Life Allergic To Cold
Cold Urticaria (CU) was my first ever chronic illness. When I was a teenager, I inexplicably started breaking out in hives when I was outside. I forget the year, but I remember the exact date: July 4th. I was at a car show and every time I got out of the car and walked around I would come up in these huge itchy welts, with no idea what was causing them. They would go away when I sat in the car, and come back when I went outside. We thought it could be grass, or pollen. It wasn’t until winter that I noticed that “It always happens when I’m unloading the dishwasher when my hands are cold”. My dad Googled whether it was possible to get hives from being cold, and the rest is history…
Cold Urticaria is a rare disease, and currently research is lacking. There are no charitable foundations at the time of writing, and CU often falls under the blanket of rare disease charities, or allergy charities. I have used a face mask for CU since 2018, but when COVID-19 hit, people starter to challenge me in the streets. My story was picked up by local news outlets, and then national ones. They all seemed to overly sensationalise the topic, or completely miss the point, so I started my YouTube channel so I could my own story, as accurately as I could, and spread awareness of the condition as a whole. Being allergic to cold is not just a winter problem, and it isn’t just a little rash. I am personally affected by air conditioning, breathing cold air, as well as cold contact with my skin. I aim to keep on top of information shared as much as is reasonable.
The Science Of Being Allergic To Cold
Have you heard the myth that you can only be allergic to a protein? You can be allergic to anything. Even something that’s not a substance. But why? How? Short answer: we don’t really know. Longer answer: we think we might have an idea in some patient groups, but not all.
So, You Think You Have Cold Urticaria
A lot of people reach out to me because they think they have Cold Urticaria. Here’s what you can do if you think you are allergic to cold, like me. I talk about the ice cube test and other diagnostic tests, as well as how to talk to your doctor about it and how to manage in the meantime.
Useful Websites
Allergy & Asthma Network – Cold Urticaria
The Allergy & Asthma Network has a short page on Cold Urticaria with a patient story and other useful information. As Cold Urticaria is an allergy that can present as asthma, the AAN is a great place to start when learning about managing Cold Urticaria.
Cold Urticaria Syndromes: Diagnosis and Management
An academic paper summarising Cold Urticaria symptoms in relation to different experiences of the disease. Full article access available through research institutes and organisations. (Diaz et al., 2023. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice).
BBC Nottingham – Cold Urticaria
One of the best pieces that covered my use of a face mask for Cold Urticaria from 2019. Not much has changed since then, except I am now back in the lab, and I have green hair. I talked about the stigma of wearing a face mask, and the struggles of looking for work as a disabled person.
Cold Urticaria: A Parent’s Perspective (Q&A)
On behalf of all the concerned parents out there, I asked my dad how he handled my diagnosis, and what worries he had about the disorder, and my life moving forward.
How I Keep Cool With Cold Urticaria
Let’s spend some time at the other end of the spectrum, and deal with heatwaves! This is easier said than done when you’re allergic to most forms of cooling down.
Max Fisher RSci 