Allergic to Sex: 11 Other Crazy Allergies
Just what are we allergic to? Nuts, insect stings, and penicillin may be among the most familiar allergy-causing substances out there, but they're just the tip of a very big iceberg.
Here are 12 often-overlooked things that cause allergic (or allergy-like) reactions, from Dr. Andrew Nish, an allergist in private practice in Gainesville, Georgia and an AAAAI fellow.
Water
Doctors call this rare sensitivity aquagenic (caused by water) urticaria (hives). But whatever you call it, antihistamines can help.
Sunlight
Kissing
Sex
For a woman with seminal fluid allergy, condoms can help. Of course, some women are allergic to latex condoms.
The allergy affects less than 1percent of the U.S. population, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Beer
Cold
It can be a potentially dangerous condition. For some people with cold urticaria, a plunge into cold water could trigger a deadly reaction, says Dr. Nish.