How To Prevent Hives
- To avoid hives, you need to figure out what causes them. If you dont know, start keeping a daily diary. The most probable suspects are things that you eat, drink, or swallow food, drink, supplements, and medications. But even if you dont see any obvious connections, continue keeping your diary, noting other factors like weather, stress levels, clothing, or the amount of time that you spend in the sun. With careful tracking, you may link a specific lifestyle factor with the eruption of those red, itchy welts.
- Foods most likely to trigger hives include shellfish, nuts, chocolate, fish, tomatoes, eggs, fresh berries, and milk. Some people react to preservatives in certain foods and wine, such as sulfites. Once youve identified a food trigger, eliminate it from your diet and see whether you have fewer outbreaks.
- Common drug triggers include antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. But doctors have heard about many other triggers, including sedatives, tranquilizers, diuretics, diet supplements, antacids, arthritis medications, vitamins, eye drops, eardrops, laxatives, and douches.
Healthy Start: Hivesquick Start
For the greatest improvement with the fewest steps, do the following:
- Cool water. This simple solution can calm a flare-up of hives.
- Cold packs. Apply an ice pack, bag of ice, or frozen vegetable packages wrapped in thin cloths to the hives for 10 minutes at a time.
- Topical cream. Apply Herb Pharm Original Salve to areas affected by hives.
- Therapeutic bathing. Add oatmeal or apple cider vinegar to your bath according to the instructions in the HivesFull Program.
Hives Are Rarely Due To A Serious Underlying Disease
Whilst a clear cause of hives in not obvious in many cases, causes may include:
- Infection from a virus is the most common cause of hives in children, especially if they last for more than 24 hours.
- Contact allergy to plants or animals may cause localized hives.
- Allergic reactions to food, medicines or insect stings can appear as hives. They usually occur within one to two hours of exposure and disappear in most cases within six to eight hours.
An allergic cause for hives should be suspected if episodes are rare, short-lived and occur under specific circumstances, for example:
- Only when exercising.
- Always within two hours of a meal.
- When symptoms involving other organs occur around the same time, such as stomach pain, vomiting, difficulty breathing or dizziness.
- If hives occur with swelling of the tongue or throat, difficulty breathing or low blood pressure, anaphylaxis should be suspected. Urgent administration of adrenaline and medical assessment is required. Information about anaphylaxis is available on the ASCIA website.
Ongoing hives lasting days at a time are almost never allergic in origin, with the exception of some cases of allergy to medicines. Stress is a very rarely the cause of hives but may make the symptoms worse.
In some people hives are caused by physical triggers, including cold , heat, sunlight , vibration, rubbing or scratching of the skin , and delayed pressure , stress, alcohol, spicy food or coffee may cause symptoms.
Read Also: How Long Do Hiv Symptoms Take To Appear
How Is It Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will look at the hives and ask about your history of sensitivity to such things as:
- plants and pollens
- animals, such as an allergy to cats
- insect bites or stings
- exposure to heat, cold, or sunshine
To find the cause of your hives, the healthcare provider may suggest that you:
- Keep a detailed diary of everything you eat, drink, take as medicine, or are exposed to for 2 to 4 weeks.
- Avoid foods, one at a time, to which you may be allergic.
It is easiest to identify drugs, foods, or plants that may cause you to have hives because the response usually occurs within an hour. Identifying triggers such as emotional stress or multiple allergies may take more time. Identifying multiple allergies may require skin tests or other types of allergy tests.
What Can I Do To Help Prevent Hives From Recurring
If you know the cause of your hives, you should take steps to avoid the cause. You may need to take frequent, even daily, doses of antihistamine to prevent recurrences.
Developed by RelayHealth.Published by RelayHealth.This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.© 2018 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
Read Also: What Is Art In Hiv
Beehives In A Small Backyard
If you are a beekeeper with a small backyard, there are some special challenges to overcome. You may still be about to enjoy your bees, but you have a responsibility to the public.
Even gentle easy to manage honey bees can become testy and defensive at times. A beehive with 60,000 bees is not a good item to have sitting right outside your back door.
Honey bee colony temperament changes over the season. Being bother by pest or predators, experiencing a lack of nectar, or queen problems-all can turn your sweet easy going bees into a defensive nightmare.
Hobby beekeepers often fail to understand how drastic this behavior can be until it happens. Of course, the bad temper doesnt last forever.
Your neighbors and family members may not experience the bee euphoria that is enveloping you. It is much better to have your hives a bit farther away from the house, rather than closer.
Heres How You Can Treat Your Hives
Antihistamines are the best choice for treating hives. Talk to your doctor about the correct dose of antihistamine to help get your hives under control. Often, doses of antihistamines are too low, Dr. Culver said. Current guidelines suggest you might need up to four times the normal dose of antihistamines to control your symptoms. If you dont get relief with antihistamines, your doctor might prescribe a steroid. If antihistamines and steroids dont get your hives under control, you can talk to your doctor about other treatment options.
When you know what causes your hives, you can try to avoid that trigger. If you cant figure out whats causing them, taking antihistamines regularly can prevent them or keep them from becoming so severe.
You can also take steps to minimize hives when outbreaks occur:
- Avoid scratching so you dont make hives worse. Sometimes, when hives are flaring, just stroking the skin can cause them to erupt.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing since places where belts, straps or fabric touch the skin can be prone to hives during an outbreak.
- Avoid aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil and Motrin, which could make hives worse.
Don’t Miss: Hiv And Aids Are Curable Diseases
Natural Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Hives Rash
Hives is a skin condition described as a sudden outbreak of red, swollen bumps, or itchy welts on the skin. Also known as urticaria, hives rash is often caused by an allergic reaction to certain substances that you swallowed or encountered.
Because of the allergic reaction, the body releases histamine, which causes redness, swelling, itching, and other symptoms. Some of the common triggers include nuts, fresh berries, eggs, tomatoes, and fish. If you have hives, likely, you cannot help but try to scratch yourself from time to time, even though you know that scratching can be bad for your skin.
In some cases, hive rash may occur when exposed to the sun for extended periods of time or when the skin is exposed to freezing water. The welts may also appear due to stress and exercise. It can also be caused by alcohol, pollen, latex, food additives, chemicals, medications, pet dander, and insect bites.
How Long Will The Effects Of Hives Last
The itching, swelling, and redness of hives can last hours to several weeks or months. In most cases the hives eventually go away without treatment, but taking drugs such as antihistamines or corticosteroids help the hives go away faster. The medicines also treat the itching and prevent new hives.
Chronic hives last a longer time. Most often it is not possible to determine their cause. Antihistamines are usually very helpful. The hives go away spontaneously after weeks or months but they may come back repeatedly.
Don’t Miss: Countries With Free Hiv Treatment
Benadryl And Other Medications
Below is a list of medications that can interact with Benadryl. This list doesnt contain all drugs that may interact with Benadryl.
Different drug interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.
If you take other medications, talk with your pharmacist before taking Benadryl. Your pharmacist can help you avoid potential interactions.
Anticholinergic drugs
Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a chemical that relays messages between cells in your body. Benadryl also blocks acetylcholine. Because anticholinergic drugs and Benadryl work in the same way, taking them together can increase the risk of side effects. Examples of these drugs include:
Benadryl and Xanax
Xanax is a type of drug called a benzodiazepine, which can cause sleepiness. Taking Xanax with Benadryl can increase your risk of excessive sleepiness. This can make you too sleepy to drive or prevent you from doing other potentially dangerous activities safely.
If you take Xanax, talk with your doctor before taking Benadryl. They may recommend other treatment options.
Benadryl and Zoloft
Zoloft is an antidepressant that can cause sleepiness in some people who take it. Taking Zoloft with Benadryl may increase the risk of excessive sleepiness. This can make you too sleepy to drive or prevent you from doing other potentially dangerous activities safely.
Benadryl and Zyrtec
Benadryl and Motrin
Symptoms Of Hives Or Urticaria
Hives look like raised spots that merge together to form large patches. On children with darker skin, the spots might look brown, purple or grey. On children with lighter skin, the spots might look red or white.
They can happen anywhere on the skin, but theyre often found on the chest, stomach or back. They also tend to move around the body. For example, your child might get a patch that comes and goes on their stomach. Then they might get a patch that comes and goes on their arm.
Some children might get swelling in the areas where they have hives, especially on the eyelids, lips and tongue.
Hives are very itchy and can cause a burning sensation. Your child might also feel itchy in areas with no spots.
Hives can take hours or days to develop. They dont always come up immediately after your child is exposed to a trigger like an allergen. They usually last 2-24 hours. Sometimes they keep coming back for up to 6 weeks.
When hives go, they leave no scarring.
Sometimes hives come and go for many months or years. This is known as chronic hives, and theres usually no specific cause.
Recommended Reading: Is Hiv And Herpes Test The Same
When To See Your Doctor About Hives
While hives can be uncomfortable, theyre usually harmless and disappear within minutes or hours. Sometimes they hang around for a few days. Seek emergency medical treatment if you develop hives around your eyes or in your mouth or experience difficulty breathing, wheezing, light-headedness, or dizziness.
You may have a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis, and the internal tissue swelling can block breathing passages. If youre prone to hives, ask your doctor if you should carry a rapid-injection form of epinephrine in case you develop anaphylaxis. And if you have chronic hives that just dont respond to milder treatments, your doctor may prescribe oral steroids.
Avoid Certain Products That May Irritate The Skin
Certain soaps may dry your skin and cause more itching when you have hives. Make sure to use a soap thats marketed for sensitive skin. Find a great selection here. These typically omit fragrance and other irritating chemicals.
You should also avoid using irritating moisturizers or lotions. When in doubt, opt for a formula that targets sensitive skin, such as these options. Applying immediately after bathing may also help soothe the itch.
Recommended Reading: What Are The Signs Of Hiv In Males
How Are Hives Treated
In many cases, mild hives won’t need treatment and will go away on their own. If a definite trigger is found, avoiding it is part of the treatment. If the hives feel itchy, the doctor may recommend an antihistamine medicine to block the release of histamine in the bloodstream and prevent breakouts.
For chronic hives, the doctor may suggest that you take a non-sedating prescription or over-the-counter antihistamine every day. Not everyone responds to the same medicines, though, so it’s important to work with the doctor to find the right one for you.
If a non-drowsy antihistamine doesn’t work, the doctor may suggest a stronger antihistamine, another medicine, or a combination of medicines. In rare cases, a doctor may prescribe a steroid pill or liquid to treat chronic hives. Usually this is done for just a short period to prevent harmful steroid side effects.
When Will Hives Go Away
Most cases of hives are not serious, and your child should start to look less blotchy and feel less itchy within a few hours to a few days. Of course, if you have any concerns, its a good idea to call your childs doctor.
Hives affect up to 25% of kids at least once. They are the cause of a specific trigger like an allergen, infection or extreme temperature. Learn more about hives in kids from an expert @Childrens.
Recommended Reading: Can You Die From Hiv
Your Guide To Hives: Identify Treat And Prevent Urticaria In Children
When you find hives on your child, you may worry about their cause. Does your child have a serious allergy to a certain food or chemical? Is he or she on the verge of a viral infection? These reddish or pinkish raised bumps can have a variety of mostly mild causes, from allergies and illnesses to stress and weather. They are often very itchy.
Avoid Areas With Excess Moisture
If your bees, live in a moist low lying area, too much humidity can cause an increase in disease. There is also a danger of flooding if located too close to a river or pond.
Please remember,bees can fly to get water they dont have to be right next to the creek. In fact, honey bees can travel long distances from their hives to collect what they need.
Still, quick access towater is a good thing but place hives in a location with good air flow and out of the flood plain. Try to avoid placing hives on boggy damp ground. They may fall over!
If your region tends to be humid overall, proper hive ventilation is your best friend. Ensure plenty of ventilation for the hive. Use screened bottom boards and extra ventilation holes in the bee boxes if needed.
You May Like: I Was Just Diagnosed With Hiv
Who Is At Risk
People who are known to have allergies are more likely to get hives. You may also be at risk to develop hives if you are on medication or if you are unknowingly exposed to things you may be allergic to, such as food or pollen. If you are already ill with an infection or a health condition, you may be more vulnerable to developing hives.
Can Benadryl Be Crushed
Benadryl tablets can be crushed. If you have trouble swallowing whole tablets, Benadryl liquid solution and chewable tablets are available.
Benadryl is an antihistamine. If you have allergies or have a cold, your body releases a chemical messenger called histamine. This messenger causes symptoms such as inflammation, edema , itchiness, and runny nose.
Benadryl blocks some of the effects of histamine and decreases some of the symptoms caused by it.
Read Also: Free Hiv Testing St Louis
Remedies And Treatments For Hives
Managing a case of hives can involve relying on home remedies and over-the-counter medication. You may also try making small lifestyle changes to lessen the instances of coming across a trigger that will make your skin erupt in hives.
Over-the-Counter Oral Antihistamines
Benadryl , Claritin , and Zyrtec are over-the-counter oral medications that can help reduce the uncomfortable itchiness and redness from hives.
Antihistamines work on histamine, which is released by mast cells â a certain type of immune system cell â in the presence of an allergen or an irritant.
Anti-Itch Creams and Lotions
You can use over-the-counter topical treatments like calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream, too.
However, some people can be sensitive to certain topical medications. Children may have a bad reaction to corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone cream. Topical treatment is also not recommended if the affected area is sore, infected, or features an open wound. Hives with these features may only worsen if you treat them with lotions or creams.
Cooling Home Treatments
When you have hives, a cooling sensation may comfort you and draw your attention away from the discomfort caused by skin irritation. Apply cold and wet compresses, use ice on the affected areas, or take a cold bath.
You may also keep some over-the-counter lotions and creams in the fridge, so itâs cool to the touch when you need to apply it on your skin.
Oatmeal Baths
Loose Clothing
Hives Treatment: 9 Natural Home Remedies
Have you ever had red, raised, itchy bumps that came out of nowhere? If the answer is yes, then you likely have already experienced hives at some point in your life. Hives can really startle you when they suddenly appear on your skin. Most often they are due to some type of allergic reaction. Thankfully, theyre typically not long lasting and relatively harmless. But, sometimes hives can indicate a life-threatening allergic reaction, or they can become chronic.
How do you get hives? Hives are not something you can catch from anyone. Rather, they are your bodys response to something it ingests or experiences. The cause of hives can be a certain food, drug, infection or stress. You might be surprised to learn that stress is one of the most common causes of acute hives, along with allergies and infectious causes. Hives can literally occur at any age and appear anywhere on the body. It is estimated that one in every five people will be affected by a hives outbreak at some point in his or her life.
Also Check: When Should I Get Tested For Hiv