Hives / urticaria
What is hives?
Symptoms of hives
Causes or triggers of hives
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for hives
What is hives?
Hives (urticaria) is a type of skin rash, with raised welts on the skin, surrounded by a red inflammed rash. The swelling and redness are caused by the release of histamine in the skin.
Symptoms of hives
- Red, white, yellow or pale coloured raised bumps (wheals or swellings) surrounded by red, inflamed skin.
- Itching.
- The bumps can vary in size from pinpoint to several cm, and can merge to cover extended areas.
- Hives can last from a few hours to many weeks.
- Most cases of hives lasting less than six weeks are caused by an allergic trigger.
- The majority of patients with chronic hives (longer than six weeks) have an unknown autoimmune cause or a viral infection.
Causes or triggers of hives
- The most common cause is an allergic reaction. Most often it is a reaction to certain foods (often wheat, nuts, soy, eggs or shellfish), but certain plants, pharmaceutical drugs and medicines, insect bites, stings, chemicals and various toxins can also cause hives. People with hay fever or asthma are more susceptible.
- Scratching.
- Skin parasite infection.
- Excessive exposure to sunlight, for a particular individual.
- Heat or cold.
- Exercise. Excessive or stressful exercise, or sometimes when a person exercises within 30 minutes of eating particular foods, such as wheat or shellfish.
- Pressure on the skin.
- Conditions that cause sweating, such as exercise, bathing, staying in a heated environment, or emotional stress.
- Viral infection. Hives can appear after the start of an infection (such as a cold), or even a few days after it seems to have gone.
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for hives
- Look for whatever may be causing an allergic reaction. Test for food allergins, look for plants and chemicals that may be in the local environment.
- Cool showers or compresses reduce itching and swelling.
- Wear loose, lightweight clothes made of natural fibres.
- Reduce stress.
- Vitamin C. Ideally, it should be obtained through your diet, rather than by using supplements.
- MSM.
- See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.