Urticaria in adults

Urticaria is a rash, bumps on the skin that are very itchy and itchy. These rashes can appear anywhere on the skin. They range in size from as small as the tip of a pen to as large as a plate. The blisters may coalesce to form even larger patches of rash.

Urticaria rashes often disappear after 24 hours or less. New patches may appear as the old ones disappear, so the hives may last for several days.

If an attack of urticaria usually lasts less than 6 weeks, these manifestations are called acute urticaria. If the rash persists for more than 6 weeks, it is called chronic urticaria.

Acute urticaria often results from allergies, but can have many other causes. The medical term urticaria implies the development of an acute, anaphylactic reaction. When large blisters occur deeper under the skin, angioedema can already form. This can occur with hives as a complication, and often causes swelling of the eyelids and lips.

What is urticaria

Urticaria are itchy bumps or blisters on the skin. They can be caused by an allergic reaction, a physical trigger like cold, water or pressure, a disease like an infection, or an autoimmune disease.

These bumps, also called blisters, can be red, pink, white, or flesh-colored. Just as they vary in color, rash bumps come in a variety of shapes. Some look like tiny spots or pimples. Others look like thin raised lines. Urticaria also appears on the skin in different parts of the body.

Regardless of what they look like, hives usually come and go within a few hours. Some people have one outbreak and never have hives again. It is also possible many exacerbations throughout life.

When chronic urticaria develops, the most effective treatment often depends on the type of rash and medical history.

What you need to know about hives

Causes of hives in adults

It is important to monitor your symptoms. While it’s not always possible to find the cause of hives, keeping track of occasional hives can help figure out what’s causing the blisters. Here are some triggers that can cause long-term hives.

Food. Many foods can cause hives, including peanuts and other nuts, eggs, and shellfish. Urticaria usually appears within 1 hour after eating.

If the patient is already allergic to latex, then bananas, chestnuts, kiwis, or mangoes can also cause hives. Urticaria appears 12 to 24 hours after eating.

Supplements. Colorings and preservatives used in foods, vitamins and other additives, spices, cosmetics, skin care products, toothpaste, or other products can cause hives. It usually appears within 12 to 24 hours.

Cold. The hives, or itchy rash, appears when a person begins to warm up after being in cold water or being outside in the cold. Urticaria can also appear almost immediately when the patient enters an air-conditioned building or approaches a freezer.

Medicines. Many medications, including antibiotics, aspirin, and ibuprofen, can be triggers. Urticaria can occur immediately, days, weeks, or years after starting medication.

Heat. Urticaria usually develops within minutes.

Ultraviolet light (sunlight, solariums). Urticaria often appears within minutes.

Vibration (very rare cause). With any vibration, itching and swelling appear.

Adrenalin. Stress, exercise, heat, and hot showers are a few factors that cause the body to release adrenaline. Urticaria appears quickly and lasts from 30 to 60 minutes.

Pressure on the skin. Tight-fitting clothing, a seat, or a purse strap can apply enough pressure to cause hives. Urticaria may occur when pressure is applied to the skin or appear after 4 to 24 hours.

Water (very rare cause). Urticaria often appears within 1 to 3 minutes after contact with water on the skin.

Touching a plant, animal, or chemical. Stinging nettle, cinnamon, jellyfish, sorbic acid, or latex are common triggers. Urticaria (and sometimes difficulty breathing) usually occurs within a few minutes.

Urticaria symptoms in adults

The symptoms of ordinary, acute urticaria flare up suddenly and usually without any specific cause. Blisters or spots appear, often in several places at once. The rashes may be flesh-colored, pink, or red in color, rise above the skin, itch, cause swelling, and go away within minutes or hours before appearing elsewhere. This sequence can last from a few days to weeks.

Treatment of urticaria in adults

Take pictures of your breakouts. When you see a dermatologist, you may not have hives. An x-ray can help the dermatologist make sure you have hives. Other skin conditions can look very similar, so a thorough examination is important.

Diagnostics

Make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist, allergist, or primary care physician. Most people who have hives are otherwise healthy, but it’s still helpful to see a doctor. A thorough medical examination can help rule out possible causes.

Most often, the causes of hives are obvious, such as an infection or medication that was taken minutes or hours ago. Also, hives can be caused by a disease, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes. If signs indicate that this disease may be the cause, a medical examination may find or rule out these causes.

While medications and medical conditions can cause hives, there are many other causes, including food, insect bites, and pressure on the skin. Sometimes the cause cannot be found. If this happens, a dermatologist may recommend lifestyle changes and medications to help reduce flare-ups.

Modern methods

For treatment to be effective, it is important to follow the treatment plan your doctor makes for you. Treatment may not work if you take your medicines less often than prescribed. For example, if your dermatologist prescribes daily antihistamines and you only take them when you have a flare-up, you may continue to have hives.

Tell your dermatologist if treatment doesn’t help. If you follow your treatment plan exactly as instructed, you may still have flare-ups. The hives may be persistent, but the treatment will still work. To help you feel better, your dermatologist may:

• increase the dose of the medicine;
• add another drug to the treatment plan;
• prescribe another medication.

Realize that thorough allergy testing rarely helps. Many people find that their hives would go away if they just knew what was causing the outbreaks. Even if the cause remains unknown, treatment can clear your skin and reduce flare-ups.

Know that chronic hives can go away on their own. About half of people with chronic hives will stop hurting within 1 year. With so many possible reasons, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The good news is that treatment can keep hives under control. Sometimes it just takes time to find the right treatment for you.

Prevention of urticaria in adults at home

Itching often bothers people with chronic urticaria. Here are some ways to get temporary relief:

• avoid overheating;
• wear loose cotton clothing;
• several times a day, apply a cold compress to itchy skin, such as ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth, unless the cold makes you hives;
• use over-the-counter itch medications, such as antihistamine or calamine lotion
• Use a fragrance-free moisturizer several times a day to prevent dry skin.
• don’t overtighten the straps – the pressure can cause chronic hives when the strap is close to your body;
• take it easy – stress can cause hives: If you often feel stressed, healthy ways to reduce it will help you feel better.

Know that treatment can be effective even when the cause of hives is unknown. About 50% of people with chronic urticaria never know what causes their outbreaks. Even when you can’t find the cause, treatment can help clear the skin and prevent new flare-ups.

Popular questions and answers

Answered the typical questions of patients about urticaria allergist-immunologist, candidate of medical sciences, member of the European and Russian Association of Allergists and Clinical Immunologists Olesya Ivanova.