Raquel Rodriguez MCAS: Here Is Everything You Need to Know About the Incurable Medical Condition

On January 2, Raquel Rodriguez revealed this: “Last year, I posted a video about being a WWE Superstar with eczema, and in the month of December, it got possibly worse. I was diagnosed with something called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).” That was the beginning of her journey to recovery, one she’s fighting through like a champion and one that’s “far from over.” While the early days kept her from doing what she loved, she made her return on Monday Night Raw for a chance to wrestle in the Elimination Chamber. So, as she did just that, here’s all about MCAS.

When Raquel Rodriguez shared her recovery journey, the wrestling community saw the painful visuals of Rodriguez’s swollen skin. Fans also noticed how she developed several red patches in different areas of her body, which kept shifting. But, while this showcased the visible effect of MCAS, the medical condition has caused considerable pain for the WWE star.

According to Healthline.com, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome results in recurrent severe allergic symptoms that affect several bodily systems. The excessive release of chemical agents by mast cells leads to symptoms in many bodily systems, such as the skin, gastrointestinal tract, heart, respiratory, and neurologic systems. So, what cells impacted Rodriguez’s health?

Mast cells, part of the immune system, produce chemical mediators when exposed to allergens. Raquel Rodriguez has Mastocytosis (MCAS), which causes excessive and spontaneous release of these mediators, even without an allergy-inducing agent. This affects several body organs and can manifest spontaneously. Rodriguez’s condition triggered symptoms of an allergic response, including itching, mucous production, and inflammation.

As a result, Raquel Rodriguez developed stomach discomfort, diarrhea, flushing, cramps, itching, coughing, wheezing, quick pulse, low blood pressure, and lightheadedness. 

Raquel Rodriguez could have developed these symptoms at any age, but this syndrome usually surfaces in adults. Sadly, however, there is no clinical cure for this, and doctors focus on managing symptoms. Despite going through all this, the WWE Superstar still managed to enter the Elimination Chamber. In fact, she even put up a stellar performance despite her MCAS flaring up right before her match in Australia.

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Raquel Rodriguez braved her MCAS symptoms while fighting in the Elimination Chamber

Raquel Rodriguez shared a post on Instagram right after her Elimination Chamber match and revealed that her symptoms had returned. She wrote, “If you had told me that on the long flight to Perth Australia for the first time it was gonna blow my face up and turn me the same color as my pink satin pillowcase (might have been the makeup on Monday too) I would have still jumped on that flight!” Her words echoed in her performance in her EC match as well.

Back when she revealed her MCAS diagnosis, Rodriguez said, “I didn’t wanna be on camera, look into the mirror.” Although MCAS did make her less confident about herself, she decided to embrace it how she felt was best. “A big part of being a female Wrestler for WWE is getting to sit in that makeup chair to get dolled up. It’s part of being a girl. It’s part of feeling fully the part. At the end of the night, I’m proud I went out there Alicia Keys style,” alluding to how she entered the squared circle without any makeup.

Raquel Rodriguez wrote, “Maybe my trip didn’t go as planned but I’m still learning this new body of mine.” While her body continues the battle against MCAS, so is the WWE Superstar in the squared circle. She was helped in managing the flaring symptoms by Lymphatic Drainage Massage Perth, and she also gave them a shout-out in her post.

She may not have won her match at the Elimination Chamber, but she did make 52,000+ spectators cheer for her. What are your thoughts on this? Let them flow in the comments.

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