Hives

Hives, allergic disorder of the skin, is characterized by sudden evanescent or repeated appearance of weals, irregular, round skin lesions accompanied by inflammation and itching. Technically known as urticaria, they commonly appear on covered areas of the skin, and rarely on the palms, soles, or scalp. The disease, often appearing in conjunction with hay fever or asthma, is attributed to an allergic reaction, which occurs rapidly after ingestion, inhalation, injection, or contact with an offending antigen. Medically, they're also known as Nettle Rash, a name inspired by the fact that the Stinging Nettle plant can cause them. 

Hives is truly not one disease, but a reaction pattern of the skin – a vascular reaction, usually transient, involving the upper dermis, representing localized edema caused by dilatation and increased permeability of the capillaries, and marked by the development of weals. It manifests as a pruritic, erythematous, raised rash. Urticaria has many etiologies and different pathophysiologies, having acute and chronic forms. 

ACUTE URTICARIA:
Typically, most individuals have a single attack of urticaria that lasts only briefly – for several days. This is referred to as Acute Urticaria. This type of urticaria, with lesions lasting less than 6 weeks, is likely a distinct disorder. Compared to chronic urticaria, acute urticaria is usually easier to control with medication and is less often idiopathic. 

CHRONIC URTICARIA:
Unfortunately, some cases of urticaria may also persist and “come and go” with attacks being intermittent or continual for years. When urticaria lasts more than three months, that type is referred to as Chronic Urticaria.

DERMOGRAPHISM AND PRESSURE URTICARIA:
Dermographism is a special form of hives. In dermographism, a raised, red swelling appears in an area of skin after it is stroked with a dull, pointed object. Pressure urticaria is somewhat similar to dermographism in that the hives are produced in response to a physical agent pressing on the skin. 

ANGIOEDEMA:
Angioedema is another variant of hives in which large areas of skin, such as the upper lip, face, arms, or legs, may be swollen. A special form of angioedema of a hereditary type is called “Quincke’s Edema”. In this condition, there is an abnormality in a component of the blood called Complement. 

CHOLINERGIC URTICARIA:
Cholinergic urticaria is a special, and not uncommon form of urticaria that can be due to emotional stress – as well as heat stress and exercise. This is due to how the individual reacts to the release of a normal body chemical from nerve endings called Acetylcholine. This produces, in the susceptible individual, a characteristic type of small fleabite sized hives, which only last for a few minutes.

Hives are characterized by itchy skin papules (small, raised bumps) with one or more of the following characteristics: 

The following are some measures which maybe taken to prevent hives, or to help treat the condition:

Hives are a reaction to histamine, a substance secreted by special cells known as mast cells that are distributed throughout the body. 

Hives can develop because of an allergic response or reaction to food, medication, inhalant, infectious agent, physical agent, or internal disease. Although the theory is not accepted by all, it is possible that some cases of urticaria may even be due to an emotional cause. 

Generally, the causes can be listed as follows: 

Diagnostic tests include laboratory blood studies, urinalysis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and chest x-ray to rule out inflammatory infection. It is essential to rule out the presence of serious illnesses of which recurring hives can be a symptom. Examples are hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, lymphomas, collagen vascular diseases, and cancers of the rectum, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Chronic infections such as chronic sinusitis can be associated with urticaria.

• Diet change and cleansing of the internal environment is the single most beneficial thing you can do to control hives. 
• Avoid all refined and preserved foods, sugars, caffeine, dairy products and fatty, mucous forming foods during healing. Lemon water in the morning and a green drinks (teas etc)during the day will flush excess mucous and support clean body energy.
  

Whether the hives are due to a virus or to an allergic reaction, ask your doctor whether you should give your child an antihistamine (such as over-the-counter Benadryl) to reduce the itching and swelling. You can also try oatmeal baths or cool compresses to soothe the patient

Many child hood allergies are the result of feeding babies meats and pasteurized daily foods before 10-12 months. Babies do not have the proper enzymes before this time to digest these. Feed mother’s milk, soymilk or goats milk for at least 8 months to avoid food allergies