Urticaria also known as hives or hives
Urticaria: Characteristics, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Urticaria, also known as hives or hives, is a skin rash that often causes intense itching. This rash develops rapidly, with individual spots usually disappearing within a few hours, but always within 24 hours.
Characteristics of Urticaria:
- Starts with red spots that may turn into thickened red or pale patches.
- Patches may coalesce into larger spots, also called urtica or quads.
- The entirety of these skin abnormalities is called urticaria.
Acute and Chronic Urticaria:
- Acute urticaria lasts no longer than 6 weeks in total, which is usually the case.
- When the duration exceeds 6 weeks, it is referred to as chronic urticaria.
Occurrence and Causes:
- About a quarter of the population gets urticaria in their lifetime.
- Occurs in both men and women and at all ages.
- Histamine plays an important role in the development of urticaria.
- Histamine is released from cells in the skin under the influence of various stimuli.
Stimulus Groups that Release Histamine:
- Physical stimuli (physical exertion, pressure on the skin, cold, heat, sunlight, water, vibration).
- Medications (especially painkillers and antibiotics).
- Infections (especially viruses and parasites).
- Food allergy (e.g., peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, fruit).
- Food additives (dyes, preservatives, flavor enhancers).
- Insect stings and bites.
- Allergy to inhaled products (mold spores, animal dander).
- Contact allergies.
- Internal diseases.
Special Forms of Urticaria:
- Exercise urticaria: Itchy bumps on exertion, perspiration or heat.
- Urticaria Factitia: Reaction to pressure or rubbing of the skin, streaky quads.
- Cold Urticaria: Quads in places where the skin is cooled.
- Delayed Pressure Turticaria: Painful, hardened swelling several hours after pressure on the skin.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
- Urticaria is usually recognized by physicians.
- Avoiding the eliciting stimulus is the first step in treatment.
- Antihistamines are often used to block the action of histamine.
- If there is insufficient response to antihistamines, other medications, such as montelukast or prednisone, may be considered.
- Omalizumab, a drug that inactivates mast cells, can be prescribed if other treatments are ineffective.
- If there is insufficient response to omalizumab, immunosuppressants such as ciclosporin may be considered.
Outlook:
- In most cases, urticaria is short-lived.
- However, chronic urticaria can persist for months to years in some individuals.