Sometimes cold urticaria symptoms may not develop immediately and can appear after 24 hours and within 48 hours. Depending on the severity of the condition, it could last from 2 hours to 48 hours.
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According to medical experts like the National Organization for rare disorders, cold urticaria itself can be divided into subcategories.
The first subcategory: Appears within 5-30 minutes of cold exposure causing reddening and itching after which you may experience a burning sensation. The condition of hives soon develops and will last for about 30 minutes. You may also experience headaches, palpitations and wheezing.
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The second subcategory: Termed as reflex cold urticaria, welts can appear over a larger area of the body immediately after the body’s temperature may drop as a response to cold exposure.
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While the above is the usual conditions of urticaria, the condition can worsen and develop into a further severity of the condition. Severe conditions can cause fainting, swelling of the torso or limbs, racing heart, and even shock. There could also be a swelling of the tongue and throat making breathing difficult.
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Although a gene has been associated with urticaria, medical experts have still been unable to pinpoint its causes. The basic assumption is that some people have overly sensitive skin cells due to an illness or a virus or as an inherited trait. In urticaria, cold triggers a response in the body which releases histamines into the bloodstream. It is these histamines are substances that are produced by immune cells or basophils in response to allergic reactions. The chemicals produced in such a reaction is what causes the itching and an entire body reaction.
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