Hives - Urticaria

Hives - Urticaria

A number of allergic conditions, affect the skin. Hives, or urticaria, is a very common manifestation of hypersensitivity. Many causes for this exist.The disease itself is manifested by the sudden appearance of reddened areas, which rapidly become welts, being distributed generally over the body or localized to the face, neck’s or extremities. Intense itching is usually present. The lesions often migrate and change their appearance rapidly. The rash, however, usually does not blister or weep unless scratching has abraded the skin and allowed the entrance of germs.

Food allergies can sometimes cause hives. Very frequently an allergy to strawberries, shellfish, or some less common food can trigger a sudden onset of this rash. Reaction to substances such as wheat, milk, or eggs is more rare.It is necessary to avoid the food if one wishes to eliminate the symptom. Several drugs can also cause hives. This condition is usually termed a drug allergy. The most common producers of this drug reaction are Penicillin and related antibiotics. Sulfa drugs and pharmaceuticals from nearly every major class of medicinal agent can produce an urticarial reaction in the sensitized individual.

Babies seldom get hives unless a drug has been present in the milk or they have had previous exposure. But it is frequently seen in children and adults with no particular preference as to age, sex, or race. The result of stress at both conscious and subconscious levels may trigger a sudden onset of urticaria. However, in up to 50% of the cases the exact source cannot be detected with certainty. It is very worthwhile to look for the cause, however,and consider any substance that is inhaled, ingested, or contacted by the skin as a possible factor to exclude.

Treatment

Treatment of hives should first begin with reassurance. This condition is self-limited and is usually neither life threatening nor contagious. The intense itching can be relieved considerably by cool baths with the addition of one cup starch or oatmeal powder (Aveeno), or alternately using 1/2 cup baking soda. Lotions may be helpful to reduce the symptoms. Try ice packs for local lesions. Antihistamines seem to counteract the reaction, but usually are not necessary as the condition commonly disappears within hours.

An exception to this may occur with bee sting allergy. If an individual is highly allergic to the sting of a honey bee, wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket, the reaction with hives will be immediate and generalized. Not only should ice and/ or moistened charcoal be applied to the site of the sting, but in emergencies the administration of adrenalin or a similar substance is necessary to prevent rapid progression into the swelling of the respiratory passages or the sudden development of shock. Since bee sting hypersensitivity can be lethal, careful diagnosis and prompt treatment is essential. Moreover, in such cases, desensitization injections can permit greater freedom in outdoor life and remove the fear that often grips parents as well as children who live with this threat of danger.