Anyone who lives with allergies knows how deeply unpleasant they can be, knocking you out with a range of symptoms affecting you from head-to-toe. Dogs feel our pain, too, and can be allergic to a number of the same things we are.
But if humans can be allergic to dogs (or, more accurately, their dander), can they be allergic to us? Here’s what to know.
Can dogs be allergic to people?
Like humans, dogs can be allergic to certain foods, skin irritants, and medications, as well as environmental allergens, like pollen, dust miles, mold, and animal dander, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). And yes, this includes human dander.
Is this new?
Even if you’ve had dogs your entire life, this may be the first you’re hearing about the possibility that they can be allergic to people. And Dr. Valerie Fadok, an AKC veterinarian specializing in dermatology, says there are good reasons for that.
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First, she says, testing dogs for human dander allergies has only recently become a routine part of the test in vets’ offices. The second reason has to do with fleas. Sort of.
Prior to the early 1990s, when effective, modern, preventative flea control treatments became widely available, it was far less common for dogs to sleep in bed with their humans, Fadok explains.
Now that excellent flea protection exists, dogs are spending longer periods of time snuggled up next to their people (especially in bed) and being exposed to their dander—which, in turn, makes their human dander allergies noticeable in a way that they weren’t before, Fadok notes.
The signs a dog is allergic to people
Dogs’ environmental allergy symptoms are largely the same for any allergens, so if yours experiences any of the ones below, you’ll need to take them to the vet for a test to identify the cause.
According to the AKC, the signs that your dog may be allergic to human dander (or any other environmental allergens) include:
Scratching and licking themselves, especially around their groin, anus, eyes, muzzle ears, paws, and underarms
Moist, crusted-over, or bare patches of skin
Runny nose and/or sneezing
Watery eyes
Hives
Diarrhea
What to do if your dog is allergic to people
If your vet has determined that your dog is, in fact, allergic to human dander, they will also talk to you about the best ways to treat their allergies. Depending on the type and severity of you dog’s allergic reaction, the vet make recommend longer-term solutions, like allergy shots, or short-term treatments, like an antihistamine, or cortisone cream to soothe their skin.
There are also things you can do at home to help reduce your dog’s exposure to your dander (and other allergens), including:
Vacuuming your home as much as possible
Switching to washable rugs, and washing them regularly
Using an air purifier with a HEPA filter in your bedroom
If your dog sleeping in your bed is nonnegotiable, changing and washing your bedding often
Report back to your vet after a few weeks with an update on your dog’s symptoms. If they’ve stayed the same or gotten worse, your vet will help you determine the next steps.
Eating just a tiny amount of food that a person is allergic to can trigger their body, causing digestive problems, hives, or swollen airways. In some people, it can lead to severe symptoms or even a life-threatening situation.
While those who suffer from one would gladly give away their allergy, while others apparently crave one.
A few days ago, Reddit user MichaelShing submitted a story to the platform’s ‘Malicious Compliance‘ community about an annoying customer they had while working at a restaurant who would regularly fake a gluten allergy.
Eventually, the server got so sick and tired of this woman that they called out her attention-seeking behavior.
This server got sick and tired of a regular customer faking a gluten allergy
Food allergy affects about 8% of children under age 5 and up to 4% of adults. While there’s no cure, some change as they get older.
The most common food allergy signs and symptoms include:
Tingling or itching in the mouth;
Hives, itching or eczema;
Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat or other parts of the body;
Wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing;
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting.
So somehow I doubt that the lady would say “Oh, that’s fine,” if she actually ticked this list.
Not to mention that in some people, a food allergy can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which causes symptoms including:
Constriction and tightening of the airways;
A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in your throat that makes it difficult to breathe;
Shock with a severe drop in blood pressure;
Rapid pulse;
Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness;
Emergency treatment is critical for anaphylaxis. Untreated, anaphylaxis can cause a coma or even death.
Food allergy is spreading on a global level, with the greatest rise happening in the US and other industrialized countries.
In fact, the number of people suffering from it in America has doubled each of the last decades. New data suggest that at least 10.8% (>26 million) of US adults are food allergic, whereas nearly 19% believe that they have a food allergy.
About 6 million American children, or roughly 2 kids in every classroom, have an identified food allergy.
Anyone can develop this pesky thing.
In fact, there are findings indicating that the majority (2/3) of children who develop a food allergy do not have a parent with one. (With the rapid rise of food allergies over the past generation, experts believe that increases in allergy susceptibility are being driven, in part, by environmental factors.)
But as we can see, anyone can fake having one, too. How sad do you have to be if this is how you get strangers to notice you?
Both people with and without food allergies loved the way this server handled the situation
In a recent case study, doctors describe the unfortunate tale of a man who developed an allergy-like reaction to his own orgasms. The bizarre and rare affliction left him unable to pursue sexual and romantic relationships. But thankfully, the doctors managed to treat his problem using a simple over-the-counter antihistamine.
The condition is known as postorgasmic illness syndrome, or POIS. Sufferers (almost always men) experience symptoms similar to hay fever or a flu following ejaculation, such as fatigue, itchy eyes, stuffy or runny nose, and even memory problems. These symptoms appear after every or nearly every orgasm, usually within seconds but sometimes up to hours later, and they can last anywhere from two to seven days.
There are many different illnesses that can affect a person’s sexual function, but POIS is especially rare. The National Institutes of Health estimates that fewer than 1,000 people in the U.S. currently have it. And according to the authors of this latest case study, set to be published in the November issue of Urology Case Reports, there are fewer than 60 reported cases of POIS in the medical literature.
The report describes an otherwise healthy 27-year-old man who first began to experience his symptoms at the age of 18. In addition to his flu-like illness, he would often break out into hives along his forearms after orgasms. He had seen several medical providers over the years, including an otolaryngologist, an infectious disease specialist, and multiple allergists, but nothing they offered seemed to help. By the time he saw these doctors, he had long been actively abstaining from any kind of sexual activity and romantic relationships.
Because of its rarity, there’s very little known about exactly why POIS happens. But it’s suspected to be a type of hypersensitivity reaction to something within a person’s ejaculate. Most people with POIS, for instance, have tested positive on skin prick tests using their semen as the allergen. One plausible theory is that sperm cells might trigger this immune response, since they contain only half of the genetic material found in most other cells. But even sterile individuals have developed POIS, suggesting that the true culprit is usually some other ingredient in semen.
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In this particular case, the man recalled that his first episode occurred after he had recovered from a case of acute epididymitis, or inflammation around a specific area of the scrotum. Epididymitis is often caused by a urinary tract infection or sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It’s possible, the doctors speculate, that this infection set off a chain reaction that caused his immune system to become sensitized to his semen from then on.
There’s no official treatment for POIS, but the doctors decided to test out an antihistamine, which can tamp down the symptoms of other types of allergy. Their initial treatment didn’t seem to work, but they then switched to an over-the-counter version of fexofenadine, taken daily (the drug has long since become generic but is sold under the popular brand name Allegra). Additionally, they advised the man to gradually ramp up his frequency of orgasms. The fexofenadine worked like a charm, leading to a self-reported 90% decrease in symptoms and allowing the man to finally resume sexual activity.
The doctors suspect that the other antihistamine may have failed to help because its peak effects only last for a few hours, while fexofenadine is both long-lasting and non-sedative. But although this drug is safe, cheap, and easy to take, the doctors do recommend that more research be done to confirm that it can be a reliable option for those with POIS.
“Our experience demonstrates the feasibility of treating a complex disease with a simple medication and hopefully will be replicated in future patients,” they wrote.
A man had to abstain from sex because he was allergic to his own orgasm, doctors have revealed.
The 27-year-old, who wasn’t identified, would suffer flu-like symptoms whenever he ejaculated.
His ‘distressing’ illness, thought to have started a decade earlier, meant he ‘actively avoided’ having sex or even getting into a romantic relationship.
Although a bizarre condition, the man — whose ordeal was published in a medical journal — is not alone.
Sufferers an experience fever, a cough, sneezing, muscle weakness, and even issues with their speech, concentration and memory – and the problems continue for between two days and a week after they’ve ejaculated
So far, experts have uncovered nearly 60 cases of men with what has been labelled post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS).
Scientists think it’s an allergic, or autoimmune, response to their own sperm which is the cause of the men’s suffering.
They can endure fever, a cough, sneezing, muscle weakness — as well as issues with their speech, concentration and memory.
The issues can continue for between two days and a week after they’ve ejaculated, doctors say.
But, as so few people are aware of the condition, there could be many more people living with it, said researcher Andrew Shanholtzer.
‘Many health providers do not know about it, let alone the public,’ said Mr Shanholtzer, from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in the US.
Post-orgasmic illness syndrome: Everything you need to know
POIS, post-orgasmic illness syndrome, is a rare disorder in which affected men experience a cluster of negative symptoms following ejaculation.
These include severe fatigue, nasal congestion, burning eyes, difficulty concentrating, irritability, depressed mood, and flu-like symptoms.
They can last from one day to two weeks.
POIS often causes men to abstain from masturbating or sex. When they do have sex, patients often try to avoid ejaculating.
The prevalence of POIS is unknown and difficult to determine, as it is likely that many affected individuals do not seek medical attention.
Most doctors are unaware of the syndrome and often results in patients being referred to mental health professionals.
The condition was first reported in 2002 but since then about 50 cases have been examined where men experience a range of flu-like and allergy symptoms after ejaculating.
There is no consensus on the underlying cause nor the optimal treatment of POIS – but it is thought that it may be caused by men being allergic to their own semen.
Doctors thus far have been unable to identify any absolute cures for POIS.
Treatment recommendations have included antihistamines, benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and stimulants.
‘It is more than likely that it is underdiagnosed, with many sufferers out there.’
There is no consensus on the underlying cause of POIS.
But Mr Shanholtzer said the problem might start after an infection or injury to the testicles leads to microscopic amounts of sperm leaking into the bloodstream, which the body then mounts a response to.
Normally, the sperm has a membrane separating it from the rest of the body but if this is damaged, the body can turn on itself.
‘The immune cells in the body are trained to attack any foreign substances found,’ said Mr Shanholtzer, a fourth-year medical student and researcher.
‘There are special cells called Sertoli cells that nurture and surround sperm and keep it isolated from immune cells.
‘When the Sertoli cells are damaged the sperm is exposed to the immune system for the first time and the immune system attacks the sperm like it is a virus or foreign bacterium.’
His team is hopeful, though, that they’ve now found a way to help men these men after successfully treating the 27-year-old.
The man, whose allergy started around the age of 18, had completely given up on romance after developed coughing, a runny nose and sneezing as well as a hive-like rash on his arms whenever he had an orgasm.
The lymph glands on his face and neck would also swell up and it got worse the more he climaxed.
‘Because of the distressing nature of his symptoms, he actively avoided any sexual activity or romantic relationships,’ the team said.
He’d been to see a whole host of doctors including urologists, ear nose and throat specialists, and even infectious diseases experts.
His testicles had been scanned, and he’d had his semen and hormones analysed, but all results were normal.
He was also given antibiotics, to no avail.
The doctors, who wrote about the patient in the medical journal Urology Case Reports, said the condition is often misdiagnosed and men can be put through ‘numerous potentially unnecessary tests and treatments’.
But after trying different antihistamines on their patient they found that a specific, long-acting one, called fexofenadine, has led to a 90 per cent reduction in his symptoms.
A young woman who is “allergic to gravity” is speaking out about her debilitating condition, claiming she spends 23 hours a day in bed and is unable to stand upright for more than three minutes without passing out.
Lyndsi Johnson, 28, suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — a condition that creates reduced blood volume and an abnormal increase in heart rate when a person stands or sits up.
“I’m allergic to gravity,” Johnson told South West News Service in an interview about her unusual illness. “It sounds crazy but it’s true.”
“I can’t stand up for longer than three minutes without feeling faint, being sick or passing out,” the Bangor, Maine, resident further explained. “I feel much better if I’m lying down. I’m in bed all day.”
Johnson was working as an aviation diesel mechanic for the Navy in 2015 when she began experiencing symptoms of POTS.
Lyndsi Johnson, 28, suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — a condition that creates reduced blood volume and an abnormal increase in heart rate when a person stands or sits up. Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNSJohnson (left) worked as an aviation diesel mechanic for the Navy before she was medically discharged in 2018. Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNS
The young recruit suffered severe back and abdominal pain, and soon began fainting on a regular basis.
“It was really scary,” Johnson recalled, saying doctors initially believed she was experiencing “anxiety.”
“I was passing out everywhere,” she stated. “I would be shopping at the supermarket and I had to sit down because I felt faint. I’ve even passed out after my dog has barked.”
The super-fit Maine resident was used to being on her feet all day before she began experiencing symptoms of POTS. Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNSJohnson underwent a “tilt” test to determine if she had POTS.Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNS
In May 2018, Johnson was medically discharged from the military due to her mystery illness, but her symptoms only worsened.
By early 2022, she was unable to keep food down and was projectile vomiting on a regular basis.
“I’d throw up so much my heart would start having prolonged QT intervals and I’d be in the hospital on cardiac monitoring,” the mechanic revealed.
A cardiologist subsequently theorized that Johnson might have POTS and suggested she undergo a “tilt” test — during which the patient is secured to a table while lying down and the table is slowly tilted upright, with doctors monitoring heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide levels.
In February, she was officially diagnosed with the syndrome.
Johnson was officially diagnosed with POTS in February of this year. She spends 23 hours a day lying down in bed. Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNS“It’s really debilitating,” Johnson said. “I can’t do chores and [my husband] James has to cook, clean and help me shower and wash myself.”Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNS
While there is no cure, she now takes beta blockers, which reduce her fainting to three times a day and help with her nausea.
However, she is still unable to live a normal life and relies on her husband, James, to be her caregiver.
“It’s really debilitating,” she said. “I can’t do chores and James has to cook, clean and help me shower and wash myself. I’ve gone weeks without brushing my teeth because it just makes me feel awful.”
Johnson is now pursuing a music business degree from the confines of her bed. Courtesy Lyndsi Johnson / SWNS
The ex-mechanic — who used to pride herself on being super active — says the diagnosis feels like “the rug has been ripped from under my feet.”
A determined Johnson is now pursuing a music business degree from the confines of her bed, and hopes to be able to get back to work — in a job where she can work remotely and lie down.
“I’ve really had to adapt to this new life,” she declared. “I can’t do a lot of what I used to be able to, but I’ve come to terms with that now. I’m grateful for what I have.”
Natasha Coates suffers from a rare condition in which anything from sweating to laughing can trigger a potentially fatal allergic reaction — an affliction so dangerous she planned her own funeral at 20.
Despite her debilitating disease, she has managed to excel at gymnastics and become an online inspiration to others with the ailment.
“I’m allergic to strong emotions,” said the UK survivor, 27, of her harrowing saga in videos posted to her popular Instagram and TikTok accounts. “Any changes to my body’s status quo — whether I’m laughing, crying, sad or stressed — can cause a chemical reaction.”
Coates specifically suffers from mast cell activation syndrome, a rare immunological disorder in which a person experiences “repeated severe allergy symptoms affecting several body systems,” according to the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology.
The Nottingham native recalled one instance where she almost literally died laughing, describing: “We were having a good laugh when my tongue and throat swelled up.”
“In MCAS, mast cells mistakenly release too many chemical agents, resulting in symptoms in the skin, gastrointestinal tract, heart, respiratory, and neurologic systems,” experts at the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center reported.
“One friend called an ambulance, while another helped me use my EpiPen to stop me choking and suffocating to death,” Coates told the Mirror. “They stroked my hair, telling me I’d be OK as I lost consciousness before being whisked into intensive care. Quite the end to a night out.”
Natasha Coates has to walk on allergenic eggshells to avoid triggering anaphylaxis. Instagram/@natashacoatesgb
“In my body, my cells are hypersensitive,” Coates explained while describing her condition in a recent documentary titled “The Girl Who’s Allergic to Herself.”
“So they release an excess of these chemicals at the slightest trigger, for example food or exercise or heat or being stung. And sometimes they release chemicals when there’s no trigger,” she continued. “If they release enough of these chemicals they can send me into anaphylactic shock, which can be potentially life-threatening.”
As a result of her MCAS, the embattled athlete experiences reactions nearly every day and has been hospitalized over 500 times.
Coates experiences allergic reactions to laughter, her own tears, growing her hair, changes in the weather, food and digestion.Instagram/@natashacoatesgb
“When I feel it starting, I get upset and try to suppress it, otherwise I’ll have a worse reaction — it’s a vicious circle,” lamented Coates.
The Brit’s MCAS first reared its head when she was younger and would have strange reactions to food, which her family initially dismissed as hypersensitivity.
Then, at 18, Coates experienced her first anaphylactic attack. “I was at a big public event when I suddenly felt shaky, dizzy and found it hard to breathe,” said the petrified youngster athlete. “I was taken to hospital with a police escort.”
She added, “I was unconscious, so I missed all the excitement, but when I came round in hospital I was frightened.”
Despite the life-threatening episode, doctors assured Coates that this was normal, leaving her thinking she’d experienced a “once-in-a-lifetime reaction.”
It wasn’t until two years later — and countless reactions, many of which landed her in the emergency room — that the poor gal was finally diagnosed with MCAS.
Needless to say, life became a living hell. “I’m allergic to body sprays, cleaning products and scented candles,” Coates explained. “Eating is still a bit like Russian roulette.
“A food that’s fine today could give me an allergic reaction tomorrow,” added the unfortunate sportswoman, who had initially tried to identify the offending foods. Pretty soon, she’d whittled her diet down only chicken, potatoes and broccoli, which caused her to become malnourished.
Coates hasn’t let her condition stop her from competing in gymnastics. She has won over 20 British titles and 30-something British medals in the Disability British Championships.Instagram/@natashacoatesgb
“I can cope with anything but I’m allowed to have bad days. There’s no point pretending it’s OK — because I’m not OK with it. If I could click my fingers and be cured, I’d do it instantly.”
Natasha Coates, 27
Not to mention that her self-imposed eating regimen ultimately proved futile. “Because of the chemicals released when I’m digesting food, sometimes it’s not what I’m eating but the digestion process that triggers anaphylaxis,” rued Coates.
She analogized living with MCAS to a “ticking time bomb,” describing: “It’s frightening for my family, wondering which reaction is going to be my last.”
Eventually, the youngster said she came to “accept that this condition could kill me.”
“I planned my funeral aged 20,” Coates said, detailing the seemingly morbid measure. “I know that’s not normal but by being organised, I know I’m having a Beyoncé song!”
Thankfully, she has since implemented protocols to prevent the worst from happening, including taking medication to mitigate reactions, making sure each member knows how to use an EpiPen and even employing “assistive technology.”
“If I press a button on my watch, the lights on the front of my house change to red and an ambulance is called,” said Coates. The brave gal was even able to move out of her parents’ house and live on her own — albeit with a personal assistant by her side five days a week.
Coates said that “keeping myself alive is a full-time job.”
“I do have to avoid social situations sometimes,” she said. “I go on a risk versus reward basis. I study menus beforehand, take extra medication and hope for the best. I need to know where the nearest hospital is, that I’ve got my care plan and enough medication.”
Interestingly, despite her myriad allergenic triggers, Coates has reportedly found salvation in gymnastics, which she says saved her both physically and mentally.
This naturally poses risk, however, due to both the sweating and the fact that physical activity messes with her senses.
“The chemicals released in my brain when I exercise cause me to lose my elbows down to my knees down,” explained Coates on TikTok. “So when I catch the high bar I can’t actually feel myself catching the high bar.”
She added, per the Mirror: “So when I whack my shin on the beam, there’s a big bump — and any injury can cause a reaction. I badly damaged my knee in 2019 and went into anaphylaxis.”
“In my body, my cells are hypersensitive,” Coates explained while describing her condition in a recent documentary titled “The Girl Who’s Allergic to Herself.” “So they release an excess of these chemicals at the slightest trigger, for example food or exercise or heat or being stung. And sometimes they release chemicals when there’s no trigger.”Instagram/@natashacoatesgb
Nonetheless, the trailblazing gal, who competes in the Disability British Championships, has set a high bar in the sport, amassing over 20 British titles and 30-something British medals, per the documentary.
Describing why she competes despite the potential for injury, the competitor described: “The only people who tell me I should stop gymnastics are those who don’t understand me. It gives me so much more than it takes away. The allergic reactions will happen anyway, even if I’m sitting at home doing nothing, so I may as well be out living my life.”
While certainly an inspiration, the flip wizard ultimately wishes she wasn’t afflicted with MCAS.
“I can cope with anything but I’m allowed to have bad days. There’s no point pretending it’s OK — because I’m not OK with it. If I could click my fingers and be cured, I’d do it instantly.”
The singer, who prefers the pronouns she/they, posted a series of videos on their Instagram stories Tuesday explaining that “a lot of you guys have been wondering what’s going on with my health and some of you saw a TikTok yesterday basically confirming that I’m allergic to literally everything.”
“Obviously my health has changed a lot since I got pregnant and giving birth,” they said. “I started getting really, really, really sick.”
They gave birth last year to their first child, son Ender, with partner Alev Aydin.
Since then the star has been “hospitalized for anaphylaxis a few times and had some other stuff going on” resulting in, they said, being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, Mast cell activation syndrome and Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
According to the Ehlers-Danlos Society site, the syndrome is a disorder “of connective tissue that are varied in the ways they affect the body and in their genetic causes.”
Sjögren’s syndrome is defined as “a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by degeneration of the salivary and lachrymal glands, causing dryness of the mouth and eyes.” Mast cell activation syndrome can cause an immediate allergic reaction including anaphylaxis, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is a blood circulation disorder which can cause a heart rate increase, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Halsey said they were aware that people had noticed the heart monitor they were wearing and said the root cause of the health issues is still being investigated.
“It could potentially be another autoimmune disease and I’ve known I’ve had autoimmune issues for most of my life, especially having endometriosis,” the singer said. “But it’s kind of been exacerbated since I had Ender.”
They assured followers that they are in rehearsal for their upcoming “Love and Power” tour.
“I’m really excited and I’m really confident that I’ll be able to do it in a way that’s healthy where I can perform my best for all of you,” Halsey said.
Our recent warm weather has reawakened ticks, and one type in particular is becoming more common in the D.C. area: the lone star tick. One bite from this tick, which is easily identified by the white spot on its back if it’s a female, can cause a life-long adverse reaction to eating red meat.
The lone star tick originated in the southern states but has spread north and west to cover much of the eastern half of the country. With a warming climate, more ticks survive the winter months, and their range is expanding.
Unlike the black-legged (deer) tick, the lone star tick doesn’t transmit Lyme disease, but it can produce a severe food allergy in people known as alpha-gal syndrome,whichis an allergy to red meat.
How to protect yourself from ticks
When lone star ticks feed on mammals, such as mice, rabbits or deer, they ingest alpha-gal sugars. Later, if the ticks bite and feed on humans, they inject the alpha-gal sugars with their saliva into their human host.
Because people don’t have alpha-gal in their bodies, the human immune system recognizes alpha-gal from a tick bite as a foreign substance and mounts a response, including the development of antibodies. Often, the bite site becomes swollen and itchy.
But red meat, which contains alpha-gal sugars, can further trigger reactions. If red meat is eaten by people bitten by the lone star tick, the immune system recognizes the alpha-gal from the meat as a foreign substance. As a result, the body mounts a response, often much more severe than the initial response to the tick bite.
The alpha-gal allergy to red meat can lead to a rash, hives, itching, swelling, shortness of breath, headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. With severe cases, a person may suffer anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction.
Initially, alpha-gal syndrome was hard to diagnose because the allergic reaction occurs many hours after meat is ingested. In addition, the allergy to red meat lasts a lifetime and can become worse over time.
Living with alpha-gal syndrome
Keith Tremel from Edgewater, Md., is a competitive barbecue cook who can’t eat or taste his smoked beef and pork dishes. He needs to wear rubber gloves when handling red meat, or he’ll break out in a rash. He contracted alpha-gal syndrome after a lone star tick bite five years ago and is highly allergic to most of the meat he cooks.
Tremel remembers the tick bite: “I was bitten on the thigh by a tick while I was sleeping. It woke me up. I pulled the tick off and immediately saw the white dot. I had recently read an article about alpha-gal and lone star ticks, so I instantly recognized it. I wouldn’t say the bite was painful, but it did wake me up.”
Soon after the tick bite, Tremel ate a hamburger and broke out in a rash over most of his body. A week later, another hamburger caused the same rash. Later, a third hamburger led to a similar outcome, and Tremel went to see a doctor, fearing alpha-gal syndrome.
Tremel’s doctor had never heard of alpha-gal and looked it up on his laptop while Tremel waited. The diagnosis was indeed alpha-gal syndrome. “It was not comforting when I realized I knew more about alpha-gal than a medical professional,” he said in an email.
“Before my diagnosis, I loved bacon cheeseburgers. My wife and two kids both like bacon, and my son enjoys steak, so cooking that for them can be a little bit of torture. As for barbecue competitions and catering, I’m used to it now, but in the beginning, it was frustrating.”
Tremel and his teammates compete in the Kansas City Barbeque Society, cooking chicken, ribs, pork and brisket at each contest. Chicken, he said, is the only meat he can sample. For the rest of the dishes, he relies on his “teammates’ taste buds to make any last-minute changes to our turn-ins, like does it need more spice, less spice, is it salty, too sweet, etc.?”
Since Tremel’s alpha-gal diagnosis, his favorite foods have changed to chicken tacos and pizza. “So far, dairy has not affected me, so cheese is still okay.”
William Gimpel, a retired entomologist from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, was bitten awhile ago by a tick in the Northern Neck of Virginia. But he wasn’t officially diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome until six years ago.
Gimpel’s allergic reaction to red meat was severe. He said in an email: “I developed hives, fainted, my blood pressure dropped, and I told my wife on the way to the ER that I could not see. That has been my most serious reaction.”
The tick population is booming. Is climate change to blame?
Initially, Gimpel was told he was allergic to beef. So, he dined on pork, lamb and venison for several years. Then he had an allergic reaction to pork, and three months later he reacted poorlyto lamb. Finally, he found an allergist who correctly diagnosed his condition as alpha-gal syndrome.
Gimpel remains optimistic despite his allergy. He wrote, “The best news is I eat all of the non-red meats, including chicken, turkey, fish, crabs, and other shellfish!”
Not all lone star tick bites produce alpha-gal syndrome. I was bitten by one last month in the D.C. area but have not developed the allergy to red meat … yet. In fact, I have been bitten by more than a dozen lone star ticks.
The increase in ticks can be attributed to warmer temperatures across the seasons. Michael Raupp, entomology professor emeritus at the University of Maryland,said warmer temperatures in the winter allow more ticks to survive the usually harsh season. Mild weather in the fall, winter and spring also allows them to actively seek hosts for longer periods, which increases their chances of survival. In addition, Raupp said, a boost in animals on which the ticks feed, such as white-tailed deer, also helps increase the tick population.
In addition to alpha-gal, the lone star ticks transmit diseases, including Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI), which produces a rash, fever, fatigue and pain in muscles and joints, and ehrlichiosis, which produces flu-like symptoms, including headache, joint and muscle aches, fever and fatigue.
The female lone star tick has a white spot on its back, but the male does not, making it harder to identify. However, the lone star tick has a different shape from the dog tick and is much larger than the deer tick (see photo above).
If you do contract alpha-gal syndrome, though, genetically modified meat may be an option. Recently, pigs have been genetically modified to remove alpha-gal sugars so their organs can be transplanted in humans with a lower chance of rejection. The leftover meat can be used as food for people with alpha-gal syndrome.
One company, Revivicor, has been mailing packages of its alpha-gal-free pork to people with the syndrome. The meat appears not to produce an allergic reaction.
In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved the genomic alteration of pigs for human food and cosmetics, so there may be a future for selling alpha-gal-free meat to people with the syndrome.
Perhaps one day, Tremel can barbecue pork ribs for competition and do his own taste test. And then eat the leftovers.
An Australian model known amongst OnlyFans users as Lucy Banks recently revealed that she had to receive medical treatment due to an allergic reaction to her partner’s ejaculation. When the influencer recounted the horrific tale, she explained that she had to drag herself to a local pharmacy shortly after having sexual relations with her partner because she was completely unaware of why her body was reacting in such an odd way after casual sex. What she found out next was rather shocking.
Upon learning about Banks’ unique situation, the pharmacy staff huddled up and tried to figure out a solution in order to relieve her of the anguish that she was feeling. What they determined was that she was suffering from an improbable diagnosis of phallic-caused anaphylaxis, meaning that her partner ate something that she was allergic to moments before penetrating her. When they figured out what he consumed they were able to make the determination that the pain was caused by an allergic reaction to peanuts.
“He had eaten peanuts earlier that day, and it transferred to me,” Banks said. “I didn’t realize at the time that this was possible…I had never heard of food allergens transmitting and negatively affecting partners through ejaculation before.”
According to studies, what Banks suffered was very rare. But nevertheless, she has made it her purpose to teach others about the dangers of allergic reactions to bodily fluids in a series of PSA’s on TikTok.
“If you have severe anaphylactic reactions to certain foods, then I would take special precautions with your partner to make sure they haven’t eaten anything that could trigger a negative, and possibly serious, response,” the digital creator said. “Those with minor or moderate allergies most likely won’t notice anything.”
A UK teen is so deathly allergic to cold that he can’t be outside for more than 15 minutes — even in warm weather — without his skin breaking out into itchy red rashes.
“He can’t be outside for long if it’s cold,” mom Tupney Courtney, 38, told Kennedy News & Media of her son Calum’s unfortunate affliction. “He goes out and has to keep coming back in.”
The 14-year-old from Basildon, Essex, suffers from cold urticaria, a rare skin reaction to even mild cold in which patients develop hives, swelling and even anaphylactic shock.
Calum erupts into hives when the mercury reads less than a balmy 75 degrees, or when his limbs aren’t covered by a blanket while he’s sleeping.
“He breaks out on whatever part of the body is cold,” explained the boy’s distraught mom of the reaction, which occurs after just 15 minutes outside — even if her child dons three layers of clothing.
The mother of two continued, “It starts off like little red dots. It looks like chickenpox. Then they get bigger and join together,” adding that it feels “pinchy” like “stinging nettles, then it gets really itchy.”
“It affects so much. When kids want to go ice skating, when kids want to go swimming, anywhere, to the beach, he can’t go because it’s too risky,” griped Tupney Courtney.Kennedy News and Media
And the complications aren’t merely cosmetic: When Calum enters the water, the teen will reportedly get “bright red and says it feels like it’s burning,” or “like he’s going to pass out.” His mother believes these are the early stages of anaphylactic shock, which requires her to warm her son up immediately with hot drinks — a process that takes around 20 minutes to work.
In order to avert disaster, Calum’s parents have to crank the heat high all day and drive the boy 45 minutes to school (all the way up to the gate when it’s raining to prevent his clothes from getting damp). They also have to make sure he’s always wearing a tracksuit to protect his skin.
“You don’t know what reaction he could have. He could have anaphylactic shock. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility; even though he hasn’t, it could happen at any point,” Courtney lamented.
Calum exhibited signs of cold urticaria at 4 years old when he developed welts from “head to toe” while playing outside at his aunt’s wedding.
Initially thinking it was a pollen allergy, the toddler’s parents administered him antihistamines and brought him indoors — which seemed to improve his condition.
Calum exhibited signs of cold urticaria at 4 years old when he developed welts from “head to toe” while playing outside at Tupney’s sister-in-law’s wedding.Kennedy News and Media
However, they quickly realized his affliction was something more sinister after his symptoms returned with a vengeance in winter. “He used to play football at school on a Friday. As it got colder, he’d be wearing a tracksuit and Under Armour and he would still be smothered in lumps all over him,” said Courtney. “It was happening all the time and we started to realize that if his arm was out of the quilt, that would come up in hives, but the rest of him wouldn’t, so we started to see it was the cold.”
Unfortunately, she didn’t get many answers from the doctor, who simply said her son was affected by the cold. He also reiterated the same preventative measures the parents were already taking: sequestering Calum indoors, keeping the heat running on full, etc.
“Doctors suggest a lifestyle change to avoid the cold. OK, we won’t live, we’ll stay indoors, not doing anything or going anywhere,” snarked Courtney.
Currently, there is no cure-all treatment for the condition.Kennedy News and Media“If he hurts himself, he can’t have a cold compress,” rued Courtney.Kennedy News and Media
Urticaria has put a damper on the Courtneys, who have to “think of everything” to keep their son safe.
“If he hurts himself, he can’t have a cold compress,” rued his mother. “He banged his hand at school and they said he needed to go to hospital because his hand had doubled in size. But when I got there, he had a cold compress on it, so as soon as I warmed it up, it went down.”
Not only that, but their poor boy had to quit soccer cold turkey because his whole face swells up if he’s outside for a prolonged period of time.
Courtney says even watching football is a problem. “He likes to watch his brother play football and we take him tracksuits, hot water bottles, blankets, but he has to go and get in the car because his nose swells up and his eyes get further apart,” she said.
While planning their upcoming trip to Turkey — the hottest country the family could find — they had to “book a hotel with an indoor, heated swimming pool” to prevent Calum from catching a killer chill.
Calum Courtney and his mother, Tupney.Kennedy News and Media
“It affects so much. When kids want to go ice skating, when kids want to go swimming, anywhere, to the beach, he can’t go because it’s too risky,” griped his beleaguered mom. “We went to swim with dolphins in Florida and he couldn’t stay in the water.”
Not to mention that due to CU’s obscurity, “it’s a constant battle of trying to prove it to people,” said Courtney.
“People’s first reaction is, ‘Oh yes, I’m allergic to the cold too,’” she said. “They think he’s saying he doesn’t like the cold. It’s so frustrating that no one believes him.”
Finding proper CU specialists, or even effective “cold medicine,” has also proven an uphill battle.
Tupney ultimately hopes to get her son to where he can play outside “without looking like he’s got a disease.”Kennedy News and Media
“I want to find a doctor that specializes in CU, which I can’t seem to find,” said Courtney. “We find allergy doctors and dermatologists, but no one specializing in that specific allergy.”
Currently, while there is no cure-all treatment for the condition, doctors say people can mitigate the symptoms with over-the-counter antihistamines including loratadine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec), per the Mayo Clinic.
Courtney ultimately hopes to get her son healed enough to where he can play outside “without looking like he’s got a disease.”
