Do you itch when you’re hot or during workout?

                                                           Image result for cholinergic urticaria
First of all, I’m sorry for being MIA! I know everyone complains about this adulting thing and I won’t be an exception *straight face*. I’ve just been trying to sort myself out for some time and couldn’t get to writing articles. But, hey, I’m back now and I hope you missed me even though I know you didn’t *cries*. Okay, to the business of the day.

Back then, in like high school, it was considered cool to be allergic to something. If you had an allergy, you were perceived to be an Ajebutter* (a Nigerian slang for ‘Fancy’ or having lived a pampered life) and the rest of us who didn’t even know what the word meant were considered Ajepako (…you guessed right, ‘not-fancy’! More like from tha ghetto-ish…you get the point). Then to be allergic to the sun or heat?? Hi Angel! Are we lucky to have you on earth or what?! Can I be your bestfriend?
                                                          
So, when my friend told me that there was a time when he would break out in hives whenever the weather got really hot and he started to sweat, I looked at him with the "look-at-this-ajebutter" eyes…LOL! He called the condition Cholinergic Urticaria…he couldn’t get any fancier, right?  Then I also remembered that another friend of mine had said she couldn’t explain why she itched a lot when working out. It even made her stop working out because of how uncomfortable she would get. So, I put away my envy and researched on it. I had never even heard the term before but I could guess it had something to do with a chemical Acetylcholine released by the body.

That being said, what is Cholinergic Urticaria? It is a kind of hives caused by heat, also called ‘heat hives’. Apparently, Acetylcholine, from which the term ‘Cholinergic’ was coined, is a neurotransmitter involved in the stimulation of muscles and sweat glands (that explains the itching when exercising). And ‘Urticaria’ is just the fancy medical term for ‘hives’.
                                                    Image result for cholinergic urticaria
Symptoms could include really bad itching, rashes and redness (the more you scratch, the ‘redder’ the arear becomes), lack of sweat as sweat causes the reaction to subside (it’s like your body is trying to sabotage you). Just like any other allergic reaction, it could be reduced by the use of antihistamines (like Piriton, Zyrtec or anything that works well), avoiding triggers like the sun (how does one avoid the sun?), spicy foods, and even hot baths. Figure out what triggers it and avoid that. This allergy could also last for a few years or for a very long time. There’s no rule book for the condition, sadly.

After all this information, I must say that I am not envious anymore. Allergies are obviously no fun and I do feel sorry for my friends on the contrary. Anyway, hope you learned something new today. Stay safe during the holiday season!


DISCLAIMER: I’m not a Doctor and these are not prescriptions. Always check with your Doctor and do it in time. 

Comments

  1. Annahs_JewelJanuary 14, 2017 at 7:30 AM

    I have this condition, when I run ... for the longest people used to tell me it's coz l was not fit (its fat in my body) lol, but my fiancé suggested l seek medical help and only to find out it's cholinergic urticaria so the Dr suggested I take antihistamines they block out the heat hives from making my body itch... l must say discovering a cure was incredible works like magic! And I can run anytime I want to now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 18, 2017 at 7:23 AM

      That's totally awesome! I am very happy that you feel better. Most importantly, I appreciate your comment. I will definitely write more :). Thank you for reading!

      Delete

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