An allergy, in the usual sense, is a chronic disease that occurs as a result of an inadequate response of the immune system to potentially safe substances entering the body. Most often, an allergic reaction is caused by certain foods with high allergenic activity, as well as plant pollen, dust, animal hair, etc. However, sometimes allergies occur after consuming completely harmless foods or to completely ordinary external influences. For example, there have been cases of people experiencing anaphylactic shock (an acute allergic reaction) due to exposure to cold. Next, we’ll look at the most unusual allergy options that will probably surprise you.
Many people suffer from rare, unusual types of allergies
Contents
- 1 Allergy to electromagnetic waves
- 2 Aquagenic urticaria, or allergy to water
- 3 Allergy to the sun – “vampire disease”
- 4 Allergy to gravity, or intolerance to gravity
- 5 Alpha-gal syndrome, or allergy to meat
Allergy to electromagnetic waves
In 2020, the Daily Mail described a case in which 48-year-old British resident Bruno Berrick spent four years in captivity and spent 200 thousand pounds due to a rare allergy to electromagnetic waves. At some point, he noticed that he began to get tired quickly. In addition, he began to be bothered by strange sensations in his head, similar to clicks, and a burning sensation in his body. Then he suddenly lost 30 kilograms.
The man contacted doctors in different countries, but no one could help him. As a result, due to weakness, he was bedridden. In the United States, doctors discovered severe pesticide poisoning, which most likely arose due to the proximity of residence to the field. However, the man learned about the allergy quite by accident when he met a person who suffered from the same symptoms. He recommended that he exclude exposure to electromagnetic waves.
As a result of the examination, doctors confirmed that Bruno Berrick had developed electromagnetic supersensitivity. Obviously, this happened against the background of pesticide poisoning. As a result, the man had to protect his home with special coatings that do not transmit electromagnetic radiation. As he himself says, when he finds himself next to a mobile phone, he literally faints.
For 4 years Bruno Berrick could not understand what was happening to his health. Photo source: Daily Mail
Unfortunately, the disease is poorly understood, but many people suffer from it. For example, it is known that in Sweden there are 200 thousand people with electroallergy, or 3.1% of the total population. Some people experience rashes and swelling on the skin from exposure to electromagnetic waves. However, the reason for this is not fully known.
Aquagenic urticaria, or allergy to water
It is difficult to imagine life without such procedures as washing, washing hands, taking a shower or bath. However, some people cannot do this because they are allergic to water. This is an autoimmune disease that causes blistering and severe burning pain on the skin due to contact with water. Moreover, it does not matter what water they come into contact with — cold or warm, boiled or from the tap, fresh or salted.
In some cases, there are no blisters, but severe itching appears. The most interesting thing is that allergies occur only upon contact with skin. When water enters the body, no negative symptoms appear. However, some people with aquagenic urticaria experience a strong burning sensation in the mouth and even the esophagus when they drink water.
Rachel Warwick — a woman who suffers from an allergy to water. Source: observatornews.ro
We previously talked about a woman, Rachel Warwick, who experiences burning pain whenever she touches water. She cannot take a bath or shower, as for her it is tantamount to swimming in hot lava.
Fortunately, aquagenic urticaria is extremely rare and affects about 30-50 people worldwide. The disease cannot be cured, but the symptoms are suppressed by taking potent antihistamines. True, they do not help all people with aquagenic urticaria.
Sun allergy – “vampire disease”
The sun's rays warm us with their warmth, are a source of vitamin D, and help strengthen the immune system. However, some people cannot tolerate sun exposure. And we are not talking about a strong tan, from which absolutely everyone suffers, but a real allergy to the sun, also known as photoderma.
With photoderma, a rash appears on the skin. kaktus.media
Unlike water allergies, photoderma affects many more people – about 20% of the world's population. When exposed to sunlight, people experience skin redness, swelling, and blisters that fill with fluid or pus. Often, an allergy to the sun is accompanied by fever, malaise and dizziness.
It must be said that the sun's rays themselves are not an allergen, but under their influence substances appear in the skin that cause allergies. That is, as a result of a photochemical reaction, the structure of certain substances in the thickness of the skin and on its surface changes. Treatment for photoderma involves applying special ointments to the affected areas of the skin. The opposite of this disease is, perhaps, an allergy to cold, which was mentioned above.
Allergy to gravity, or intolerance to gravity
The presence of gravity is an integral feature of our environment, without which we cannot exist for a long time. As you know, in zero gravity various negative processes occur with the human body – DNA mutates, blood is destroyed, bones become fragile, etc. However, according to scientists, there are people who are intolerant to gravity.
Some people may suffer from gravity intolerance
True, this cannot be called a typical allergy. As we previously covered, a symptom of this condition is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, for now these are only assumptions, since the exact causes of IBS have not yet been established.
Alpha-gal syndrome, or meat allergy
Recently, scientists have come to the conclusion that a person needs to consume meat, since it is impossible to fully replace it with other products. However, not everyone can eat meat. Previously, we told the story of a 56-year-old farmer from the United States who sought medical help because he began to break out in a rash after eating food. Doctors were unable to find out the cause of his symptoms and were unable to help him.
Some people suffer from meat allergies
At some point After eating, the man began to choke and called an ambulance. It was then that it turned out that the farmer was suffering from a food allergy, a very rare one that occurs to meat, and not just any meat, but only red meat. Since the man did not eat meat often, allergies also occurred periodically.
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Even earlier, similar symptoms were found in many people who were treated for cancer with the drug cetuximab. In both cases, the cause of the allergic reaction was the carbohydrate alpha 1,3-galactose, which enters the body through tick bites. The disease is poorly understood, but it is known that in the United States it affects 3% of the population.