sensitive to cold air conditioner

[racha64]

I am acutely sensitive to cold air conditioner. The effects are immediate and the colder the air the worse things are. This is followed by a thumping headache and painful soreness in the eyes and nostrils. Further exposure can result in heavy nasal congestion and pain spreading all around my eyes, jaws , teeth, And headache. The problem started  after my open heart surgery for an aorotic valve replacement, and I am on coumadin therapy for life time.  With my primary Dr. we did a lot of  kind lab tests included TSH and they all come normal.  I am a nurse working in the hospital. I wear a lots of clothing . If a go to the grocery store , I run along the aisles becuase I don't want to get sick . I stopped going to restaurants. Can you offer any help as to what it might be, what has caused it and what can be done? I so desperate, please help. Thank you

[LindyLeah]

I can so relate, gracieluv! I'm in my office where everybody else is comfortable and I have on a jacket and a blanket over my legs.
I have been sensitive to AC my whole life with any part of my body that is not protected from the breeze (by something more than regular clothes) becoming extremely painful within a few minutes in addition to the cold symptoms experienced by most people here. The more the AC runs, the more I have to bundle up. Everybody thinks I'm just plain crazy 'cause they're hot.
What an uncomfortable way to live!!  ...but I'm so thankful for fresh air outside with it's normal ups and downs in temperature.
Here in Canada we don't need to use AC frequently thankfully, and going outside into the heat for a couple hours at the end of the day typically resolves my issues completely, but by the end of the work week, I'm in bad shape.
I so wish there was a more effective means of being comfortable than the air conditioning we have at this time.

[gracieluv]

Hi Sandiella,
I understand exactly how you feel, and I tell you most people around don't get it.
Its quite difficult when you have to go back to work everyday and breathe in the cod air again! And others look at you as if something is wrong with you cos they're hot!!!
What I do most days though is to constantly turn up the air-conditioner after a while; make it warm in between. Then I take walks outside of the office especially when its sunny; that heats me up. And most evenings I just soak in a warm bath. These help somehow. I also wear my thermal vests and cardigans most times. Its also useful to clear any residual respiratory or airway infection, with medications I mean

Hope this helps.

[george1343]

It is really good (and sad) to see other people wrestling with the same problems I have now had for some eight years. I have done so many different tests and all have come out negative, so it is really frustrating.
I have not found any miracle cure but some ideas are worth mentioning:
- the obvious one: avoid exposure to AC - I am now going to office for an hour every day doing the rest of the work at home and it helps;
- I have an excellent Chinese medicine / acupunture doctor and he fixes me up for a while (preparing the body for the cold season with acupuncture and Chinese herbal supplments); unfortunately he lives a thousand miles away and I only rarely see him; if you are able to find a good doctor in your neighbourhood, it is really worthwhile!
- eating very spicy food relieves the symptoms - as well as other things that make you sweat like a hot bath/shower; spice does not necessarily mean chili but also ginger, cinnamon, cardamom etc.; in Asian shops one can buy powders for hot ginger drink, drinking this immediately after exposure (or when sitiing at an air conditioned office does help);
- keeping feet warm (the rest of the body as well, but the feet are really the most important part), wearing woollen socks and/or slippers at home;
- wearing a hat and a scarf on the train, at the supermarket and other places where one is exposed to AC;
- one doctor prescribed me Avamys, a local antibiotic nasal spray which I used when it felt especially bad and it helped very quickly (I would deduce then that the problem has something to do with bacteria but I am not really good at biology); unfortunately you get resistant to this medicine, so I have not renewed the prescription;
- avoiding too much mucus in the body is really important - I am keeping away from yeast (beer, pastry), wheat and milk products (as suggested by my doctor), helps considerably (i.e. if I would consume those things it would be even worse than it is now) - the mucus (you can see it in the mirror - if your tongue is white, you have too much of it) reduces the natural immunity of the body as far as I can understand;
- the sun and hot weather help enormously, so those of you who live in a hot climate should be able to benefit, others (like myself) have to travel to hotter climes as often as possible.
I hope this is of some assistance to anyone - and keep on fighting!

[Kathleenb30]

Hi - just wished to share with you that I was recently diagnosed with irritant eyelid dermatitis following office relocation in 2013.  Office has an overhead heating and ventilation system which I believe is the cause however my employer does not seem to accept any responsibility.  I was subsequently relocated to an office without a HVAC system and my symptoms subsided however I am now required to move into another office with an overhead HVAC system.   Whilst I have raised serious concerns about my health, my employer does not seem to be acknowleding the situation despite online information that cites AC as being one of the main causes of irritant contact dermatitis!  

[Shawn1445]

I am experiences the exact same thing! I thought I was crazy, but to know someone that experiences this too, finally I know I'm not crazy!
All the same issues with the workplace being closed in, The AC, the dizziness etc.

[sascha08]

Hello i read your blog and am very glad that there are other people that also experience similar symptoms to me.  I totally understand how you feel.  I cannot escapte the air conditioning and it also affects my whole life, socially, work related and just general quality of life.  I don't get nose bleeds but i get flu like symptoms and also as you said its worse when the air vent is blowing on you.  I get the sore throat and stuffy sensation and my glands get sore.  I saw so many medical specialists no one could find anything wrong with me.  I have two severe headaches a week sometimes more and find it hard to enjoy socialising and looking after my 20 month old son.  I havent found anything that works other than avoiding air con but it can be very hard to do especially in Queensland.  I cannot give up my job as I need to work and the air con environment is inevitable.  I find a little relief though from drinking hot drinks and keeping my scarf on around my neck and trying to get into the humidity as often as possible. Its good to be able to talk about it though.