Man almost dies from an allergic reaction to cold air

[Judi Lynn]

By Rachael Rettner - Senior Writer 13 hours ago

The man developed the life-threatening reaction when he stepped out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom.


Stepping out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom almost killed a Colorado man, who had developed a serious allergic reaction to cold temperatures.

The 34-year-old old man collapsed after getting out of the shower, and his family found him on the floor, according to a report of the case published Oct. 27 in The Journal of Emergency Medicine. The man was struggling to breathe and his skin was covered in hives. He was experiencing a life-threatening, whole-body allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

When paramedics arrived, his family told them that the man had a history of being "allergic to the cold weather," according to the report. He had previously experienced hives as a reaction to the cold, but not anaphylaxis. These episodes started after he moved from Micronesia, which has a tropical climate, to Colorado, which sees colder temperatures, the report said.

Paramedics treated the man with epinephrine and oxygen, and rushed him to the emergency room. When he got to the hospital, he was sweating profusely and had hives all over his body.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/cold-allergy-urticaria-anaphylaxis.html

[bamagal62]

1. Sometimes I think I'm allergic to cold.

I hope he’s ok. (Although I did question whether this was the onion.)

[soothsayer]

3. Same

[Sherman A1]

2. WOW

I know that I sometimes have trouble adjusting to the cold air in the winter going outside and it has caused breathing problems, but this case seems extreme.

[FreepFryer]

4. Cold onset urticaria - I suffer from it as well. It's lethal if not managed. (Nt)

[hlthe2b]

5. Rare but real. I do have to note the perceived need to point out that CO "sees colder temperatures"

That just struck me as a bit ludicrous, but...

Get that man a space heater for his bathroom!

[lastlib]

6. My sister became allergic to cold after developing cancer.

In the last three months of her life, she literally could not take ten steps outside if temps were below freezing unless her face was completely covered warmly. Rough way to live in the upper midwest.

[cstanleytech]

7. I grew up in Ohio and I had the same reaction with hives after my body came into contact

with the cold in the winter.
I was fine when I was bundled up and warm but the extreme cold caused me to break out with a red itchy rash.