Are you allergic to exercise?
Do you think you’re allergic to exercise? It happens to a small percentage of the population: a seemingly allergic reaction once the body starts to…
If you have cholinergic urticaria you might think you’re allergic to your own sweat. (Shutterstock)
Do you think you’re allergic to exercise? It happens to a small percentage of the population: a seemingly allergic reaction once the body starts to sweat. But before you take a permanent seat on the couch, what you’re experiencing isn’t likely to be an allergy at all.
If you notice a sudden onset of hives and itchiness after exercise, eating spicy foods, or participating on other activities that cause the body’s temperature to rise, you may be suffering from cholinergic urticaria (CU), or hives caused by heat.
And while your first inclination is that you’re “allergic” to your own sweat, individuals with this condition are not really reacting with a true allergic response.
SEE ALSO: Can you be allergic to the cold? Exploring cold urticaria
According to Allergic Living, cholingeric urticaria has no specific IgE, the allergic antibody, created to respond to a particular substance. Instead, CU is the result of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine being released at the nerve endings in the skin, creating a hive response.
Though there is no known cause for why some individuals develop UC, changes in the body’s temperature are what ultimately results in the presence and sensation of itchy hives.
“Some of my worst attacks happen when Im sleeping,” Lise Kavanagh told Allergic Living. “Even if I have no blankets at all, when I stir in the night and end up on my back, the heat accumulates between the mattress and my skin, and Ill wake up with a rash all over my back.
Kavanagh isn’t alone, though only approximately 5 percent of people who develop hives experience cholinergic urticaria, and most of those tend to describe the condition as “being allergic to their own sweat.”
Does sweat have anything to do with cholinergic urticaria?
There have been a number of studies into the cause of CU, though none have found the root of the issue. Though most experts agree sweat is not likely a primary factor in the condition, it is possible that some individuals with CU have an autoimmune response to their sweat or something within the sweat. Unfortunately, no evidence of this has yet been found.
Scientists do, however, know that like a true allergy, CU tends to come and go, indicating that it may be brought on by environmental changes or controllable factors like diet and stress.
Additional symptoms include:
- Itching, stinging, or burning sensation on the skin
- Red flushing of the skin
- Pin point hives
- Reduced ability to swear
Being able to cool the body quickly is one of the only ways to treat cholinergic urticaria. (Shutterstock)
For some individuals, CU may appear once and then never again, while for others the condition may come and go throughout life. The best treatment option are experimental; playing around with diet is one of the most popular methods of trying to control cholinergic urticaria.
The Cholinergic Urticaria website suggests individuals:
- Wear clothing designed to keep the body cool
- Avoid spicy foods
- Explore meditation and other ways to cope with stress
- Use cooling sprays to help reduce reactions
- Avoid aspirin and illicit drugs, substances known to aggravate the condition
- Exercise regularly to reduce the severity of attacks when they do happen
SEE ALSO: Spring has sprung and my allergies have begun
For some CU sufferers, treatment may also involve exploration into other causes of hives. Candida (yeast) overgrowth, for example, can have similar symptoms as UC, therefore a doctor may recommend a candida cleanse in conjunction with traditional cholinergic urticaria therapy.
