Hives (also known as urticaria) are raised, itchy, red or skin-colored welts that can appear anywhere on the body. They may vary in size, change shape, and often appear suddenly. Hives are usually caused by an allergic reaction to foods, medications, insect stings, or environmental triggers, but they can also result from stress, infections, or unknown causes. While most cases are temporary, some can be chronic and last for weeks or months. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms, avoiding known triggers, and, if needed, using medications such as antihistamines to reduce itching and swelling.

Hives, or urticaria, are a skin reaction where red itchy welts suddenly appear on your body. The welts can vary in size and shape, and they often go away as suddenly as they appeared. Hives can occur in nearly any location and may sometimes change from one spot to another.

Acute hives

Most cases of hives are acute, which means they go away within anywhere from a few hours to six weeks. The most common triggers for acute hives are allergic reactions, such as food allergies, insect allergies, and latex allergies. Other possible triggers for acute hives can include medication, heavy exercise, and heat.

Chronic hives

Chronic hives are more serious because they last for more than six weeks, sometimes for more than a year. In most cases, chronic hives aren’t allergic reactions; however, the cause is often difficult to determine.

Because hives can be a very complex condition, it’s important to work with the experienced team of specialists at Bellagio Family Medical, to get to the bottom of your symptoms. With expert hives diagnosis and management, you can dramatically reduce outbreaks.

Hives treatment depends on a few different individual factors, including the triggers and the severity of your symptoms. Your allergist helps you uncover hives triggers through careful questioning and allergy testing, such as patch testing.

Avoiding your hives triggers is the cornerstone of hives treatment, but it’s not the only solution. Your allergist can prescribe antihistamines or steroids to ease severe hives symptoms, if necessary.

If you have allergic hives, there are treatment options such as allergy shots and oral immunotherapy to desensitize you to your triggers.

It’s rare for hives to be a medical emergency. In some cases, hives can be part of an anaphylactic reaction, which can potentially be deadly. When hives are part of anaphylaxis, they often accompany symptoms like breathing difficulties, tongue swelling, fainting, and wheezing. If you experience hives at the same time as possible anaphylaxis symptoms, it’s an emergency. Seek care immediately. If you have life-threatening allergies, your allergist may prescribe injectable epinephrine to keep with you for emergencies.

To get treatments for hives from Arizona’s best allergists, call Bellagio Family Medical, or book an appointment online.