Aquagenic urticaria, also known as water allergy, is a rare form of physical condition in which hives develop on the skin after contact with water. Regardless of the water’s temperature or whether it’s potable, the allergy develops within minutes of the skin touching the water, causing itchiness and irritation. But can you be allergic to drinking water? No. But drinking unfiltered water can definitely make you sick, sometimes with irreversible effects. Let’s find out how.
What happens when you drink unfiltered water
Everything from industrial waste to fecal matter floats in unfiltered water. Being a major source of water pollution. Frequent consumption of these contaminants can cause irreversible damage to your body, which can be worse than a water allergy.
- You might ingest pesticides
Even if you buy organic foods at the grocery story, you’re probably still ingesting those nasty pesticides by drinking your tap water. This is because the pesticides used to grow crops can seep into the groundwater and mix with the water supply running straight to your home. The result? Chemical burns, nausea or even convulsions.
- You could contract a virus
Can we seriously afford another pandemic at this time? Was one not enough? The contaminants in tap water like bacteria and parasites make an excellent home for viruses too, that can travel long distances and ultimately end up in your stomach. This can cause some serious health issues, depending on the type of virus in your water. It could either only be mild nausea or may require you to go to the hospital.
- You may be consuming expired drugs
There are two things that people usually do with old medication. They either toss them in the trash or flush them down the toilet. If it ends up in your water supply, it could be potentially dangerous for your health. One Of the major cause of water pollution. Plus in many countries, there are no regulations to actively remove pharmaceutical remnants from the water supply. Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth, while others can cause infections, antibiotic resistance and other serious illnesses.
- You may be consuming sewage
Like I mentioned before, everything from chemical effluents to fecal matter is present in unfiltered water. This sewage water may contain e. Coli or coliform bacteria that can cause diarrhea, stomach cramping, and vomiting. If you have recurrent gastrointestinal problems, your water may be contaminated with sewage.
Install a water purifier in your home
Now that you know the answer to, “Can you be allergic to drinking water”, what will you do about it. The most logical answer would be to buy the best water purifier. A water purifier can literally save you multiple trips to the doctor along with actually saving your life. It removes the harmful contaminants while retaining the essential nutrients, to keep your skin glowing and even help you lose weight. 70 percent of our body is water. So let’s keep our bodies pure and invest in a gravity based water purifier today.