Exercise induced hives or urticaria shouldn’t stop your workout; treatments are available to alleviate its itchy rash and prevent future flare-ups so you can continue with your fitness regime.
Urticaria can be caused by many different things, including rubbing, food allergies or tight clothing. Once diagnosed, its wheals (raised itchy welts) usually clear within hours and sometimes just days!
Exercise Induced Hives Causes :
Exercise Induced Hives are red bumps that appear as red welts on the skin and typically cause itching or an itching-stinging feeling, although some cases might also include pins-and-needles sensation. Hives can appear anywhere on your body but tend to occur most commonly around your chest and face area. While heat rash looks similar, with red patches or blisters appearing over an affected area, these symptoms don’t exist and can only be confused for one another by mistake.
Exercise induced anaphylaxis (EIAn) is a severe allergic reaction in which you might get hives during physical activity without becoming overheated, often manifested by trouble breathing, stomach cramps, low blood pressure (hypotension) and swelling of lips, tongue, throat or hands symptoms which require immediate medical attention if they appear.
Most often, however, hives are caused by Cholinergic Urticaria or CIH and not anaphylaxis. This form of urticaria occurs when sweat is irritating to your skin or released allergens from clothing or towels and could trigger contact dermatitis. If tight-fitting clothing traps sweat and heat and increases friction against your skin. If this is a frequent source of your discomfort then try switching out workout gear for looser fitting clothing; tighter clothes trap sweat more effectively and may increase friction against skin irritation causing itching or contact dermatitis could happen more easily than tight-fitting workout attire may help.
Antihistamines can help relieve itchy or hive skin irritations during exercise, but be sure to take them before rather than after working out. Your physician may advise taking stronger or different antihistamines; others prescribe topical steroids or allergy prick tests.
As with anything, hives can often be avoided by avoiding foods and activities that trigger them. If a particular food triggers your hives, take note of when and what symptoms arise; severe cases might require you to stop exercising entirely; most people with chronic idiopathic hives can still exercise as long as they avoid any triggers. If an allergic reaction threatens your life threatening anaphylactic shock might happen suddenly, consider carrying an emergency epinephrine auto-injector; discuss it with your physician in case something arises unexpectedly. And to alleviate discomfort caused by your hives don’t scratch or rub, as doing so could worsen skin infections and scarring in addition to making matters worse!
Exercise Induced Hives Symptoms :
Exercise Induced Hives after exercise may be frustrating or uncomfortable, but it is harmless. Hives typically appear around the torso and neck but can spread throughout your body and even create burning, stinging and pins and needles sensations. Hives occur when blood releases histamine from allergies which then releases other histamines that lead to swelling in facial or lip areas (angioedema).
Some individuals may suffer from exercise induced urticaria. This rash can be triggered by heat raising activities like running and aerobics, hot showers or baths, eating spicy foods or emotional stress; the exact cause is still unclear, though experts speculate it could be an allergic reaction from something exposed during physical activity.
If you suffer from exercise-induced urticaria, you should cease exercise immediately and seek medical advice if any severe symptoms develop, including trouble breathing, swollen faces or throats, lower blood pressure drops, diarrhea or abdominal cramps. Exercise induced anaphylaxis should also be treated as an emergency situation, in this event carry an epinephrine auto injector with you for use as soon as anaphylaxis sets in and seek emergency assistance as soon as possible.
Exercise induced hives generally resolve themselves within several hours after stopping their activity that caused it. A skin doctor may also prescribe an antihistamine such as Claritin or Zyrtec to keep recurrence at bay. Furthermore, it’s wise to avoid sweating in hot or humid environments, wear light colored clothing, and not sweat profusely in such places.
If you suffer from chronic hives, an allergist may conduct food allergy testing to assess any potential food triggers. If you know which foods seem to exacerbate them before working out, keep track of them and try limiting consumption before working out. Oral antihistamines like fexofenadine, loratadine or cetirizine may help block histamine from activating your hives during exercise sessions.
Treatment :
Exercise can be great, but hives can make exercise uncomfortable. Also known as urticaria, the itchy bumps may derail your workout entirely if they occur during exercise. Luckily, most cases of EIU do not warrant hospitalization and can often be managed with antihistamines, cool baths and other at-home solutions.
Exercise Induced Hives are caused by mast cells releasing histamine, the same process responsible for itchy and sneezing symptoms in traditional allergies, but in response to heat exposure or body temperature rise, such as during exercise or taking a hot shower. Histamine release then leads to itchy bumps on skin.
People who experience hives during exercise can try to identify and avoid their triggers by altering the type of physical activity or time of day they participate, using anti itch cream or allergy medicines like Claritin or Zyrtec, or consulting with their physician about wearing an adrenaline pen like EpiPen and being trained on its use should a severe reaction occur.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA) is an extremely rare but life-threatening allergic reaction to exercise that may occur after eating certain food items, like shellfish, wheat or nuts; or it could occur following exercising directly after having had something to eat such as lunch. EIA symptoms typically include swelling in the face, tongue or hands as well as difficulty breathing or stomach cramping – potentially even death can occur!
If you develop hives during exercise, stop immediately and allow yourself to cool off. If the rash accompanies other symptoms like swelling of mouth or throat, lightheadedness, stomach cramps, diarrhea or low blood pressure then seek medical assistance immediately. Hives due to exercise tend to fade in several hours but linger longer in some instances taking a cold bath or antihistamine might help but if issues remain consult your physician as soon as possible.
Prevention :
Exercise Induced Hives can be more than an inconvenience; they can also be dangerous, particularly for children and people living with preexisting health conditions. Hives from exercise may even lead to life threatening anaphylaxis; triggers include anything from food to heat to clothing worn while working out; you can often prevent the rash from appearing by making simple adjustments in your routine.
Exercise induced urticaria (EIU) is the most prevalent type of exercise-related hives. EIU occurs when physical activity triggers an allergic response that appears as itchy red spots on your skin during physical exercise, usually caused by sweat produced during workout sessions; it could also be an allergic response due to pollen or food allergens.
EIU symptoms usually include itching; however, other signs could include lip or mouth swelling, difficulty breathing and general feelings of unwellness. EIU symptoms generally peak within an hour of finishing your workout but the rash could last several hours after that if left untreated.
If you suffer from EIU, one way to help lower the likelihood of flare-ups is to wear lightweight clothing made from moisture-wicking fabrics and wear loose, lightweight clothing at all times particularly during physical activity in hot and humid climates that allows perspiration to evaporate more freely. Also taking antihistamines before exercising may help your immune system remain calm.
One factor contributing to people breaking out in hives during and after working out may be tight-fitting clothing they wear while exercising, which causes friction that causes rashes. Looser clothing could reduce this problem while helping users remain cool during workouts.
Antiperspirant can help stop excessive sweating during or after exercise, another potential source of hives. You should use body hugging sweat-wicking fabric in your workout gear and avoid rubbing against surfaces that might irritate it further. In the event that rash does develop during or after a workout session, take a cold shower or use cool compresses soaked with cool water on affected area until symptoms subside.
