Water is an essential commodity in life. Without water, life becomes meaningless. It’s vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. It’s used for so many things like bathing, cooking, washing and so many essential stuff.
But what happens when somebody becomes allergic to this same essential commodity that’s used in our daily activities.
A woman with a rare allergy to water has spoken about the struggles she faces living with the condition.
Niah Selway, 21 from Hastings East Sussex, has a rare disorder called Aquagenic Pruritus, which triggers severe reactions when she comes into contact with water and this includes her own tears and sweat.
The reactions are so intense that a single drop of water coming into contact with her body is enough to leave her with an intense burning sensation all over her body that can last for hours.
The cause of this condition is unknown. It affects a few people worldwide. Niah’s internal organs are not affected by the condition, so she can drink water, but if water touches her skin it causes a whole lot of irritations.
Niah said: ‘‘I am suffering in a really severe way and no medication or treatment has had any subtantial effect. It doesn’t matter where the water touches, if a drop touches my arm the pain will spread to my back and torso, sometimes to my whole body.
When I have my bath, my whole body burns for hours unend. Her condition seem not to have a cure. She started having this when she was just 5years old and it grew worse and worse each passing time.