Introduction
Chronic Urticaria, also known as Chronic Hives, is a skin reaction that results in itchy welts. The welts frequently begin as itchy patches that develop into swollen, variable-sized welts. The welts develop and disappear at random as the reaction progresses.
Hives that last a long time can be extremely uncomfortable and disrupt sleep and daily activities. Many people find relief from anti-itch medications (antihistamines).
About 20% of people will experience hives at some point in their lives. Alcohol, exercise, emotional stress, and scratching can all make itchy skin worse. To better understand this condition and find a cure, many Clinical Research Organizations in Michigan, near you, are conducting research studies.
Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
Chronic Hives can sometimes persist for months or even years after the initial six-week period. These Chronic hives are the name for this condition.
Urticaria is the name given to the condition if, despite a thorough history and testing, the cause cannot be determined. (“Idiopathic” translates as “unknown”). These cases are linked to some immune findings in about half of the cases. Additionally, thyroid disease, other hormonal issues, and, in extremely rare circumstances, cancer may be linked to chronic hives. Even this ailment typically gets better with time.
What are the Symptoms of Urticaria?
Chronic Urticaria symptoms include:
- Heals (welts) in large groups that can appear anywhere on the body.
- Depending on the color of your skin, you might have welts that are red, purple, or skin-colored.
- Size and shape-variable, repeatedly appearing and fading welts.
- Itching, or pruritus, can be very bad.
- Angioedema is painful swelling around the lips, cheeks, or eyes.
- Heat, exertion, or stress-related flares.
- Symptoms that last longer than 6 weeks, return frequently and sometimes last for months or years.
Hives come in two varieties: acute (short-lived) and chronic (long-lived). Both are typically not life-threatening, but you should seek emergency care right away if your throat is swollen or you experience any other symptoms that make it difficult to breathe.
Is it Angioedema or Urticaria?
Angioedema, a swelling of the tissue beneath the skin’s surface, is sometimes mistaken for or linked to urticaria. It may be brought on by medications, allergic reactions, or a hereditary enzyme deficiency. The following signs of angioedema include:
- swelling of the mouth or eyes,
- throat, hands, or feet swelling, and
- breathing difficulties, stomach pains, or eye lining swelling.
Speaking with an Allergist who is qualified to identify and manage both urticaria and angioedema will help you to better understand your symptoms.
What is Physical Urticaria?
Urticaria is brought on by external factors like pressure, heat, or cold. Typical causes include:
- Scratching or rubbing: Physical urticaria is most frequently caused by this. The scratched or rubbed area experiences immediate symptoms that typically last a few minutes to an hour.
- Restriction or pressure: Six to eight hours after pressure (such as belts or constrictive clothing, for example) has been applied, delayed pressure urticaria may manifest as red swelling. Additionally, areas of the body that are constantly under pressure, like the soles of the feet, can exhibit symptoms.
- A shift in the temperature: Low-temperature exposure followed by rewarming is what causes cold urticaria.
- If there is a general body cooling, such as after diving into a pool, this can be serious and even fatal.
- Increasing body temperature: An increase in body temperature brought on by sweating, exercise, hot showers, and/or anxiety causes cholinergic urticaria.
- Solar exposure: Within a few minutes of sun exposure, solar urticaria may develop.
Urticaria can also be brought on by vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels. These welts frequently last longer than a day, are more painful than itchy, and may leave a bruise on the skin.
Diagnosis:
Sometimes the cause is obvious; a person eats something like peanuts or shrimp and then promptly breaks out in hives. Because there are numerous potential causes in other cases, both the patient and the doctor must conduct an investigation. The cause is typically not found in the hives and persists for a long time.
Usually, only a brief episode of hives necessitates testing. Keep a food journal if you have a suspected food allergy. This will assist you in determining whether there is a connection between what you eat and when you experience hives.
An Allergist should be consulted to assess Chronic Urticaria. They will inquire about your medical history, that of your family, the medications you’ve recently taken, the substances to which you are exposed at work and at home, your exposure to pets and other animals, and your medical history. Show your allergist your food diary if you have been keeping one.
To determine what is causing your hives, your allergist may recommend performing skin tests, blood tests, and urine tests. Your allergist may perform a skin prick test or a blood test to confirm the diagnosis if a particular food is the suspected trigger; once the trigger has been identified, you will probably be advised to avoid that food and products made from it.
Your allergist takes a skin biopsy and sends it to a specialist to examine under a microscope in cases where vasculitis (inflammation of the blood cells) may be the cause.
What are the Complications of Chronic Hives?
You are not suddenly at risk of a serious allergic reaction if you have Chronic Urticaria (anaphylaxis). You should seek emergency care if you do experience severe allergic hives. Dizziness, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the tongue, lips, mouth, or throat are all signs of anaphylaxis.
What is the Treatment Plan to Manage Urticaria?
The cause of the problem and its acuteness or chronicity determine the best course of treatment.
Acute Urticaria:
Home remedies can typically relieve itching until the rash goes away if symptoms are mild and appear after exposure to an allergen or irritant.
A physician might advise the following options:
- Use of topical steroids for a short period of time
- Non-sedating antihistamines like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or fexofenadine (Allegra)
- Antiseptic creams to avoid secondary infections
- Soothing creams to lessen itching
The doctor may advise the patient to carry an epinephrine auto-injector for use in emergencies if they exhibit allergy symptoms, including swelling of the lips, face, or tongue.
Chronic Urticaria/Chronic Hives:
Antihistamines are need to take on a regular basis by someone with Chronic Urticaria until their symptoms go away.
An injectable medication called omalizumab (Xolair) blocks immunoglobulin E, which is a factor in allergic reactions. It can ease the symptoms of chronic spontaneous urticaria, an unidentified cause of hives.
Severe discomfort, distress, and possibly depression can result from persistent hives. Hives can also become worse under stress. And having hives makes stress worse. Any person who believes that having hives is affecting their quality of life or mental health should consult a physician.
Clinical Trials for Chronic Hives:
Explore Revival Research Institute’s Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria Clinical Trials in Michigan, USA, evaluating new treatments, interventions, and therapies to test, prevent, and manage Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria.
Takeaway:
A type of rash is hives or urticaria. An allergy, another trigger like adrenaline, an underlying medical condition, or other factors could be to blame. Acute hives appear out of the blue and disappear within six weeks. whereas chronic hives can persist for months or years.
A person may be able to avoid something if they are aware that it causes them to break out in hives, for example, seafood. However, it is not always possible to prevent hives because we don’t actually know the cause. Speak to a doctor if having hives is affecting your quality of life. Many pharmaceutical companies and research organizations are running Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria Clinical Trials in Michigan, the USA to better understand the condition and discover a treatment. They can make treatment recommendations and determine whether any underlying medical condition is to blame.
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