergy but it is believed that some people with cold allergy appear to have oversensitive histamine containing skin cells.

Like other solutions for allergy, for cold allergy also it is important to avoid the allergen to prevent an allergy.



That is to prevent a cold allergy it is important to avoid exposure to cold temperatures, cold air and cold water; for example if you have cold allergy avoid swimming in cold water as this can lead to whole body allergic reaction which can even be fatal. Avoid drinking cold water and extreme temperatures, for instance coming out in a hot environment from an air conditioned room can also trigger an allergic reaction in the body. It is wise to visit a specialist to get an appropriate treatment for cold allergy which would generally include administration of antihistamines before exposure to a cold environment. Especially when you are suffering form a cold allergy from 3 years it becomes important to get treated.

However if you catch cold during some season of the year, almost same time the year then it is possible that you have a seasonal allergy. Cold and seasonal allergies often have similar symptoms however they are two different conditions.  Common cold is caused by a virus and common signs and symptoms include soar throat, running or stuffy nose, cough and sneezing. Body pains and aches, feeling of tiredness can also be occasionally experienced and rarely may even have a mild fever. But seasonal allergies are a response to the allergen which involves the immune system. Common symptoms of seasonal allergy are itchy eyes, running and stuffed nose and sneezing.



Other signs which can sometimes appear are cough, sore throat, fatigue but never body aches and pains and fever. Treatment for common cold and seasonal allergy would also vary. Thus it becomes important to know the exact cause for the allergy or cold for the treatment to succeed.