What Is Causing My Hives?

• Hives may look like bigbug bitesthat can last from minutes to months.
• They can be red or skin-coloredbumpsor wheals that usually appear suddenly and go away just as quickly.
• Hives can appear anywhere on the body.
• They may be as small as the tip of a pen to as big as a dish plate.
• They can change their shape and place where they appear.
• They disappear and reappear over short periods.
• On pressing them, they blanch, which means their redness disappears temporarily.

The doctor usually diagnoses hives by looking at your skin. They will take your medical history and check for any possible triggers. Finding the cause of chronic hives can be difficult. The following tests can help in identifying the cause:

• Allergytests (that are done directly on the skin or through blood tests)
• Routine blood tests (including WBC count,liver functiontests, kidney function tests)
• Askin biopsy(removing a piece of your skin to examine it under a microscope)

An oral pill of anantihistaminemedicine is the most common treatment and the first line of therapy to get rid of mild to moderate hives fast. They are very effective in relievingitchyskin. Your doctor may prescribe you a combination of a fewantihistaminesif you do not get relief from one.

If you have developed hives for the first time (acute hives), you may just receive a single dose of the medicine. If you suffer from chronic hives, you may have to take this medicine once daily for several days to prevent the hives from coming back.

Other medicines that dermatologists prescribe to treat hives include:

• Corticosteroids:These are given for severe hives and only for the short term.
• Epinephrine (adrenaline):This is anemergency medicinethat is given as an injectable when swelling (angioedema) of the face, lips, tongue, or throat also develops along with the hives.

Chronic hives are commonly treated with:

• Antihistamine:Usually higher doses of antihistamines are given.
• Dapsone(antibiotic):This medication effectively reduces the swelling and redness of hives.
• Omalizumab(monoclonal antibodies):If antihistamines do not work, injections of omalizumab are given under the skin. This drug works by reducing the sensitivity to allergens.

Chronic hives disturb your work,sleep, and other activities. Avoiding known triggers is the most important and effective way to stop getting them. You can takeallergytests to identify the hidden triggers.

Here are some other ways that can help you:

• Wear loose, light clothing
• Avoid scratching the skin
• Use mild soaps (avoid harsh ingredients)
• Soothe the affected area with a fan, cool cloth, moisturizer, or anti-itchcream
• Applysunscreenbefore venturing out in the sun

You need to visit the doctor right away if

• There is swelling of the face, tongue, or throat (angioedema).
• You facebreathingtrouble.
• Over the counter antihistamines fail to relieve the hives within 24 hours.

If hives come on and off for more than 6 weeks, schedule an appointment with your doctor who will evaluate you thoroughly and prescribe the right combination of medicines.