Most people know that allergy triggers change with the seasons — pollen in the spring and fall, allergy-producing plants such as poison ivy all summer and mold in the winter.
But in some rare cases, it’s not weather-driven allergens, such as ragweed causing trouble, but rather the weather patterns and temperature swings themselves.
Case in point: cold urticaria, or an allergic reaction to cold temperatures. Also known as cold hives, the condition cause redness, itching and swelling after time spent to chilly air, according to the Mayo Clinic.
(MORE: The Worst Cities for Spring Allergies)
Cold urticaria typically occurs in young adults, who may outgrow it, the Mayo Clinic states on its website. Although it can affect “patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. In some cases it can occur spontaneously, and in some cases it can go away in a few years,” David Lang, M.D., section head of allergy and immunology at the Cleveland Clinic, told weather.com in 2014.
Cara Yacino who has the condition told weather.com last year a nasty virus spontaneously brought her cold urticaria on age the age of 20, a fairly common way to get the condition. Some other patients are born with it.
She said she gets burning, painful hives after touching something cold, or exposure to air or water. Zyrtec or other anti-histamines, plus lots of heavy-duty, cold-weather clothing, can help, she said. She also keeps an EpiPen handy in case her reaction gets out of hand, as sometimes, cold urticaria can cause a deadly anaphylactic reaction.
“I think there needs to be more awareness because it’s life-threatening. There are certain degrees of severity, but as a whole it’s a life-threatening condition,” she said. “It’s not something to be laughed at or taken lightly.”
Cold urticaria isn’t the only allergy weather triggers or makes worse.
