Hives: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective
Hives: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective. Hives typically occur as an allergic response to something in your environment or something you ate. But they may sometimes happen because of an underlying health issue.
Hives, also known as urticaria, are itchy, raised welts that are found on the skin. They’re usually red, pink, or flesh colored on lighter skin and may be flesh colored or slightly lighter or darker than your skin tone on brown or black skin.
Sometimes they sting or hurt. In most cases, hives are caused by an allergic reaction to a medication or food or are a reaction to an irritant in the environment.
In many cases, hives are an acute (temporary) problem that may be alleviated with allergy medications. Most rashes go away on their own. However, chronic (ongoing) cases, as well as hives accompanied by a severe allergic reaction, are larger medical concerns.
Pictures of hives
What causes hives?
Hives: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective. Hives are usually caused by an allergic reaction to something that you have encountered or swallowed. When you have an allergic reaction, your body begins to release histamines into your blood. Histamines are chemicals your body produces in an attempt to defend itself against infection and other outside intruders.
In some people, histamines can cause swelling, itching, and many of the symptoms that are experienced with hives. In terms of allergens, hives can be caused by factors such as pollen, medications, food, animal dander, and insect bites.
Hives might also be caused by circumstances besides allergies. It’s not uncommon for people to experience hives as the result of stress, tight clothes, exercise, illnesses, or infections.
It’s also possible to develop hives as the result of excessive exposure to hot or cold temperatures or from irritation due to excessive sweating. Because there are several potential triggers, many times the actual cause of hives can’t be determined.
Who is at risk?
People who are known to have allergies are more likely to get hives. You may also be at risk of developing hives if you’re taking medication or if you’re unknowingly exposed to things you may be allergic to, such as food or pollen. If you’re already ill with an infection or a health condition, you may be more vulnerable to developing hives.
What do hives look like?
The most noticeable symptom of hives is the welts that appear on the skin. Welts may be red but can also be the same color as your skin. They can be small and round, ring-shaped, or large and of random shape. Hives are itchy, and they tend to appear in batches on the affected part of the body. They can grow larger, change shape, and spread.
Hives may disappear or reappear over the course of the outbreak. Individual hives can last anywhere from half an hour to a day. Hives may turn white when pressed. Sometimes the hives may change shape or form together and create a larger, raised area.
Hives can occur in a variety of places on the body. Call 911 or get medical attention immediately if you develop a hives outbreak around your throat or on your tongue or have trouble breathing along with hives.
Types of hives
Hives can occur in response to an allergic reaction or may not have an identifiable cause.
Allergic reactions
The most common causes of hives are allergic reactions. These can be caused by any allergen you might be sensitive to, including:
- foods (such as nuts, milk, and eggs)
- pet dander
- pollen
- dust mites
- insect bites or stings
- medications (primarily antibiotics, cancer drugs, or ibuprofen)
Mild cases of hives caused by allergies are typically treated with long- or short-term allergy medications and avoidance of the trigger.
Hives Triggers
- Some food (especially peanuts, eggs, nuts and shellfish)
- Medications, such as antibiotics (especially penicillin and sulfa), aspirin and ibuprofen
- Insect stings or bites
- Physical stimuli, such as pressure, cold, heat, exercise or sun exposure
- Latex
- Blood transfusions
- Bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections and strep throat
- Viral infections, including the common cold, infectious mononucleosis and hepatitis
- Pet dander
- Pollen
- Some plants
Hives Management and Treatment
- Avoid known triggers
See an allergist, who is specially trained to look for triggers to your hives and may recommend medications to prevent the hives or reduce the severity of symptoms. Whether your allergist suggests a treatment available only by prescription or an over the counter treatment will depend on several factors, including how uncomfortable the hives are making you.
Symptoms
Symptoms can last anywhere from minutes to months – or even years.
While they resemble bug bites, hives (also known as urticaria) are different in several ways:
- Hives can appear on any area of the body; they may change shape, move around, disappear and reappear over short periods of time.
- The bumps – red or skin-colored “wheals” with clear edges – usually appear suddenly and go away just as quickly.
- Pressing the center of a red hive makes it turn white – a process called “blanching.”
There are two types of hives – short-lived (acute) and long-term (chronic). Neither is typically life-threatening, though any swelling in the throat or any other symptom that restricts breathing requires immediate emergency care.
Is It Hives or Angioedema?
Angioedema – swelling of tissue beneath the surface of the skin – can be mistaken for, or associated with hives. It can be caused by allergic reactions, medications or a hereditary deficiency of some enzymes. The following symptoms may indicate angioedema:
- Swelling in the eyes or mouth
- Swelling of the hands, feet or throat
- Difficulty breathing, stomach cramps or swelling of the lining of the eyes
The best way to identify your symptoms is to talk to an allergist who can diagnose and treat both hives and angioedema.
Diagnosis
In some cases, the trigger is obvious – a person eats peanuts or shrimp, and then breaks out within a short time. Other cases require detective work by both the patient and the physician because there are many possible causes. If the hives have gone on for a long time, the cause is not usually identified.
A single episode of hives does not usually call for extensive testing. If a food allergy is suspected, consider keeping track of what you eat. This will help you discover whether there is a link between what you’re eating and when you break out with hives.
Chronic hives should be evaluated by an allergist, who will ask about your and your family’s medical history, substances to which you are exposed at home and at work, exposure to pets or other animals and any medications you’ve taken recently. If you have been keeping a food diary, show it to your allergist.
Types of hives
Acute urticaria refers to hives that don’t last very long (less than six weeks). Chronic urticaria refers to hives that happen at least twice a week for more than six weeks.
Chronic, spontaneous urticaria is the name for chronic hives that don’t have an obvious cause. An older name for this condition is chronic idiopathic urticaria.
What’s the difference between hives and a rash?
A rash is a skin condition that involves something out of the ordinary, like spots, swelling, itchiness or redness. Hives is an example of a rash, but not all rashes are hives.
Who is affected by hives?
Anyone can get hives. If you’re someone who reacts to many types of allergens, you may get hives frequently. Other people who don’t react to allergens may get hives once or a few times in their lives.
There seems to be a relationship between acute hives and conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, especially in children. You might also be affected by hives during periods of extreme stress.
How common are hives?
Around 20% of the population will get hives at least one time. About 1% to 3% of the population has chronic hives.
Symptoms and Causes
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.
- Hives blanch (the center of the hive becomes pale when pressed).
- Itchy skin.
- Swelling under your skin causing puffiness (angioedema).
- Also appearing with painful swelling of your lips, eyes and inside your throat.
What are the symptoms of chronic hives?
In many respects, chronic hives and acute hives may look alike: they can be itchy, swollen raised welts that turn lighter in the center and with pressure. However, chronic hives can:
- Shift sizes and shapes.
- Appear, disappear and then reappear at least every few days for long periods of time, even months or years.
- Happen along with heat, exercise or stress.
