Has there ever been any documented cases?
I don’t know how reliable this source is, but it states that there have been less than 20 documented cases (and less than 200 cases of allergic reactions to human semen!).
The most recent guy just learned to wash very, very quickly.
Salt water brings on or exacerbates my eczema.
A person I was forced to work with claimed she couldn’t use regular water because “the chemicals in it make me sick.” Of course, everything in the entire universe gave her headaches, stomachaches, made her dizzy, etc.
In her book “Poisoning Our Children” Nancy Sokol Green talks about going into her neighbor’s bathroom, getting a reaction and telling her neighbor she was reacting to the cleaning supplies in the room. When her neighbor pointed out she had none of them in the bathroom, Nancy decided she was “reacting to the chlorine in her toilet.” I wonder how much of this is psychological.
I had a housemate that was exactly the same, AnnieXmas. She claimed she was “allergic to chemicals”. She also was “sensitive to sound” and claimed that she literally could not breathe if we used air freshener (which we had to use because of her allergy to deodorant). Funny thing was, we would use air freshener all the time, and if she didn’t hear it, no allergic reaction would occur.
Finally she was committed by her parents. Turns out she was completely insane. Who’da thunkit?
Whatever is going on in the case cited in that article, it is not possible, technically speaking, to be allergic to water. Allergies, properly speaking, are due to an inappropriate response of the immune system. Water is too simple a molecule to trigger a response of the immune system, and in any case, since it permeates your body, if you were truly allergic to water you would die in short order.
It is possible for certain chemicals to irritate or burn the skin or cause other responses without being allergenic. It is clear in the case mentioned in the link that the response of the individual was not a true allergy, since no histamines were generated and antihistamines had no effect. I would guess the symptoms were psychosomatic, but without more information it would be impossible to say for sure.
Generally speaking, only proteins or perhaps some other complex organic molecule s can provoke a true allergic reaction. A simple inorganic molecule like water can’t do it. Salt water, or fresh water containing minerals, could possible irritate the skin without it being an allergic response.
Has anyone ever been allergic to water?
Water, H2O, is the substance of life. Without it no one can exist for very long.
The human (and animal) body is something like 72 - 80% H2O,
Any thing in or in addition to the H2O may cause any number of reactions including alergies.
One can’t live without water. Our bodies are 60%-80% H[sub]2[/sub]O.
While there may be people who have negative reactions to the impurities that are in tap water, it’s impossible to be allergic to pure H[sub]2[/sub]O.
Allergies are reactions to foreign proteins by the body, producing antibodies to that protein.
Allergic reactions are specific, manifesting as, itchy rash/hives, swelling and pain or itchiness at the contact site. More serious allergic reactions are swelling of the tongue and throat, difficulty breathing, dramatic drop in blood pressure, respiratory failure or death.
Not all negative reactions are allergic. Substances that contain no protein can’t cause allergic reactions.
When one has other symptoms when exposed to a substance, it is an idiocyncratic reaction. Meaning it isn’t seen in the general population. A few examples of idiocyncratic reactions: nausea/vomiting, dizziness with normal blood pressure, hallucinations and other unusual mental functions.
Not just proteins. You can also form antibodes to such things as carbohydrates and lead.
Lead of course is at the ragged limit of antigenicity. Anti-Pb antibodies are difficult to induce, and the majority have crappy binding constants.
On an Episode of the MTV Dating game “NeXt” , we are informed that one of the female contestants is allergic to snow, via an on screen introduction graphic.
I could not believe that someone would be allergic to water. (After all, what is snow, but water?) I was ready to dismiss it all. As others have stated, I could not see how this could even attempt to be possible.
As I recall, the same contestant had the cometic procedure that made her “permanently suntanned”. The Male contestant “NeXted” (Asked her to leave the show) her instantly.
Meeko –
I think that contestant was trying to make what is known as a “joke.” She attempted to humourously state that she prefers warm-climate locations to cold-climate.
If that truly is an example of the level of wit on MTV gameshows, I am glad I am at least three decades past the target demographics.
I remember seeing a girl on Montel (I know, I know) a few years ago. A quick google revealed her name to be Heidi Falconer.
The condition is apparantly called “Aquagenous urticaria.” There’s a brief blurb at this site.
I believe the condition is referred to as “incompatible with life”.
PatHP, welcome.
This a 12 year old thread, there have been any with this subject.
The conclusion by medical science is that there are very rare cases of subjects having skin reactions to water, as is mentioned in one of your cites. There are no cases of being “allergic” to water. That is impossible. Your body is composed primarily of water.
Speaking of zombie jokes, I once had a patient tell me he was allergic to monsters.