Urticaria, better known simply as hives, is when you break out in an irritating, itchy, and sometimes painful skin rash. Urticaria can be either a chronic or short-term condition, depending on what caused the breakout. It can happen because of something you ate, coming into contact with something you are allergic to, or coming into contact with something in nature that irritates the skin, such as poison ivy.
You will know that you have urticaria because of the raised, red bumps on your skin that it causes. Urticaria is also extremely itchy and can be painful depending on the cause. Although rare, urticaria can be chronic when it lasts for more than six weeks. Chronic urticaria comes and goes periodically, but it is just as irritating and painful each time. Therefore, it is important to seek treatment if you have hives, whether chronic or acute.
In many instances, antihistamines are the first course of treatment for people with urticaria, particularly when your hives stem from an allergic reaction. When you have an allergic reaction, your immune system automatically releases a chemical known as histamine. Histamine is intended to fight off foreign invaders, such as parasites, which is good.
In the case of an allergic reaction, however, histamine overreacts and causes the allergic reaction, which can be dangerous. In most cases, an allergic reaction only causes urticaria, but in extreme cases, it can cause anaphylactic shock and death. Therefore, it is essential to get histamine in check as quickly as possible.
Antihistamines are medications that fight to reduce the amount of histamine in your system. Once enough histamine is removed, your urticaria will go away, and the allergic reaction is subdued. Some of the most common antihistamines include diphenhydramine and loratadine, and you can take them orally or via an IV injection, depending on how quickly you need it to kick in.
In addition to being unsightly, the welts and raised bumps that stem from urticaria are extremely irritating. To cope with this until the antihistamines take away your hives, you may need steroid creams. Steroid creams, such as prednisone and budesonide, get rubbed onto the skin and help prevent the itchiness, pain, and irritation that is common with urticaria.
If you do not want to apply cream to the skin, you can also take corticosteroids orally or via an IV injection. Corticosteroids reduce pain and inflammation caused by urticaria and can make life manageable until your urticaria goes away. Corticosteroids may also be able to cure urticaria that does not respond to antihistamines.
When you have an extreme allergic reaction, such as from a bee sting, the reaction can cause anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening. To keep your throat from swelling shut, you will need an epinephrine shot. While epinephrine can save your life, it will not prevent urticaria, so you will still need antihistamines or corticosteroids.
In some cases, urticaria is very mild, and you can deal with it at home on your own using at-home remedies, such as the following:
In most cases, urticaria is irritating and inconvenient but does not lead to serious complications. In rare cases, however, if there is an extreme allergic reaction, urticaria can be accompanied by a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires epinephrine and immediate medical attention. Even when this is not the case, it is beneficial to see a doctor so that you can receive the right medications to mitigate your symptoms and help you overcome urticaria.