Allergic constitution is common in everyday life; many individuals suffer from allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, and so forth. Among these allergic individuals, the most common allergens include dust, mold, and pollen. However, a rare type of allergy, that many people aren’t aware of and usually overlook, is exercise-induced allergy.
According to reports, a 13-year-old boy named Xiaoxiang was recently seen at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital. He started to itch all over his body, and develop red rashes whenever he played basketball. These symptoms would automatically disappear a few hours after stopping the activity, a situation that had persisted for over a year.
His parents initially assumed that their son’s condition was due to exhaustion from excessive exercise or simply an excuse to avoid training. However, when the boy complained of unbearable skin itching during each basketball lesson, they finally decided to take him to the hospital.
Upon examination, Xiaoxiang was diagnosed with Cholinergic Urticaria, also known as exercise-induced allergy. This condition is mainly triggered by exercise, heat exposure, mental stress, and consumption of hot beverages or alcohol. As the body’s temperature rises due to these factors, acetylcholine stimulates mast cells, leading to the onset of the condition. Symptoms include the appearance of circular wheals of 2-4mm in diameter a few minutes after the triggering activity, accompanied by varying degrees of redness around the wheals. Patients usually experience itching, tingling or a burning sensation. In some cases, severe itching occurs without any skin lesions, which can subside within 0.5 to 1 hour.
The key to treating Cholinergic Urticaria lies in recognizing and avoiding triggering factors. In Xiaoxiang’s case, the doctors advised him to avoid intense exercise for the time being.
The doctors also urge parents to pay more attention to similar situations in children. They should seek medical attention promptly and not assume that the child’s resistance to exercise is simply an excuse.