Water allergy – what to do?

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Water allergy causes painful itchiness on the skin after contact with water. There is no cure, but minimizing water exposure and using antihistamines, creams, and prescription medications can relieve symptoms. It is not a true allergy, but rather a sensitivity to substances in water. Treatment varies and consulting a doctor is recommended.

Water allergy is a rare condition that causes painful itchiness on the skin after contact with water. There is no known cure, but in some cases, the condition goes away or diminishes over time. It is advisable to consult a doctor to determine the best treatment. Water allergy treatments usually focus on minimizing water exposure and relieving symptoms with antihistamines, various topical creams, and prescription medications.

There are two types of this condition: aquagenic urticaria, in which itching is associated with a hive-like rash, and aquagenic itch with no visible rash. Breakouts can occur after showers, exposure to rain, or even sweating or crying. Pain and dry eyes are other water allergy symptoms. Some sufferers also experience shortness of breath and swelling of the throat after drinking water.

Despite its name, a water allergy is usually not considered a true allergy. Instead, we think of an extreme sensitivity to the ions of non-distilled water, or to various substances commonly present in water, such as fluorine, chlorine or some minerals. Minimizing contact with water is recommended for sufferers. This can involve relatively simple measures such as taking short showers, using an umbrella when it rains, and keeping cool in hot weather to avoid breaking a sweat. Using a water filter in your home can sometimes help, and even a carbon filter installed directly on the shower head can help remove some irritants.

Barrier substances like petroleum jelly can help protect the skin, and steroid creams or creams like Zostrix that contain capsaicin can provide relief. In some cases, applying emollient creams or lotions before showering, using a shower oil instead of soap, and applying an aqueous, lanolin-free paraffin-based cream after a shower may help reduce the lumps. skin irritation. Even if it’s not a true allergy, oral antihistamines are often used to treat a water allergy, and topical allergy sprays can also relieve symptoms.

Other types of treatment and medications may be recommended by a doctor, such as beta-blockers and leukotriene receptor antagonists. Ultraviolet B therapy, in which the patient remains in a vertical light chamber for a prescribed amount of time, is sometimes used to treat water allergy symptoms, but because it can increase the risk of skin cancer, this treatment is rare. The specific symptoms and effective treatments for water allergy vary greatly from case to case and a thorough examination by a doctor, dermatologist, allergist or immunologist is recommended for those suffering from this condition.




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