34-Year-Old Man From Colorado Nearly Dies From an Allergic Reaction After a Hot Shower and Exposure To Cold Air

A 34-year-old man from Colorado almost died when he developed a serious allergic reaction after he stepped out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom.

A report on the occurrence said what happened to the man was an "allergic reaction resulted in cold temperatures.

The case, which was published in The Journal of Emergency Medicine on October 27, indicated that the 34-year-old collapsed after he got out of the shower, and his family found him on the floor.

The man reportedly struggled to breathe, and his skin got covered in hives. The report also said he experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction in his entire body. Such an occurrence is also called "anaphylaxis."

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A 34-year-old man from Colorado almost died when he developed a serious allergic reaction after he stepped out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom.

Allergic to the Cold Temperature

According to the case report, the man's family told them the man had a history having allergic reactions to cold weather upon the arrival of the paramedics. His family added, the patient had formerly experienced hives as a reaction to cold temperature but not anaphylaxis.

These episodes began after the man moved from Micronesia, a place known for its tropical climate, to Colorado, which, reports said, "Sees colder temperature."

Paramedics treated him using epinephrine and oxygen and rushed him to the emergency room after. When they got to the hospital, the man was sweating profusely, and he had hives in his entire body.

Reports said his diagnosis specified that he had "cold urticarial." This is the skin's allergic reaction following exposure to cold temperatures, which include cold weather or air.

Live Science previously reported people could also develop cold urticarial symptoms after they consume cold drinks and food.

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'Hives' as the Most Common Symptom

The most common symptom for cold urticarial is a red and itchy rash, also known as hives, following exposure to the cold. However, in most severed occurrences, individuals can develop anaphylaxis, which reports said, "Cause their blood pressure to plummet and airways to narrow," making it difficult to breathe.

According to medical experts, these more severe reactions usually take place with exposure of full-body skin" to the cold like when people are swimming in cold water. In the man's case, his whole body got exposed to cold air after he stepped out of his shower.

His doctors confirmed his diagnosis through the use of an "ice tube test," involving an ice cube on the skin for approximately five minutes.

If that person develops a raised, red bump on the part of his skin where the ice cube was placed, he is then diagnosed with cold urticaria.

A Less Common Condition 

Exactly how typical the condition is, in general, remains unknown. One study conducted in Europe showed a 0.05-percent prevalence, the National Institutes of Health reported. Relatively, anaphylactic reactions are found to be less typical compared to hive-like reactions.

In most circumstances, the cause of the condition is unknown, too. However, at times, it can be inherited. This means that those with genetic predisposition can also develop the reaction.

In some individuals, cold urticarial is stimulated by something that impacts the immune system like a viral infection or certain cancers.

Furthermore, according to Live Science, an allergic reaction takes place since exposure to the cold results in the release of chemicals known as histamines by the immune system. As a result, it triggers an inflammatory response.

In the man's case, he was provided with antihistamine and steroids for treatment, and such medicines improved his condition.

Before he was released from the hospital, the man was advised to avoid exposure to cold temperature, be it water, weather, or air. He was prescribed too, an epinephrine auto-injector, a treatment for anaphylaxis in emergency occurrences.

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