today's topic is hives hives is an
outbreak of swollen
red bumpy rash that appears on the
surface of the skin
either as a result of the body's
reaction to allergens or for unknown
reasons
the rash that is marked with hives can
be extremely itchy and spread across
large areas of someone's body
they may also burn and sting they can
appear anywhere on the body
including the ears arms hands fingers
legs feet and toes hives vary in size
and shape and may join together to form
larger areas known as plaques
they typically last a few days and do
not leave any long lasting skin changes
about 20 percent of people are affected
at some time in their life
also known as urticaria hives are not
contagious
there are several types of hive they
include
acute urticaria our hives lasting less
than six weeks
and may occur as a result of an adverse
or allergic reaction to certain foods or
medications
insect bites and infections may also be
responsible for acute urticaria
acute urticaria occurs equally in males
and females and are more common among
children
chronic urticaria hives lasting more
than six weeks
unlike the acute urticaria the cause is
usually more difficult to identify
however in some cases it may be caused
by an underlying medical condition such
as cancer
infection thyroid disease or hepatitis
this is a more severe form of hives and
it can spread to different areas of the
body
such as the lungs gastrointestinal tract
and muscles
chronic urticaria is more common in
females especially among those who are
middle aged
physical urticarial hives caused by
irritation of the skin
for example extreme heat or cold
excessive sweating
over exposure to the sun dermatographic
urticarial is a form of physical
urticaria
when hives form as a result of
scratching or firm stroking of the skin
causes hives occur when the body reacts
to an
allergen and releases high levels of
histamine and other chemical messengers
into the skin in response to this
histamine
blood vessels in the affected area open
up and start to leak
the resulting fluid in the tissue causes
swelling and itchiness
many different substances in the
environment can trigger a hive's
outbreak
some common triggers include food such
as nuts
wheat products egg strawberries
shellfish
and food additives physical stimuli such
as
pressure cold heat sun exposure or
exercise medications such as codeine
ibuprofen penicillin ace inhibitors used
for high blood pressure
dust mites high body temperature
pollen insect bites and stings
scratching infections such as flu
common cold hepatitis b
stress other underlying conditions
latex water on the skin this type is
rare
pet dander from dogs cats horses
cockroach and cockroach waste some
plants such as nettles
poison oak and poison ivy sweating such
as during exercise
staying in a heated environment
symptoms raised itchy bumps that are
usually red or pink
a rash that appears often in several
places and goes away in a matter of
minutes to hours
only to appear elsewhere diagnosis and
treatment
the doctor will ask a series of
questions in the attempt to find the
possible cause of hives
the doctor will examine the bumps or
rash if they are still present
and take a careful medical history to
identify the possible cause
an allergy skin test may be performed to
determine the substance to which you are
allergic
the doctor may also order a blood test
treatment
the goal of treatment is to relieve
symptoms while the condition resolves by
itself
antihistamine is usually prescribed to
provide relief from symptoms
they are taken regularly for several
weeks and may include
satirizing or effexophenidine
they help by blocking the effects of
histamines
chronic urticaria can be treated with an
antihistamine or a combination of
medications
when antihistamines don't provide relief
an oral corticosteroid may be prescribed
omolazumab or zolair can also treat
chronic urticaria
in some cases using home remedies such
as applying a cold
damp cloth to the affected area wearing
loose fitting
lightweight clothes or working and
sleeping in a cool room
can help
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