While most of us are allergic to something or the other,
there is no doubt that allergies are one of the most irritating things to have.
And while pollen and peanut allergies are pretty well known,
there are some rather curious allergies which present in people.
Lets take a look at some of the weirdest allergies!
20.
Modern Living.
While we cannot imagine living a life without the conveniences of a mobile phone or a microwave,
there are some who are extremely allergic to anything which creates electromagnetic fields.
And since that is pretty much what most appliances work on,
they cannot use modern amenities at all!
In fact, so severe is the reaction in some cases that it causes major skin rashes
and swelling of eyelids!
This condition is known as electro sensitivity.
19.
Exercise.
If you are looking for the perfect excuse to not hit the gym, this one is for you.
Only for some people it is an actual problem.
Technically known as Exercise induced anaphylaxis, this allergy is not that uncommon,
affecting one in every 1000!
But it is no laughing matter because the allergic reaction can be life threatening as well!
Swelling of throat, difficulty in breathing, nausea have presented themselves as symptoms
and certain cases have also reported deaths.
18.
Touch.
We all like a comforting touch from time to time, be it a hug or just a pat on the back.
But there are people who just have no idea what human contact is.
That is because they are hypersensitive to touch or pressure and develop raised bumps
and itchy rashes whenever they touch someone or someone touches.
And according to statistics, it apparently is not that uncommon an ailment
as nearly 2-5% of the global population suffers from it.
17.
Fish Smell.
While it is not a particularly bad thing to be allergic to, after all, fish do smell bad,
it is pretty inconvenient.
The reason for this is that when you smell fish, tiny particles of it get into your nasal
cavity and those who suffer from intense fish allergies react to it.
Reactions include shortness of breath, wheezing and skin rashes, and certain fish, like flounder
and hake, seem to cause it more than others!
16.
Apples near a birch tree.
Now while an allergy from apple might not raise any eyebrows, there is a type of allergy
which is caused when you eat an apple near a birch tree.
Pretty specific for an allergy right?
This is a pretty rare allergy which takes place because the human immune system recognizes
the pollen and similar proteins in the food and directs an allergic response to it!
15.
Vibrations.
It's best to be cautious what kind of toys and machines you use (with this allergy)
Scientifically called Vibratory Angioedema,
it is a rare form of physical urticaria that is caused by vibrations!
This causes painful rashes
and the vibration could come from motor, a vibrator or even a speaker!
Considering that almost everything causes vibrations,
it is particularly irritating allergy to have!
14.
Underwear.
We all have that one friend who just does not like to wear underwear.
And well, it might not be their fault either!
Thankfully, the allergy isn’t really to underpants but to the material generally used
in making it like polyester, cotton and latex.
So, avoiding the reaction is easy as all you have to do is just wear underwear of a skin
friendly material.
Or just go commando!
Your pick!
13.
Motherhood.
Yep, that’s right!
There are very unusual cases, about 1 in every 50,000 pregnancies,
when a rare skin disorder develops
which causes blisters on the abdomen and even on other parts of the body!
It happens when antibodies that work against normal body proteins form during pregnancy.
This usually happens in the second or third trimester
and is known to have developed even after pregnancy.
While the rashes disappear after some time,
doctors say that it will probably recur during the next pregnancy.
12.
Water.
Now this is a pretty bad one to have.
And considering that it affects just one person in 23 million, it really is bad luck.
Anyone suffering from Aquagenic urticaria cannot stand water touching the body.
They develop skin reaction if that happens.
Which means no dip in the pool, no long showers and in some cases,
even sweating sets off the reaction.
While it can be controlled by antihistamines and topical corticosteroids,
there is no known cure.
11.
Cold.
While not many of us like to brave the cold, there are some who just can’t.
Known as cold urticaria or cold hives, the ones who suffer from this allergy often experience
redness, itching, swelling and hives when they are exposed to cold temperatures.
That includes cold air, cold water and even cold beverages.
However, this is caused most strikingly when you take a dip in cold water because the temperature
drops suddenly which releases a huge amount of histamines which causes a sudden drop in
blood pressure leading to fainting, shock and in very rare cases, death!
Guess you should find out if you have this allergy before going skinny dipping right?
10.
Saline.
This simple solution of salt and water is a generally benign mixture, and used a lot
in hospitals to take care of dehydration.
Unless you happen to have an extremely rare allergic reaction.
In fact, so rare is the allergy that only one case has been reported so far when a woman
suffered from an anaphylactic reaction when undergoing a saline infusion during an evaluation.
But then, since saline is mostly used in hospitals, it is perhaps the best place to have a reaction!
9.
Beanbags.
While it is not technically a reaction to bean bags per say,
it still is a weird allergy to have.
Soya beans have been known to cause an allergic reaction in many
but it can be triggered by very weird sources as well.
Like a bean bag!
There was a case when a boy who was allergic to soya beans was in school
when he sat on a bean bag.
The dust from the dry soya beans in the bag was enough to set off a reaction and leave
behind some very scared and confused parents!
8.
Sun.
Considering that it is one of the most important things required to sustain life on earth,
being allergic to the sun doesn’t really make any sense.
But then, truth is stranger than fiction right?
Solar urticaria is a condition where exposure to UV radiation,
and sometimes even visible light causes hives to break out in even covered parts of the body.
The most usual places are the V of the neck and the back of the arms.
But there is some good news as well.
The allergy can be treated with administration of antihistamines and phototherapy!
7.
Shoes.
Well, not all shoes but just leather ones.
Many people experience poison ivy type rashes when they wear leather shoes.
The reason for this is not the leather itself, but the chemicals used in the tanning process.
Surprisingly, it is pretty easy to stay away for it as wearing socks can prevent the reaction.
It is set off by touch, so the socks prevent that!
And the rashes which do come if you wear leather without socks
go out by themselves in a few days.
6.
Deodorant.
If you generally sweat a lot or stink a lot, deodorants are basically life savers for you!
But deodorants contain a lot of things that can give you allergies.
The most common of them being fragrance.
And since almost 90% of deodorants contain fragrance, if you are allergic to them, well,
your friends will just have to put up with the smell.
There are other things also which can cause allergic reactions like propylene glycol,
parabens, essential oils, vitamin E and others which can cause your skin to break out in
rashes and make you more miserable than if you ever just smelly!
5.
Latex.
If you have fetishes, this one will just ruin it for you.
While most of us use latex at some point or the other,
nurses and doctors are the ones who use it most often.
And no, not because they are kinky
but because they pretty much need to wear latex gloves at all times.
The allergic reaction can also lead to respiratory problems,
which is why it is better not go get into healthcare
if you are allergic to latex.
4.
Kissing.
Now this one is an especially bad one to have.
Though to be honest, it’s not the kiss in itself which sets off the allergic reaction.
People who suffer from severe food or medicinal allergies are get a reaction
when they kiss someone.
Kissing usually involves tongues and an exchange of saliva which means that whatever the other
person ate before kissing you will probably get in your mouth as well.
And that is what sets off the allergic reaction.
Just imagine standing under a mistletoe
and wondering about what the one next to you ate before kissing them!
3.
Wood.
While sawdust allergies are not that rare,
sometimes people do suffer from extreme allergic reaction to types of wood,
irrespective of it being whole or dust!
And in some cases, the reactions are so severe that they cannot even touch that type of wood
as it causes skin irritation, coughing, sneezing and hives.
In fact, it has been seen in a few cases that when a person touches wood,
it looks as if they have been burnt!
Which means that even if you try to write something with a pencil,
you would just suffer a lot of pain!
2.
Coffee.
While caffeine intolerance is pretty common, there are a few people who cannot ingest even
the smallest amount of caffeine without endangering their lives.
The reaction sets off bad cases of delusions, anxiety attacks, hallucinations, rashes, hives
and blurry vision.
It has also been known to set off seizures which can actually prove to be quite deadly.
And well, since coffee is pretty much the fuel that drives most of us, it really makes
life extremely difficult for those who suffer from this allergy!
1.
$ex.
Well this one is really the worst of them all!
This is an allergy that afflicts only women
as some of them suffer from Seminal Plasma hypersensitivity,
which means that she is allergic to semen!
And well, obviously the area most affected by it is the vagina
although if you happen to take a course off the third base,
you would probably suffer the reactions elsewhere as well!
In extreme cases, the reaction has also been known to cause death
so it is a pretty serious ailment.
Treatment involves exposing the body’s immune system to increasing doses of semen
till it stops reacting to it.
Have you ever suffered from any of these allergies before?
Or known someone who has?
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