By Nysa Vinod & Aaria Lankireddy
Image from Freepik
What is Aquagenic Urticaria?
Aquagenic Urticaria is a rare disease that is a term used for people allergic to water, temperature, or additives. People with this allergy get hives. This disease was first identified in 1964. There are only around 50 cases recorded! Aquagenic urticaria are usually found on chests, abdomen, back, pelvis, neck and arms. They appear in sizes of 1-3 mm. It is also called Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU).
How can it be Detected
Doctors will place a wet compress on the person’s chest.
After 20 minutes, the doctor will check for a rash, if it is present, the diagnosis is confirmed.
Doctors should also make sure that the patient doesn’t have any antihistamine in their systems while being tested as this will interfere with the test results.
Watch this video!
What is the cause?
You might think that the only trigger for this condition is water but there are actually more. Things like snow, rain, freshwater, saltwater, tears and sweat can trigger it.
What are the symptoms?
If you have this rare water allergy some symptoms you might experience are:
Erythema
Burning or Prickling sensations
Welts
Inflammation
Rashes
Sometimes drinking water results in swollen lips and a rash around your mouth. But once you dry yourself off your symptoms should reduce in 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Treatment options
Epi-Pen
Antihistamine
Phototherapy
Dupixent drug approved by Japan for age 12+
References:
Anthony, K. (2023, February 6). Aquagenic Urticaria. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/aquagenic-urticaria#diagnosis