The medical name for hives is “urticaria.” People also call it welts, wheals, or nettle rash.

Hives affects around 20% of people at some time in their lives. The issue can be chronic or acute. Acute hives lasts 6 weeks Trusted Source or less, and it may result from exposure to an allergen or irritant, such as a food or touching a nettle.

Chronic urticarial is a long-term condition. Doctors do not know exactly why it happens, but it may accompany a chronic health condition or an autoimmune condition. A person with chronic urticaria may have hives every day for months or years.

It is not possible to catch hives from another person. However, in some cases, hives occurs with a contagious infection.

If a person has hives, they have a risk of developing a life threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Being aware of other symptoms of this condition, such as swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, a rapid heartbeat, or lightheadedness is important. Anyone who might have anaphylaxis should receive urgent medical care.

Hives often appears as a raised, itchy rash. There can be many causes, including exposure to an allergen, a physical trigger, such as pressure from tight clothing, or an underlying health condition.

Classification of urticaria

Urticaria is classified according to its duration.

Acute urticaria (< 6 weeks duration, and often gone within hours to days)

Chronic urticaria (> 6 weeks duration, with daily or episodic weals)

Chronic urticaria may be spontaneous or inducible. Both types may co-exist.

Chronic inducible urticaria includes:

• Dermographism
• Cold urticaria
• Cholinergic urticaria
• Contact urticaria
• Delayed pressure urticaria
• Solar urticaria
• Heat urticaria
• Vibratory urticaria
• Vibratory angioedema
• Aquagenic urticaria

Symptom:

Signs and symptoms of chronic hives include:

• Patches of red or skin-colored welts (wheals), which can appear anywhere on the body
• Welts that vary in size, change shape, and appear and fade repeatedly as the reaction runs its course
• Itching, which may be severe
• Painful swelling (angioedema) of the lips, eyelids and inside the throat
• A tendency for signs and symptoms to flare with triggers such as heat, exercise and stress
• A tendency for signs and symptoms to persist for more than six weeks and to recur frequently and unpredictably, sometimes for months or years
• Short-term (acute) hives appear suddenly and clear up within a few weeks.

Causes:

Hives can develop as a reaction to: an allergen another physical trigger, such as extreme temperatures an underlying health condition Sometimes there is no clear reason why they occur. In the case of chronic hives, some experts believe that it may result from an autoimmune reaction.

Allergens

Hives can develop when the body reacts to an allergen. When an allergic reaction occurs, the body releases a protein called histamine. Next, tiny blood vessels called capillaries leak fluid. This fluid accumulates in the skin and causes inflammation and a rash. As fluid accumulates under the skin, small bumps form.

The reaction can occur if a person consumes something or touches something that they are allergic to. This is known as “contact urticaria.”

If acute hives results from an allergic reaction, the cause may be:

A medication, such as:

• Some antibiotics
• Some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, which are drugs for high blood pressure
• Nuts, eggs, seafood, or another food allergen
• Latex
• Kiwi, banana, chestnuts, or mango, in people with a latex allergy
• Some plants, including nettles, poison ivy, and poison oak
• Additives in some foods, cosmetics, and other products

Physical triggers

A physical factor other than an allergen can cause hives.

Here are some possible triggers:

• Sunlight exposure
• Scratching or rubbing the skin
• Pressure, from a tight belt, for example
• Extreme temperatures or changes in temperature
• A high body temperature, due to sweating, exercise, anxiety, or a hot shower
• Adrenalin, which the body releases during exercise and exposure to heat or stress
• UV light from a tanning bed
• Water on the skin, in rare cases
• Vibration, in rare cases

Underlying health conditions

Some examples of health conditions that can cause hives include:

• Viral infections, such as the flu, the common cold, glandular fever, or hepatitis B
• Bacterial infections, such as some urinary tract infections and strep throat
• Intestinal parasites, such as Giardia lamblia
• Autoimmune hypothyroidism
• Autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s disease, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes
• Any other condition that causes inflammation of blood vessels

Avoidance of trigger factors

Identified triggers should be eliminated if possible (eg, drug or food allergy). Avoidance of relevant type 1 (IgE-mediated) allergens clears urticaria within 48 hours.

Avoid aspirin, opiates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetamol is generally safe).

Minimise dietary pseudoallergens for a trial period of at least three weeks.

Avoid known allergens that have been confirmed by positive specific IgE/skin prick tests if these have clinical relevance for urticaria.

Cool the affected area with a fan, cold flannel, ice pack, or soothing moisturising lotion.

The physical triggers for inducible urticaria should be minimised; see examples below. However, symptoms often persist.

Symptomatic dermographism: reduce friction eg, avoid tight clothing.

Cold urticaria: dress warmly in cold or windy conditions and avoid swimming in cold water.

Delayed pressure urticaria: broaden the contact area eg, of a heavy bag.

Solar urticaria: dress up and apply broad-spectrum sunscreens.

Some patients with inducible urticaria benefit from daily induction of symptoms to induce tolerance. Phototherapy may relieve the itch of symptomatic dermographism.

Why choosing of RJR for Urticarial?

The main treatment of all forms of urticarial in adults and children in by rejuvenating the blood. By improving the hemoglobin count and blood participation mechanism urticarial is completely reduced. There are many herbals to reduce the urticaria completely. If any rashes is present, then external application is also essential that is provided in our RJR Herbal Hospitals. Doctors are here at RJR Hospitals to treat by knowing the root cause for urticaria. By knowing the actual cause for urticaria, the treatment is followed. Thus it will give a permanent relief from urticaria.