Cold urticaria

Urticaria is a relatively common skin disease. At the onset, a wheal-like rash with unbearable itching can be seen. Urticaria comes on quickly and goes away quickly. Generally, recovery can be immediate if the allergens are eliminated. However, this skin disease is incurable and has a serious impact on the lives of patients. Cold urticaria is a special type of urticaria that occurs when the skin is exposed to cold, but many patients do not know the cause, which leads to misunderstandings in prevention and treatment.

According to experts, cold urticaria is a condition in which the skin is exposed to cold and experiences symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, and joint pain. The main symptoms are varying degrees of itching and wheals when the skin is exposed to cold conditions, and the incidence rate is usually higher in winter. So in what circumstances does cold urticaria usually occur? Let the experts introduce it to you.

Cold urticaria is the itching and wheals that appear in different parts of the body when exposed to cold conditions. The skin lesions can be limited to areas exposed to cold conditions or areas in contact with cold objects, or they can be generalized, involving the oral mucosa, and even manifest as headaches, chills, diarrhea, and tachycardia. There is also a type of familial cold urticaria, which often occurs in infancy and childhood. A rash occurs after contact with cold substances. The rash is erythema and wheals, accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, fear of cold, joint pain, and headache.

There are two types of this disease: acquired and familial. Acquired cold urticaria is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Acquired cases may be autoimmune allergic reactions. Histamine release plays a certain role in the onset of the disease, which can be seen in cryoglobulinemia. The characteristics of this disease are:

1. After contact with cold water or other cold substances, itchy edema and wheals will appear in the cold area, which will disappear in about half an hour to an hour.

2. It often occurs in exposed parts such as face and hands. In severe cases, other parts of the body may also be affected. The mucous membranes of the mouth, tongue, pharynx, etc. may also become edematous and even cause abdominal pain when exposed to cold food or drinks.

3. More common in young women.

4. It is often accompanied by headaches. In severe cases, symptoms such as low blood pressure and syncope may occur. Swimming in cold water or taking a cold shower may cause shock or even death.

5. Place ice cubes on the patient's forearm skin, which may cause typical wheals in that area after two minutes.

Familial cold urticaria refers to a disease that begins shortly after birth and can last a lifetime. It is often accompanied by chills, fever, headache and joint pain. Increased white blood cell count is a notable feature of this disease.

The above is a detailed introduction to cold urticaria. I hope patients have a correct understanding of cold urticaria. In a relatively low temperature environment, patients with cold urticaria should not expose their skin to the air for a long time. When going out in winter, you can wear gloves, masks and other protective equipment, avoid contact with cold water and cold substances for a long time, and eat more high-protein foods.