Urticaria

Question: Urticaria???? i have only once in a while a rash that looks like Urticaria type rashes. it will dissapear overnight. could this still be Urticaria? up to now whenever i have it im not able to see a docter and i can count the times on one hand. could it be it only appears after a stressy day at work? what can i do? ta!

Answer: severe itching it can be caused by many factors.. but a relief you could give yourself is a calamine lotion.. its a topical antihistamine that relieves the itching... you can also take oral antihistamine but it causes you to become drowsy, so dont take it if you are driving, or else accident might happen... it may be due to stress since u said that it disappears at night, probably because you're already relaxed. know the particular stess that triggers your allergy so that you will avoid developing urticaria.. have a healthy lifestyle..so that your skin integrity will be good.. drink lots of fluids, & eat more fruits... if those measures still didnt work.. go see a dermatologist.. thanks

Question: How do I get permanently ride of Cholinergic Urticaria cause by heat? All of a suddenly 2 days ago I got a itchy rash all over my body and I found out it's Cholinergic Urticaria. I'm pretty sure it's cause by heat because whenever it get a little hot I break out everywhere. What medication should I take to get ride of it. Is there a way to get ride of it forever?

Answer: Taking an antihistamine before you expect to get heated up (exercise, hot shower, etc) will help. If you take it afterwards, it won't work, as the "horse is out of the barn." This is a strange disorder, in that it comes on out of the blue; but luckily, it also goes away spontaneously, too. However, it may take a couple of years for it to do that.

Question: How is Chronic Urticaria of children removed? The age of the child is nearly three and half year. At the age of one and half month it was suggested by Doctor that she is having Atopic Dermatities. Recently she has been suffering in Urticaria since three months. She is taking either Atarax or Alegra tabs in specified dose. But, the same is not completely removed. Please help me in solving the problem.

Answer: Visit: http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site…

Question: Any alternative remedies for urticaria, Ive been on antihistamines for ten years and would like to discontine? Dont feel taking antihistamines is the right way for me to go - having several general well being problems and want to come off all medications but do suffer with hives. Anyone know of an alternative to antihistamines for urticaria?

Answer: Homeopathy (200C): Take Apis if the hives are red, burn or itch intensely. Take Natrum muriaticum for chronic hives, especially if they are white. Take Rhus toxicodendron for very large red hives with some itching. Take Urtica urens for hives on the scalp and other places that burn and itch intensively. Take Arsenicum album for burning hives and chilled feelings. Nutritional: Taking 500 mg of quercetin twice a day helps to clear up hives and stop itching. Quercetin is found in onions, apples, and leafy vegetables and is a natural antihistamine. Herbal: Apply mint ice cubes to the skin also relieves the itching. Mix two teaspoons of crushed fresh mint leaves, pour boiling water over the leaves, cover, and let it sit for five minutes. Strain the liquid, pour it into an ice cube tray, and freeze. Then take the cubes out, put them in a freezer bag, cover the bag with a paper towel or cloth and apply it to the hives. Essential oil: Sandalwood essential oil helps to stop the itching and provides a soothing sensation to your skin. Add 20 drops of sandalwood essential oil to one ounce of a coconut or almond oil and apply it to the skin every three or four hours. Best of luck.

Question: Can I get a tattoo if I have dermagraphic urticaria? I have chronic urticaria, cholinergic, cold and dermagraphism, I take an an antihistamine daily which keeps it at bay but I've recently been thinking of getting a tattoo and wondered if anybody would know if it would be possible. Would the swelling make it difficult for the tattoo artist? Should I expect any long term problems?

Answer: Trust me on this one, it won't be worth giving it a shot. You could take extra antihistimines but since you've never had a tattoo, you don't know how your skin will react to the dye from the ink or the irritation from the needle. Some people with this condition report that ink tries to come out of the skin during the healing process so you can get a 'blur' effect or a lighter tattoo. If your body is naturally fighting allergies and reacts to what the 'average' person can handle, then it only makes sense that this kind of irritation and ink would cause a pretty serious swell reaction not just during the actual tattoo but also during the healing stage, which causes a lot of response from your skin (redness, itching, flaking...like a really bad sunburn). Each persons' skin is different but those who are susceptible to irritated skin reactions may not end up with a good tattoo. My advice (if you're hell bent on it) would be to try a small one in an area that's not visible to see how it heals and how your skin reacts. I've heard a lot of stories that ink can't 'heal out' of your skin once it's there, but I've also seen a lot of tattoos that have varying degrees of darkness and sharpness based on healing and after care. So do yourself a favor and skip it...the main reason being that a bad tattoo is worse than no tattoo at all in a situation where you can't be sure if it will heal or take properly. Also, if you go through with it, take those extra antihistimines and tell your tattoo artist before to ask his advice. Some artists guarantee touchups if it heals improperly which may also help you. Good luck...think it through because tattoos are forever and if you have a bad reaction...it's one you'll never forget, that's for sure!

Question: Is it okay to get laser hair removal if you have dermographism/chronic urticaria? I used to get laser hair removal before I had Chronic Urticaria. Now everytime that my skin experience trauma, it welts although it disappears after half an hour or so. I was wondering if that is the only thing that I have to worry about if I go back to laser hair removal?

Answer: Yeah, you can have it, but not during an outbreak. A doctor should not even be willing to do it during one. It is very contagious and is made worse by stress, trauma, etc. If you don't want to have outbreaks anymore (or much less) ask your dr. for a rx for acyclovir on a daily basis...... good luck

Question: What is the cure for skin allergy Urticaria? I m suffering from Chronic urticaria for more than 8 years. I use cetzine to subside it. Is there any permanent cure?

Answer: I'm very sorry to say that there is no known cure. Even worse, the medical community is not sure what actually causes the condition. Perhaps in a few years more information and research will be available to more closely determine the cause for this condition. Until then, you can only treat the symptoms or use steroids to suppress the immune system.

Question: Does anyone know of a cream that actually works on Urticaria? My poor sister has urticaria on her neck and arms and nothing ever seems to make it go away and stay away. Steroids work short term. Has anyone had any success with something different? She is only 25 and it really bothers her. Many thanks.

Answer: Avoid any obvious triggers or exacerbating factors and try these simple measures: Keep the skin cool, avoid getting hot from exercise and take lukewarm baths. Resist the temptation to rub the itchy skin and apply copious amounts of moisturising creams to reduce dryness and itch. Avoid alcoholic drinks and foods containing additives (sodium benzoate, colourings and salicylate). Apply 1% menthol in aqueous cream to soothe the affected skin. Avoid all aspirin or codeine containing medication (including ibuprofen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid). Only use paracetamol as a painkiller. Carefully read Side Effects list of any other medication you are currently taking and avoid medicines that are known to trigger urticaria or angioedema. Pregnancy may specifically aggravate urticaria as Pruritic and Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy (PUPPP syndrome). The mainstay of treatment is high dose ANTIHISTAMINE medication which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Double conventional doses of antihistamines such as Cetirizine, Loratidine and Fexofenadine may be needed for symptom relief. Occasionally we add "stomach-ulcer treatment" medication such as Cimetidine and Ranitidine which are known to also dampen down histamine release. New leukotriene receptor antagonists used for asthma such as Montelukast have produced some symptom relief in chronic urticaria. Oral Doxepin is a good antihistamine but induces drowsiness, while Doxepin cream may soothe the skin. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids may be necessary to settle more severe symptoms. Cortisone should not be used for prolonged periods of time as they may lead to stunted growth in children and osteoporosis in adults. Specialist investigations in Chronic Urticaria may be necessary to exclude other underlying illnesses or to confirm the presence of “auto-antibodies� in the blood stream (“Anti IgE Receptor Autoantibodies" and "Basophil Histamine Release� can be measured). The Autologous Serum Skin Test (ASST) raises a weal on re-injection of the patients serum and is a good indicator of Auto-antibodies. Highly specialised treatments may include Immunosuppressive drugs (Cyclosporine, Methotrexate, and Azathioprine), Androgens and Warfarin. Colchicine is useful in treating Urticarial Vasculitis. If available, Immunoglobulin injections, Plasmaphoresis or the use of novel anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies such as Omalizumab (Xolair) may be necessary. The future holds many exciting new therapeutic modalities including DNA Plasmid Vaccines.

Question: How Can I Exercise With Heat Induced Cholinergic Urticaria? So for the last two years, I've had Heat Induced Cholinergic Urticaria, which means I break out with these red itchy bumps on my arms, neck, and calves whenever my internal body heat rises. So my mom wants to take me out of P.E. because every single day, I break out and we can't find a medicine that works. So what are some light exercises that I can do that wont make my body heat go up?

Answer: Its hard to do. I have the same and i struggle even if i have to rush up the stairs at work. I swim. If i do get a rash appear, the water cools it and nt a lot of people see it. Yeah it is there when i shower but it soons disappears. Try walking too. You don't have to do much, a little each day. Your body heat should remain constant for a while.

Question: What Should I Do About My Cholinergic Urticaria? So for the last 2 years or so, I have had Excercise/Heat Induced Cholinergic Urticaria. I have tried every antihistamine I can think of and nothing works! Unfortunately, I have P.E. 1st period so I have to go through my next two classes with these red, itchy bumps on my arms, neck, and calves! The hives seem to only appear when I'm doing phyiscal exercise or when my internal body heat goes up. If anybody has advise or can relate to my condition, please tell me! Thank You

Answer: I had hives for almost 10 years and they went away when I went on a gluten free diet following a diagnosis of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an intolerance to the gluten found in wheat,rye and barley. You can get tested for celiac disease usually starting with a blood test and maybe an endoscopy. If the tests are negative, you could still try a month or two on a gluten free diet to see if you just aren't registering on the tests. Good luck, I know what you are going through and hope this helps.

Question: Should I visit a doctor if I strongly suspect i have Cold urticaria? i have severe itching and redness when I get cold, and sometimes get hives and welts....it lasts for about 20 min after i removed from the cold. i recently read about Cold Urticaria and realize that its almost sure that i have it. i never had any life threatening symptoms....Is it neccessary to see a doctor?

Answer: I have the same thing. The only difference is that it's HEAT that gets my skin going. I went to dozens of different allergy specialists and dermatologists. None could find a cure or even a cause. It started suddenly when I was in my early thirties. My general practitioner seems to think that it could go away again just as suddenly. I'd like to think so! In the meantime, like you said, it's not life threatening. If you do choose to go to a doctor, don't fall for taking prednisone for the hives! The side effects of those nasty little pills are worse than the hives themselves!

Question: Do you have urticaria vasculitis? What do you take (meds) to treat it? Does it work to relieve the symptoms? How do you handle the muscle and joint pain, swelling and bruising? How long have you had the disease? How does it impact your daily life and how do you cope with that? What type of physician is treating you for it ~ Immunologist, Dermatologist, Allergist, Internal Medicine, Rhumatologist, or all as a team? How do you find the results of the treatments?

Answer: Use this site and read all this will answer all your questions. Tells you what durgs to take and more. http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic449.h… Hope You fell better

Question: How do i treat heat induced urticaria? Lately i have been breaking out in hives all over my body when i am in hot places and i have been told by the doctors that i might have agoraphobia and that its in my head but i am not sure. this thing has ruined my life i haven't been able to go to school a lot and when i go i cant last the whole day. In other words what might be causing my heat induced urticaria? it is definitely not my thyroid because its levels are normal

Answer: Agorophobia might be "in your head" (a psychological condition, but that doesn't mean it should be dismissed) but it has a biological neuro-endocrine cascade (adrenaline boost) that causes physical symptoms. You might want to seek some psychological help (I would suggest behavioral therapy) to help with the root problem, but in the mean time I would suggest trying benedryl. It will help a little with the anxiety, and possibly the Hives. The hives come from the same reaction that causes them in people with allergies....a hypersensitivity to the chemicals in your own bloodstream. Antidepressants might work as well. Keep working with your doctor on the anxiety...dont let them dismiss it.

Question: can I get a Tattoo even though I suffer from Urticaria? Hi. I suffer from Urticaria ("Hives" if you'd like) for a long time now, and I've learned how to live with it so I don't do anything about that. My question is, can I get a tattoo in my back even though my stupid Urticaria?

Answer: Tattooing with Urticaria most likely will inflame an outbreak. However, if you talk to a doctor, perhaps he or she can prescribe you something (or maybe even suggest Benadryl) to take beforehand so the chance of a more sever outbreak will lessen. To be sure, talk to your doctor. Or, you can even call one of the artists to ask him or her what they suggest. I'm sure they've come across it once in their career! Good luck!

Question: Urticaria and Angiodema problems, what more can I do? I suffer from both. Sparked off by shock when widowed. Despite taking prescription antihisthamine (1 morning 2 at night, all different names) still suffering. When angiodema kicks in and my face is swollen, it is sometimes my eye (occasionally both) my mouth - it is my lips and lower face with occasionally my cheeks too. If it is my tongue or throat I have to use 'epi pen' and get to hospital. I also have prednisnolone (steroid tablets) but with the side effects, have now piled on the weight and have become diabetic. All this has affected my work as I cannot work when this flares up. I am at my wits end. Please advise me.

Answer: I'm afraid I don't have a magic answer so if you want advice on prescription meds don't ask me. I can sympathise, my son has terrible urticaria from certain fruits and has an epipen for allergies and it's really crap. Sorry if it's not your thing but have you thought about doing some sort of course, maybe weekend or week that is based on healing, counselling type therapies that may help you with the emotional side of things following your partner's death? You don't say much about that except that it was a shock. Perhaps taking some time to work with the emotions involved may help your state of mind and through this your physical health. (I have no vested interest by the way) I have seen a friend change in such a positive way by giving herself the time and space and permission (!) to feel how she feels and get on with it without wallowing or equally keeping everything shut away. I'm not saying everything physical is cured by the mind, that would be silly but I do think it is far more important than most of us think and I'm sure you'll get lots of answers about creams! Very best wishes to you.

Question: how do i differentiate between urticaria and dermatitis? i have this patch of red skin on my thigh and its itchy. it appears to be dry too. lumps are starting to appear. can someone explain to me the different appearances of the 2 conditions?

Answer: Urticaria = hives = raised skin welts. Dermatitis = 'inflammation of the skin' = red, flaky, itchy. You have dermatitis