Treatment

In some people, cold urticaria goes away on its own after weeks or months. In others, it lasts longer. There is no cure for the condition, but treatment and preventive steps can help.

Your doctor may recommend you try to prevent or reduce symptoms with home remedies, such as using over-the-counter antihistamines and avoiding cold exposure. If that doesn't help, you may need prescription medication.

Prescription medications used to treat cold urticaria include:

• Nondrowsy antihistamines. If you know you're going to be exposed to the cold, take an antihistamine beforehand to help prevent a reaction. Examples include loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and desloratadine (Clarinex).
• Omalizumab (Xolair). Normally prescribed to treat asthma, this drug has been used successfully to treat people with cold urticaria who didn't respond to other medications.

If you have cold urticaria because of an underlying health problem, you may need medications or other treatment for that condition as well. If you have a history of systemic reaction, your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine autoinjector that you'll need to carry with you.