Itchy itchy

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Dear Friends--
I thought I would post my problem here, just on the off chance someone can tell me what it is. Having read a number of other posts on this forum, I recognize that my problem is very minor compared to what other people are going through.  But I'm the curious type, and I would like to know what is going on.
My problem is basically this: whenever I am a bit cool and start warming up, all of a sudden I get very itchy, and it feels like I'm being stuck with pins and needles all over.  This itching and stinging is worse on my chest and back, but I can get it all over.
When this happens, your natural reaction is to remove clothing to cool down.  I have found that this is the wrong thing to do.  You need to keep wrapped up, because when you warm up to a certain point and stay warm, then the itching and stinging goes away.  So I just put up with it.  It usually lasts a minute or two, perhaps a few minutes, and then it's gone.
One doctor told me that this itching is due to lack of sunlight, and he may have been right.  I have moved around a fair bit in my life, and when I have lived in hot, southerly climates, I have not had this problem.  It's when I have lived up north that I have had it.
So maybe it's lack of sunlight, maybe blocked up sweat pores, maybe something else.  But it's a problem I've had off and on for over 30 years.  I've learned to live with it.  But if anyone can tell me what it is, just to satisfy my curiosity, I'd be grateful.

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I have been looking into urticaria, as you suggested, and I think I'm definitely on the right track.  The type of urticaria that looks most like my problem is cholinergic urticaria.  The symptoms described there certainly sound a lot like mine.  I think, though, that I may have a very mild form of it, because I never break out into a rash--I just get "the tinglies"--the itchy, stinging sensation I described.
So I'm glad to know that my problem is officially recognized.  What I'm going to do about it, I don't know.  I'll have to think about it.  I don't see any point in taking anti-histamines or any other sort of medicine, especially on a continuous basis, because this problem is very intermittent.  And when I do get an attack, it rarely lasts more than a couple of minutes.  So I may well decide to just put up with it, since that's what I've been doing for so long.  But I will pass this info on to my son, who had the good fortune to inherit the condition from me.
Thanks very much for this info.  You've put my mind at ease.  

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Thanks very much for this information.  I will definitely look into this.  I'm not sure, because I can get these symptoms any time I get too warm, e.g., if I stay too long under a hot shower.  Cool, sunny days are perhaps the worst, because I do a lot of walking.  When I start walking, I'm cool, but I quickly warm up, and that's when the symptoms hit me.  
Thanks again for your help, and I will look into this.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Your symptoms can be due to cold urticaria. Cold urticaria is a disorder characterized by the rapid onset of itchiness, redness and swelling of the skin within minutes after exposure to a cold stimulus.

Patients typically experience symptoms while outside on cold, windy or rainy days. Fatalities following swimming have been reported and those affected should be warned that swimming or having a cold bath could be dangerous.

Diagnosis can be made by an ice-cube test. Place an ice cube on your forearm for 4 minutes and observe the area for 10 minutes afterwards. If you have cold urticaria, the area will become itchy and then swell approximately 2 minutes after removing the ice cube.

Treatment is avoiding exposure to cold stimuli, including swimming or bathing in cold water. You can take antihistaminics like zyrtec or tegamet.You should enroll with Medic Alert and always carry Epi pen (injectable adrenaline) along with you.

Hope it helps. Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.