There is a common belief that such a reaction can only occur from plant pollen or eating exotic fruits, but this is not so. Now an allergy occurs to anything: milk, sun and even frost. At first, this fact may cause surprise and questions: how can such people live in Russia, how can they treat cold allergies? In fact, everything is not so scary if you do not let the situation take its course.
Is there an allergy to cold
Unfortunately, this is not a myth, and such an allergy exists. And it is not uncommon. It's just that for some the symptoms are completely harmless and people do not pay attention to it. But hives on the hands and a runny nose in the cold are not the norm. These are all signs of a cold allergy and you need to listen to them. Since if this is not controlled, then the condition and symptoms may worsen further.
Cold allergy is a pathological condition of the body when, when exposed to lowtemperature, including cold air, the mechanism of allergy immediately starts in the body. Drinking iced drinks and ice cream will also trigger this reaction. The low temperature in this situation is about below -4°C, but in rare cases even a slight decrease is enough.
For a long time, science denied this type of allergy due to the fact that cold is not a substance, but a phenomenon. And cold allergies on the hands were classified as dermatitis. But over time, medicine had to admit that an irritant in allergic reactions can be not only a substance, but also low and high temperatures.
Cold allergy is not contagious at all, but is inherited. It does not affect life expectancy at all, and its only danger is in too strong a reaction of the body.
Allergy Mechanism
What is an allergy anyway? This is a failure in which, speaking allegorically, friends are mistaken for enemies. Normally, when substances or microorganisms that are potentially dangerous for it enter the body, a defense system is launched. So, with allergies, such protection begins to work against substances and conditions that are harmless to the body. The reaction proceeds in three stages:
- immunological;
- pathochemical;
- pathophysiological.
The immunological stage is the moment of the first contact with the allergen. After it, a special protein immunoglobulin E is produced on the membranes of mast cells as a defense.
In the second stageproteins of potentially dangerous substances pass the filter of macrophages. If the substance is safe, then immunological tolerance should develop. But it happens that proteins are not completely cleaved, and then the immune system creates additional antibodies for their cleavage - reagins. But in some cases, a failure occurs and they continue to be produced uncontrollably, even if the original goal has already been achieved. And the more they are created, the stronger the subsequent reaction will be. Despite the actively unfolding processes in the body, at this stage a person does not feel anything, there are no symptoms of allergies yet. The processes take place at the chemical, and not the physiological level, which is why the stage is called pathochemical. The second stage can last from several hours to several years. Symptoms only occur upon repeated exposure if antibody accumulation has not ceased and sensitization to the substance has developed.
The second contact is the third pathophysiological stage. If there is intolerance to the substance or otherwise sensitization, then the following happens:
- Mast cell membranes are damaged.
- Histamine and bradykinin are released into the blood.
- As mediators of inflammation, they cause various pathological processes in the body.
- If you do not stop them, then pathological processes affect the nervous system, which is fraught with edema and asthma.
The action of these two picks is slightly different. Histamine causes inflammation, and bradykinin affects the respiratory system.
With each new contact of mediators inmore and more blood will be thrown out. The strength with which the growth trend will increase depends on the individual reaction of the body, which is unpredictable. That is, a person can get off with mild symptoms all his life, and at the next contact, get Quincke's edema. This is a severe angioedema affecting the face, respiratory organs and other mucous membranes.
Reasons
Questions arise: how does this mechanism work if there was no contact with the substance, why is there an allergy to cold if it is not even a substance, but only its state? Everything is very simple: under the influence of low temperatures, the body itself begins to emit a substance, to which a reaction occurs. Specifically, histamine, which normally regulates important physiological processes. But if its production is increased, then the mechanism of allergy is triggered in the body. It is because of the omission and simplification of some stages that a number of experts consider cold allergy to be a pseudo-allergic reaction.
What else do you need to know? Dryness of the skin, due to which its protective layer is damaged, as well as spasm of blood vessels and capillaries, can provoke a cold allergy. But for some people, this failure occurs for no apparent reason. And despite the fact that the mechanism itself has been studied by science, the exact reasons for its launch in the human body are completely unknown. In addition to dryness and vascular spasms, there are a number of factors that are highly likely to provoke allergies. These are:
- unfavorable ecological situation;
- decreaseimmunity;
- heredity;
- weakening of the body by chronic diseases;
- oncology;
- infectious diseases;
- hormonal disorders;
- all autoimmune diseases;
- taking hormonal drugs, including oral contraceptives;
- bite by poisonous animals and insects.
Allergies are often multiple. That is, if there is an allergy to one thing, then this means that a malfunction in the immune system has already occurred and it will most likely appear on something else. And to start the mechanism of a new type of allergy, only provoking factors are needed.
Varieties
The main two types of cold allergies are acquired and congenital. You can buy it due to the influence of adverse factors. And the congenital was inherited and nothing can be done about it. Under her, one of the parents also suffered all his life from the so-called familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome. Symptoms of this type of cold allergy in children can appear as early as infancy.
Manifestations may be different. Depending on them, cold allergies are divided into the following varieties:
- Rhinitis is when the nose begins to flow heavily at low temperatures.
- Conjunctivitis - eyes are very irritated from the cold, pain and tearing appear.
- Rash - areas exposed to low temperatures become covered with a small rash.
- Atopic dermatitis.
- Eczema.
- Cold asthma - from prolonged inhalation of cold air, a person begins to suffocate.
Rhinitis can always develop into asthma, and a rash into eczema. In fact, this is the same manifestation, differing only in the severity of the symptoms. Those organs and surfaces of the body that one way or another come into contact with the external environment are susceptible to allergies.
Cold allergy on face and hands
Often the hands and face are the first to react to frost. And if it is easy to cover your hands, then it is impossible to cover your face. That is why such a reaction manifests itself most clearly on it. It is popularly called hives. Symptoms of a cold allergy on the face are: dryness, redness and peeling after being in the cold. At first, the face turns red, may swell, and all this is accompanied by itching. Even after a person has warmed up, the reaction does not go away, it persists for several more days and is aggravated if you go out into the cold again.
Cold allergy on the hands is one of the most common and is manifested by dry skin. The reaction may escalate to blistering.
The treatment of cold allergy on the face and hands is generally the same as for any other, but in addition you need to use a local ointment. And for prevention, try not to go out without a protective cream.
Symptoms
If the symptoms appeared in infancy, then due to the special sensitivity to the environment, instead of frost, coolness and a slight wind are enough to start the mechanism of coldallergies. In the case of adults, exposure to low temperature both outside and inside is necessary for the onset of symptoms. Cold allergies have the following symptoms:
- itching with dermatitis;
- blisters;
- hyperemia of the area exposed to cold;
- running nose;
- shortness of breath.
In some cases, the general state of he alth worsens, chills and tachycardia appear. For some, on the contrary, the heartbeat may slow down and the pressure may drop, up to a state of shock. It depends on the release of which hormones provokes a decrease in temperature in a particular organism. Such manifestations mean that you need to call an ambulance, which will urgently take you out of this state, as it is very dangerous for the patient.
Danger of inaction
At the very first contact with an allergen, a person does not even know that he has an allergy. The first symptoms will begin only with the second. And the main danger of inaction is that with each subsequent contact, the allergy mechanism exacerbates the symptoms and they become more aggressive. And if it all started with an ordinary rash or harmless rhinitis, then in the future it can develop into weeping eczema. And rhinitis transforms into asthma, which poses a real threat to life. Especially for a person who is unfamiliar with such an ailment and, without having the necessary medicines at hand, simply does not understand what needs to be done. And the more you panic with asthma, the worse it gets.
SecondThe most dangerous reaction in cold allergies is anaphylaxis with severe hypothermia. Blisters on the extremities, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and muscle spasms indicate the onset of such a reaction. In this case, the bill goes to minutes and the person needs emergency medical care and, of course, warmth.
If with an allergy to citrus fruits or dairy products it is quite easy to exclude the allergen, then it is problematic to exclude the cold from your life for a person living in Russia. Almost throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, at least nine months of the year, there can be sub-zero temperatures. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion that the body has a similar reaction to the cold, you should not delay and you should urgently seek help from an allergist. He will prescribe an adequate treatment for cold allergies, which may save the patient's life.
Diagnosis
The main thing is not to confuse cold urticaria with infectious dermatitis. Outwardly, for a person who is not versed in medicine, the symptoms can be very similar. An experienced allergist will immediately determine the nature of dermatitis. And to clarify which substances and conditions a person is allergic to, there are various tests and analyzes. You can even find out in advance what a person is allergic to without contacting the substance before. This is especially helpful for those who have a strong genetic intolerance to something.
The very pink cheeks that we often see in children are not the norm, but signs of a cold allergy. A photo of strong manifestations causes horror, and in the initial stagesthe face looks quite familiar.
For a simple diagnosis at home, you need to take a piece of ice from the refrigerator and put it on your hand for a couple of minutes. Normally, there should be no discomfort, itching and redness. If they are, then this means that a person has a cold allergy just in a sleeping form.
Treatment
There is no cure for cold allergy. You can only avoid cold and stop the production of inflammatory mediators. Why were developed drugs that inhibit the action of free histamine. Today there are 3 generations of antihistamines.
The first generation is the well-known "Suprastin" and "Dimedrol". At one time they made a revolution in medicine, but they are not ideal, since the connection with the H1 receptors they enter into is reversible. Their advantages are that they have been used for a very long time and are time-tested, and the effect is strong and it comes after 20 minutes. But have many side effects:
- sluggishness and drowsiness;
- muscular hypotension;
- tachycardia;
- dry mucous membranes;
- temporary vision problems;
- constipation and urinary retention.
And also poorly compatible with psychotropic and alcohol. And they only last five hours. They are good for cases where you need a quick and immediate effect, but are not suitable for permanent use.
The 2nd generation is Clarotadine, Zyrtec and Claritin. They already have fewer side effects. Notaffect attention and muscle tone, but still affect the cardiovascular system. People who have problems with it are prohibited from taking it. Their action lasts for about a day, and the therapeutic effect can last up to a week.
The 3rd generation is "Fexadin", "Fexofast", "Erius", "Desal" and others. Pharmaceuticals are defined as H1 histamine blockers of the third generation. They do not affect attention, muscle tone and the cardiovascular system in any way and are approved for use by people with chronic heart disease. Symptoms stop for a long time. To date, this is the best that has been created against chronic allergies.
There are more antihistamines on the market, but only an immunologist-allergist should prescribe them, select the dosage. After all, each drug has its own characteristics. Some of them are suitable for children and pregnant women, but some are not. Some are contraindicated in certain diseases. Well, and the last thing: you need to choose a drug that is compatible with those already taken.
Treatment of cold allergies on the hands and face is accompanied by the application of local ointments. If the case is not serious, such as Locobase Ripea, Emolium and other creams from the series for atopic skin are suitable. If the manifestations of allergies in open areas of the body have already passed into the inflammatory stage, then it is sometimes advisable to use hormonal ointments such as Hydrocortisone. This cold allergy ointment contains synthetic corticosteroids, which works quickly andeffective, but has a number of side effects. It is used only in cases where the benefit justifies the negative impact on the body.
Prevention
Prevention of any kind of allergy is a he althy lifestyle and proper nutrition. You need to try to choose a place of residence so that there are no factories nearby that make harmful emissions. It would be ideal to move out of town, which, unfortunately, is not suitable for everyone. Do not abuse food supplements and medicines. But if a cold allergy is inherited, then nothing can be done and you just need to either move to a country with a warmer climate correctly, or learn how to behave correctly in the cold, and also control your illness with a specialist.
5 rules of behavior in the cold
Correct behavior with a cold allergy does not mean that you will only need to go outside in the summer. It lies in the fact that while being in the cold it will be necessary to follow some rules. And here are 5 basic rules:
- Dress warm enough, in no case neglecting mittens, a hat and a scarf.
- Breathe only through the nose, because when inhaling through the mouth, the air does not have time to warm up enough and reaches the lungs still cold.
- Don't lick your lips, don't sing in the cold.
- Before going outside, apply special creams for cold allergies to all open and tender places.
- If possible, avoid being outside for too long during sub-zero temperatures.
These rules may seem too banal and similar to the advice of grandmothers, but they really help to avoid aggravating cold allergies.
