Cholinergic Urticaria-A Hives Reaction Caused by Heat

Do you ever get a really annoying itch sensation when you get hot? I am not talking about just any kind of itch. The itch I am talking about is a very annoying and painful itch. Its the kind that stings and itches at the same time, making you want to rip your clothes off and jump into an ice cold lake? If so, you may have a medical condition known as Cholinergic Urticaria.

What is Cholinergic Urticaria?

Cholinergic Urticaria is a subset of physical hives. The condition itself forms as the body becomes hypersensitive to heat (or the sweating process). This means that any time an individual with this condition exercises, gets hot, takes a hot shower, eats spicy foods, etc., they risk getting a hives reaction.

I had to learn about this condition the a hard way. As I was one day jumping around in my room, I began feeling the most intense itch (and prickly stinging) sensation I have ever felt in my life. It was torture. I nearly scratched my skin to death while feeling perplexed. My skin was blood red, and I had small pinpoint hives after I looked closely. Then, after the reaction stopped, the small hives and redness disappeared almost immediately). I thought it was so strange.

This was the very first time I ever had this. "What just happened?" I asked myself. Soon after, I had this same reaction any time I would get hot. My life soon became very uneasy. I couldn't do the things I once could do (at least, not without breaking out in the most absurd feeling of being bitten by thousands of fire ants).

My Experience with Cholinergic Urticaria

What followed after my first reaction was a very frustrating process. First, I had no idea what was wrong with me. I didn't know if I was dying, or if I had some rare cancer, or what was going on. I was terrified.

So after I had this condition for a few months, I went off to see the doctor. I explained the problem and my symptoms. He apparently wasn't familiar with the condition, and told me it was dry skin.

I then realized I needed a better doctor, so I went off to see a dermatologist. This time, the doctor at least recognized that something more than dry skin was happening. I actually broke out in a hives reaction as I sat in front of him. "Hmm, something is definitely bothering your system," the doctor said. He didn't exactly call it cholinergic urticaria, but at least he didn't call it dry heat.

He did give me some antihistamines (Hydroxyzine). This is actually one of the most popular treatments. Unfortunately, this is a fairly hard condition to treat. It doesn't respond well to most treatments, including antihistamines.

I still didn't know what I had--that didn't come until much later after hours of internent research. I was still frustrated, and even though the antihistamines worked at first, I soon found myself having hives just as bad as before.

I learned to manage the condition as best I could. I wondered day and night what could be causing the hives. I tried to research my symptoms daily.

Once I did finally discover what my condition was, I was able to understand what was happening with my body. I was relieved to know that it was actually one of the most common forms of physical urticaria. I was also pleased to know that it wasn't fatal, and would probably go away one day on its own. Unfortunately, 9 years later, I still have it and I manage it the best I can, by avoiding situations that increase my body temperature.

Cholinergic urticaria is a very difficult medical condition to have. If you get itchy when you get hot, play sports, exercise, take hot showers, etc., you may have cholinergic urticaria.