How To Treat Hives
loading…
Hives also known as urticaria, is a common,allergic skin condition. It appears as red, elevated wheels over the surface of the skin. The hives can appear anywhere in the body and vary in size from very small to several inches long. They spread fast and can suddenly crop up in another part of the body.
Women are more prone to hives than men are. The duration of hives can be for a few hours and they resolve rapidly. However, they may re-occur within a short span of time. The rash can be severe and alarming, which makes it difficult to form an accurate diagnosis. Hives generally occur in response to an allergic reaction when the mast cells of the body produce histamine.
Symptoms of Hives
The symptoms of hives have a sudden onset. The rashes appear suddenly, become inflamed, red and start to itch. They can last for a few minutes to a few hours. Even severe cases of hives do not last for more than 6 weeks. Chronic hive requires testing of allergenic compounds that are giving rise to the condition. Specific foods and drugs are individually ruled out to see what exactly is causing the hives.
Treatment of Hives
Hives itself is not fatal or serious. The treatment modality chalked out for hives is aimed at reducing the symptoms of hives.
Anti-Histamines
The main goal with anti-histamines is to bring down the production of histamines in the body, which immediately leads to a cessation of symptoms. The commonly used anti-histamines are avil, cetrizene, Allegra and ranitidine. They can be taken up to 3 times in a day but are largely preferred during bedtime as they are sedating.
Drowsiness is a common side effect of these medicines so patients should be careful about driving while taking them. Most anti histamines have varying degrees of effectiveness and doctors are the best judge to prescribe an appropriate medicine for you.
Steroids
Very severe and potentially harmful cases of hives may require injectible steroids, which are given intravenously. The commonly used steroid is prednisone. However, they should not be overused, as they are potentially harmful if used for a long period. Other agents are immunosuppressants, which reduce the immune response of the body.
Topical Creams and Ointments
The itching caused by hives can be very severe and requires the application of topical creams and ointments. Some of these can be brought without prescription and have menthol and camphor as their active ingredients. However, they are not completely effective. Cortisone containing creams are rarely successful in reducing the itchiness caused by hives.
Rosemary
A poultice, which has been soaked in boiled rosemary leaves, seems to give tremendous relief from hives. The rosemary tends to reduce the itching and redness.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is calming and soothing and helps to relax an agitated patient who is suffering from uncontrollable itching. In most cases, a wait and watch approach works best.
Hives are not serious and resolve on their own especially after the administration of anti-histamines. Severe cases may require hospitalization.
Photo Credit: Publichealthforums.com/s-how-to-cure-hives.html
loading…
