What Causes Urticaria and How to Identify It: A Complete Guide

If you have ever noticed raised red bumps or pink rashes anywhere on your body with criss-cross patterns that appear and disappear in a short period of time, there is a good chance that it might be the case of Urticaria. Hives (also known as urticaria) is a kind of rash that comes with either mild itch or severe itchiness. Acute hives usually go away soon but chronic hives can cause irritation for a long time. This skin rash can happen because of something you’ve touched, exercising, allergic reactions, food, drinks, clothing, drinking alcohol, getting wet in the rain, sun exposure, friction, clothing, spicy foods, etc. Urticaria affects children and adults, where women and older people have a high chance of getting this skin rash.

If you are wondering where you have hives or urticaria, you’ve come to the right place because this blog provides detailed information on:

• What causes hives
• Is urticaria harmful
• How can you identify hives
• What are the triggers of urticaria/hives
• Treatment for hives 

What Causes Urticaria

Urticaria occurs when immune cells in the skin, known as mast cells, are triggered by simple factors like exercise or alcohol consumption. When triggered, these mast cells release chemicals such as histamine, which leads to hives. Acute hives last less than six weeks, while chronic hives can persist for more than a year and may occur spontaneously without a specific cause. Common triggers include certain foods, beverages, medications, and physical factors such as extreme temperatures, pressure on the skin, sunlight, and stress.

Is Urticaria Harmful? 

Urticaria is usually harmless and can be resolved on its own. But the itching and swelling can sometimes be painful and cause anxiety or disrupted sleep. While hives can be harmless, they can be a sign of a more serious allergic reaction that needs immediate medical attention. Chronic urticaria (or hives) that last more than six weeks means that you might have an underlying autoimmune or disease and need a medical test to identify potential health problems. Hives are treatable but their sudden nature and frequency can have an impact on your quality of life and can sometimes be difficult to control the symptoms.

How You Can Identify Urticaria 

Now that you know what hives are, let us discuss how you can identify them. Urticaria is identifiable by raised bumps (welts) that are red in color or welts that appear on the skin’s surface:

• These welts can be of different sizes, which can range from a few millimeters to inches.
• Hives can sometimes merge to form larger patches on your skin.
• Normally, hives can be itchy and cause a stinging or burning sensation which is painful.
• You might get hives suddenly in various shapes and may also reappear in a different location within a few hours.
• Hives can get worse if you scratch or pressure them.
• Acute hives appear and go away within 24 hours, but new hives can also show up.
• Chronic hives can continue for weeks by appearing and fading continuously.
• Some other symptoms that can mean you have hives are swelling around the eyes, lips, or throat.

Some Triggers of Urticaria

• Food triggers: Shellfish, nuts, eggs, and dairy,
• Environmental factors: Allergens, pollen, dust
• Physical triggers: Sweating, extreme hot or cold temperature, exercising, pressure on the skin, getting wet from rain, and sunlight.
• Medications: Antibiotics and pain relievers.  are known to induce hives in some people.
• Other triggers: Emotional and physical stress, viral and bacterial infections, hormonal changes, and autoimmune diseases.

What Is The Treatment For Hives?

Usually, hives do not need any treatment because they go away after a few weeks, but if the symptoms get worse, there are some treatments as well. For a less severe case of hives, you can take over-the-counter pills like antihistamines or loratadine, which help reduce itching and swelling by blocking the body’s histamine response. For chronic hives, a doctor can suggest allergy shots (like EpiPen) or oral steroids.  You can also try to avoid triggers to ease the itching, make lifestyle adjustments to manage stress and change your diet to prevent the symptoms.

Conclusion 

Urticaria is commonly known as hives, which is a skin condition that can be identified by raised bumps or itchy welts that can appear due to various triggers like foods, environmental factors, drinks, exercises, clothes, etc. It is a harmless urticaria rash and can be resolved without any treatments unless it is severe. Identifying and avoiding known triggers can help you manage the symptoms effectively and prevent health issues.