What are hives?
Hives (also called urticaria) appear on your skin as raised, itchy patches. The welt may be flat or rounded, but it’s always elevated. While individual hives disappear within 24 hours, new hives can continuously develop.
As a result, your reaction may last several days or longer. You have chronic hives when they last longer than six weeks.
Individual hives can also merge together to form a large plaque. You can tell hives apart from other skin rashes because they have unique qualities:
- Wheals appear and disappear suddenly
- Red hives turn white when they’re pressed
- Hives can change shapes
You may develop angioedema at the same time as your hives. Angioedema is an accumulation of fluids in the tissues below your hives. When angioedema develops, the area becomes swollen, red, and painful.
On their own, hives don’t pose a threat to your health. However, hives and angioedema are two of the most common symptoms of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis is most often triggered by food, insect, latex, and medication allergies.
If you have hives and also experience difficulty breathing, a swollen tongue, or have a hard time swallowing, call 911 for emergency medical care.
What causes hives?
Hives frequently appear due to an allergic reaction. Allergens that commonly cause hives include:
- Foods
- Pollen
- Latex
- Animal dander
- Medications
- Poison ivy
- Insects stings and bites
You can also develop hives in response to many triggers that aren’t associated with allergies, such as:
- Viral infections
- Thyroid disease
- Pressure on your skin
- Contact with chemicals
- Scratching your skin
Changes in temperature, stress, and exposure to sunlight can also cause hives.
How are hives treated?
Before recommending treatment, Dr. Herrscher or Dr. Saifi determines the cause of your hives. After learning more about when your hives appeared, he may perform blood work or allergy testing to get to the root of the problem.
Dr. Herrscher and Dr. Saifi may prescribe medications to relieve symptoms like itching, redness, and inflammation. The best way to prevent hives for the long run is to identify your triggers and come up with a plan to avoid them. When allergens trigger your skin reaction, Dr. Herrscher may recommend immunotherapy.
Chronic hives are unpredictable; they may go away on their own or appear and disappear for months or years. If you struggle with ongoing hives, Dr. Herrscher may recommend one of several injectable medications available for chronic idiopathic urticaria — chronic hives for which the cause is unknown.
CONTACT US to get more information about treatment for urticaria.
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