Acne, Pimples and Skin Disorders |
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Hives, Caues, Symptoms and Hives Treatment
Hives are red, itchy,
localized, pale, pink wheals raised sections (swellings) of skin that can burn or sting and appear in varying shapes and sizes like rings or large patches. Wheals (welts), red lesions with a red "flare" at the borders, are one manifestation of hives. Hives range in size from a few millimeters to several inches in diameter.
Hives and angioedema form when, in response to histamine, blood plasma leaks out of small blood vessels in the skin.
This skin infection is also called as urticaria. Hives can occur anywhere on the body, such as the trunk, arms, and legs.
One remarkable property of hives is their tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one area and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.
They can last for hours, or up to several days before fading.
When hives form around the eyes, lips, or genitals, the tissue may swell excessively. Although frightening, the swelling usually goes away in less than 24 hours. Swelling deeper in the skin that may accompany hives is called angioedema. This may be seen on the hands and feet as well as on mucous membranes (with swelling of the lips or eyes.) Ordinary hives may be widespread and disturbing to look at, but the tremendous majority of cases does not lead to being-threatening unanticipated problems.
Causes of Hives
Hives
are caused by scratching the skin, continual stroking of the skin, or wearing tight-fitting clothes that rub the skin and are produced by histamine and other compounds released from cells called mast cells, which are a normal part of skin. Histamine causes gas to leak from the local blood vessels leads to swell in the skin. Some hives are caused by allergies to such things as foods and medications, but the substantial majority of cases are not allergic, and no specific cause for them is ever found. Hives may appear within minutes to several hours after eating, depending upon the site within the digestive tract where the food is absorbed.
Symptoms of Hives
- Dizziness
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Tightness in the chest
- Swelling of the tongue, lips, or face
Hives Treatment
The best treatment for hives and associated swelling is to identify and remove the trigger, but this is not an easy task. The definite purpose of treating most cases of normal urticaria is to relieve symptoms while the condition going away by itself. The most frequently used oral treatments are antihistamines, which aid opposes the effects of the histamine leaked by mast cells. Chronic hives may be treated with antihistamines or a combination of medications. When antihistamines don't provide relief, oral corticosteroids may be prescribed. Oral steroids (prednisone, Medrol) can help severe cases of hives in the short-term, but their usefulness is constrained by the circumstance that many cases of hives last too long for steroid used to be continued safely. Topical therapies for hives include creams and lotions which ease numb nerve endings and reduce itching.
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