
The Disease That Makes You Allergic To The Cold
By the end of winter, most people feel as though they can’t bare the cold anymore. But that is actually true for people with Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome (FCAS). It is a rare condition, inherited through genetics, that causes people to have allergy-like responses to a drop in temperature. Several symptoms, including rashes, joint pain, fatigue, blurred vision, and nausea, occur within a couple of hours of cold exposure. The rashes are generally itchy, and hives can result. They estimate that about 1 per 1 million people live with FCAS. For some reason, the condition mostly occurs in Americans and Europeans. The effects of FCAS can alter a person’s life forever. A survey of US patients found that many had to limit their work, school, family, and social activities. 78% of participants described the disease’s impact on their work, including absenteeism and inability to advance. Many even had to quit their job to manage their condition.