Care Advice For Hives
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.
Favorite Online Community For Support
This site brings together people with chronic spontaneous urticaria, which is a term that describes chronic hives with no explanation for whats causing them. The site has information about the condition, videos from people sharing their experience with hives, and The Hive, which allows people to send virtual support for people battling the condition.
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What Triggers Hives Often Remains A Mystery
While some people can trace hives back to a trigger like an allergic reaction, exposure to cold, or stress, the cause remains a mystery for many people.
Its estimated that millions of people in the United States will develop hives during their lifetime and never find the cause. Some of these people will continue to have hives for six weeks or longer. When this happens, the person has a medical condition called chronic spontaneous urticaria .
Urticaria is the medical word for hives.
With CSU, hives can continue to appear for months and sometimes years. During this time, the swelling, pain, and discomfort can be difficult to live with.
Women are twice as likely as men to develop CSU during their lifetime. Most women develop CSU when they are 20 to 40 years of age.
Can Hives Be Prevented
Simple changes to your lifestyle may be able to help you prevent hives from reoccurring in the future. If you have allergies and you know which substances are likely to cause an allergic reaction, your doctor will suggest that you avoid any possible exposure to these factors. Allergy shots are another option that may help you reduce the risk of experiencing hives again.
Avoid being in high-humidity areas or wearing tight clothing if you have recently had a hives outbreak.
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How To Treat Hivesand When To See A Healthcare Provider
In order to get relief from hives, the AAAAI says that the treatments should be geared toward making the hives less itchy and more tolerable, with the ultimate goal of resolving them. Sometimes, treatment can be as easy as avoiding any triggers for the hives. Other treatment options, according to the AAD, may include:
- Anti-itch lotions or creams
- An auto-injector
You may also be able to manage the discomfort that comes with hives by doing things such as avoiding the urge to scratch the affected areas, wearing cotton clothes that are loose-fitting, or taking baths or showers with lukewarm water, the AAD says.
For those with chronic hives from heat-induced or illness-induced activities, Dr. Li suggested visiting a healthcare provider to pinpoint the symptoms and receive an antihistamine prescription. “The solutions are individualized and many times may involve just taking a little more medication,” Dr. Li said.
In most cases, hives will go away with timeunless you experience a serious case that may require medication or a shot, according to MedlinePlus. However, if you find that hives are accompanied by symptoms such as mouth or throat swelling, swallowing issues, feelings of faintness, or a racing heart, seek emergency medical attention right away.
How Are Hives Diagnosed
Your doctor will need to ask many questions in an attempt to find the possible cause of hives. Since there are no specific tests for hives — or the associated swelling of angioedema — testing will depend on your medical history and a thorough exam by your doctor.
Your doctor may do skin tests to find out what you’re allergic to. Or they may test your blood to see if you have an illness.
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Solutions For Common Skin Problems
Hives can be quite itchy, not to mention irritating. While they bring an obvious physical burden, they can hinder emotional well-being too, often isolating individuals socially and affecting performance at work and school, especially if a person has been struggling with hives for a long time, says Sarina Elmariah, MD, PhD, a board-certified dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
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As you may suspect, hives are easily confused with other conditions, but there are a few characteristics that distinguish them. Although many conditions can look like hives, they often dont behave like hives, says Adam Friedman, MD, professor of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
Namely, how long they last and how much they move can help you determine if a rash or skin condition is hives. Common symptoms of hives are:
- Red or skin-colored bumps or welts with clear edges that typically clear up within 24 hours, but may reappear in another spot
- Bumps or welts that show up either alone or clumped together, covering a larger area
- Itchiness around the bumps or welts
- Swelling around the bumps or welts
- Sometimes pain or stinging at the site of the bumps or welts
If hives last for six weeks or longer, you may be dealing with chronic hives, which can be a sign that something else is going on.
Learn More About Signs and Symptoms of Hives
Favorite Resource To Find A Dermatologist
Your primary care doctor may recommend that you visit a dermatologist instead of an allergist, depending on your symptoms and suspected triggers. If you dont currently have a dermatologist, visit this site from the American Academy of Dermatology. The Find a Dermatologist tool allows you to search by location or a specific doctors name. The results will show dermatologists that meet your search criteria. Click on the name to view more about the doctor, such as where theyre located, what they specialize in, and the qualifications they have.
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7. You Ateor DrankSomething FunkyWe know its a total buzz kill, but alcohol and some foods can cause hives. We see a lot of allergic reactions from food and food additives, which is where things can get confusing because its not necessarily the food itself, says Ploch. Common culprits include shellfish, eggs, and nuts, while Ploch notes that azo food dyes in candy and the sulfites in wine and deli meat can cause hives, too. If hives are issue for you, its important to take a careful history of what you eat so that you can avoid those triggers in the future, says Ploch.
The 5 Most Common Sources Of Hives
An allergic reaction is the single most common cause for an outbreak of hives. It can happen to anyone at any time. Some children with allergies seemingly outgrow them, and adults can develop them almost out of nowhere. Food allergies will cause hives. Other foods that can cause hives include milk, eggs, shellfish and peanuts . An allergy to medications will also result in hives, so your doctor will ask if you have started taking any new drugs or assess whether your hives may be the result of an ongoing medicinal treatment.
Bites and stings by insects like bees, mosquitoes, or wasps can cause hives. This reaction is called papular urticaria and can result from the bites and stings of almost any insect, including fleas and bedbugs. These hives may last longer than other types of hives. Contact with animals, most commonly domestic ones like cats or dogs, can cause an allergic reaction and hives. However, the exposure to the dander, saliva, or urine of many animals can trigger a reaction.
Pollen is another common allergy, and unsurprisingly a reaction to a pollen allergy can manifest as hives. Physical exposure to or touching allergens like latex can cause hives as well. Even allergy shots can cause hives, since these shots expose you to allergens in order to strengthen your immunity.
- Infections & Illnesses
- Exposure to the Elements
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Are Body Hives Dangerous
Body hives can be very serious if a hives treatment is not taken, and can cause fainting, breathing issues due to swelling and even death depending on the situation. In addition, if swelling of the tongue or lips begins, it is best to seek professional help immediately due to the possibility of anaphylactic shock or blockage of the wind pipe.
What Causes Tingling Or Itching All Over
Formication is a type of paresthesia. Paresthesias are dermal sensations and include sensations such as prickling, tingling, or numbness sensations many define as pins and needles”. These sensations are usually caused by transient disruption or pressure on the nerves in the affected area for example, sitting with the legs crossed for too long can easily produce such sensations. However, when symptoms become chronic in nature, the causes become more nuanced.
Pruritus is not as easily explained. It is thought to be caused by irritation or stimulation of cells and receptors on the skin mostly related to nerves. Multiple conditions can stimulate these nerve cells and cause itching.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hives
The key symptoms of hives are weals that:
- are round or form rings, a map-like pattern or giant patches
- may change shape
- are a few millimetres or several centimetres in diameter
- coloured white or red
- with or without a red flare
- may last a few minutes or several hours
- can affect any part of your body
- may be widespread across your skin.
How Can I Prevent Hives
Acute hives
Your healthcare provider can use the results of allergy tests to help you figure out which substances bring on acute hives. Once you know your triggers, you can avoid them. You may want to:
- Cut certain food products out of your diet.
- Reduce exposure to airborne allergens.
- Switch to detergents and soaps without scents or dyes.
- Avoid extreme changes in temperature.
- Relax and take a break when youre stressed or overworked.
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing.
Some of these tips can also help with chronic hives.
Chronic hives
It may not be possible to prevent chronic hives. Your provider may not be able to find exactly what causes them. They may also be a part of a bigger medical condition that affects your immune system.
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How Long Do Hives Last
Hives can occur and disappear within a 24-hour period or last for days to weeks, and they may recur based on future allergic exposure and immune response. Hives lasting more than six weeks are considered chronic. While hives are common, it is important to investigate the causes and consider the associated risks.
In some instances, hives are an early symptom of a more severe immune response known as anaphylaxis, which is a medical emergency. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that results in a rapid yet weak pulse, a significant drop in blood pressure and a tightening of the airway, affecting breathing. Common immune system triggers associated with hives and anaphylaxis include foods such as nuts, medications like antibiotics and blood pressure lowering agents, insect venom from bees and or mosquitoes and allergic reactions from latex materials just to name a few.
If you develop hives, you should contact your primary health care provider, who can gather a comprehensive health history and perform a physical examination. Once the allergic trigger is identified, you can make efforts to reduce future exposure.
Itchy Bumps All Over Body: 5 Possible Causes And Corresponding Treatments
Effective treatment of skin conditions including itchy bumps starts with identifying their causes. So to treat the itchy bumps all over body, you need to know possible causes.
1. Scabies
Scabies is a contagious parasitic infection that is caused by Sarcoptesscabiei. One of the main symptoms of scabies is an extremely itchy skin. The itchiness is worse at night and in warm weather. The bites of the mite are similar to mosquito bites. A patient suffering from scabies has rashes in different body parts that include the back, hands, genitals and feet.
Treatments: Treating scabies involves preventing further parasitic infestation. Doctors prescribe various lotions and creams to stop infestation. These include Lindane lotion, Permethrin cream, 5% and Ivermectin . In most prescriptions, you are required to apply the lotion or cream all over your body from neck down to feet. Leave the medication on your body for about eight hours. Doctors can also prescribe OTC antihistamines to relieve allergic symptoms associated with scabies.
2. Hives
3. Pityriasisrosea
4. Bedbug Infestation
5. Prickly Heat
Treatment: A heat rash often clears on its own within a few days. You can relieve the rash by avoiding excessive heat and humidity. Take a cool shower, air-dry your skin, or use a fan to cool yourself. Avoid oil-based product after your skin is cool and dry as they block sweat glands again. Apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to relieve itchiness and irritation.
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Complications Of Hives: Chronic Hives And Others
Have you struggled with hives that come and go for six weeks or more? Youve got what experts call chronic hives, and they can be exhausting especially because they can cause changes in your sleep, performance at work or school, and social life. The impact chronic hives can have on somebodys quality of life is well studied, Friedman says.
While many of the triggers are the same as acute hives , chronic hives have several different causes, including autoimmune issues and long-standing infections. In some cases, you might have to undergo extra testing to determine the cause and unfortunately in many cases, a definitive cause will not be identified.
The good news is that while treatment generally starts in the same manner as for acute hives, doctors do have additional medications and, in some cases, tests they can use to help diagnose and treat chronic hives. Youll just have to make sure you put patience on your side, as it can often take several years for improvements to happen.
Other potential complications of either acute or chronic hives can include:
What Are The Symptoms Of Acute Hives
Hives look different depending on the person and the situation. They can show up anywhere on your body. Signs of acute hives include:
- Raised welts or bumps on your skin. The bumps may look reddish on lighter-colored skin.
- Swelling under your skin causing puffiness .
- Also appearing with painful swelling of your lips, eyes and inside your throat.
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Skin Conditions Often Mistaken For Hives
Various skin conditions are often mistaken for hives, which means that the appearance of hive-like symptoms may not equal that an individual has hives but rather another problem. Heat rash is commonly mistaken for hives because the skin becomes hot, aggravated, and itchy. Blisters and bumps caused can become painful, but the condition can be alleviated by cooling the skin and reducing sweat. Contact dermatitis is a reasonably common ailment that causes the skin to develop a rash once an irritant has come in contact with an area of the body. Contact dermatitis feels more like a stinging or burning rather than the itching sensation associated with hives. The main characteristic that distinguishes hives from other skin conditions is the red bumps and blisters are itchy, inflamed, and filled with fluid. Hives or hive-like symptoms should be checked out by a doctor to determine the source and whether or not the skin reaction was caused by hives.
Seeking Emergency Medical Care
Hives can be a sign of anaphylaxis. This is always a medical emergency that needs immediate care. If you have been prescribed an EpiPen for an allergy, use it.
Call 911, especially if youre having trouble breathing. If you dont have an EpiPen, the ambulance will have epinephrine that paramedics can use to provide immediate treatment and will likely reach you much faster than having someone drive you to a hospital. Paramedics can get you to the hospital quickly and monitor your condition the entire time.
Never attempt to drive yourself to the hospital during anaphylaxis. Even if it is a very short drive, its not safe to attempt. You can lose consciousness rapidly.
If possible, after you call 911, keep someone with you until paramedics arrive.
- lightheadedness
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911.
A doctor may prescribe you an epinephrine injector, such as an EpiPen, for future allergic reactions. Theyll teach you how to use it and answer any questions you might have. Youll keep your epinephrine injector on hand and use it if you develop hives in the future.
Youll still need to visit the emergency room after you use your epinephrine injector, but it can stop anaphylaxis from becoming deadly.
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