Some Basics...

• Hives is a common allergic skin reaction. It can be caused by something a person has eaten, touched, or been near.
• Hives cannot be spread to other people. They will normally go away on their own.
• Hives often come and go for a few days to a week. Sometimes they can come back weeks or months later.
• Some people have chronic hives. This means that their hives come and go for years.

Symptoms

• Itchy swollen patches or bumps that suddenly appear
• Patches change shape and location
• Any one patch often only lasts for a few hours then fades away
• Size of patches varies from a 1/2 inch to a few inches across
• In people with lighter skin tones, hives appear pink or red in color and have a pale middle area (welts)

Causes

Localized Hives: Localized hives occur on just one area of the body. This type of hives can be caused by touching plants, pollens, pet saliva, food, chemicals. Some people get hives from firmly stroking the skin. Localized hives is not caused by drugs, infection, or swallowed foods. They most often go away in less than 4 hours.

Widespread Hives: Widespread hives are hives that occur on more than one part of the body at the same time. It is an allergic reaction to something. It can caused by things like food, medicines, or an insect bite. Sometimes people get widespread hives after a viral infection. Stress can sometimes bring on hives or make them worse. Often the cause of hives is never found.

Types of Allergic Reactions

Hives can occur with different types of allergic reactions. Hives can sometimes be the first sign of a severe allergic reaction.

• Localized Hives: These are hives that occur on one part of the body only.
• Widespread Hives: These are hives that occur on 2 or more parts of the body.
• Severe Allergic Reaction: There will be other symptoms besides just hives. These include fainting, a swollen tongue, shortness of breath, or stomach pain. This is a medical emergency.
• Anaphylaxis: This is the term for a very serious allergic reaction. A person can die from this type of allergic reaction. It happens very quickly, usually within minutes after an exposure. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, and severe weakness. The throat can swell shut, blocking normal breathing. This is a medical emergency and an ambulance should be called right away.

1. What You Should Know:
   • Food can cause hives, mostly near the mouth.
   • Sometimes, they may mean that you have a mild food allergy. Some people can get them from eating some common foods like strawberries.
   • Hives from foods most often go away within 6 hours.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Antihistamine for Hives from Food:
   • Antihistamines will speed up the clearing of this type of hives.
   • Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine. The adult dose is 25-50 mg. If the hives are still there after 6 hours, take a second dose.
   • If you don't have Benadryl, take a different drug with an antihistamine in it. Look for it in hay fever and cold drugs. Other antihistamines are chlorpheniramine (Chlortrimeton, Chlor-tripolon) and loratadine (Claritin, Alavert). Loratadine is a newer antihistamine. It causes you to feel less sleepy than diphenhydramine.
   • Caution: This type of drug may cause you to feel sleepy. Do not drink alcohol, drive, or use dangerous machinery while taking them. Do not take these drugs if you have an enlarged prostate.
   • Read all package instructions.
3. Prevention: Avoid any food that you think caused the hives.
4. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe hives or itching lasts more than 24 hours after taking an antihistamine
   • You get worse

1. What You Should Know:
   • Hives is a common allergic skin reaction.
   • Localized hives occur on just one area of the body. This type of hives can be caused by touching something you to which you are allergic. It can be an allergy to a plant, pollen, pet saliva, food, or a chemical.
   • Hives cannot be spread to other people. They will normally go away on their own.
   • You can treat hives at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Treating Localized Hives:
   • Wash the allergens off the skin with soap and water.
   • If your skin is itchy, massage it with a cold washcloth or ice.
   • The hives most often go away in a few hours. You will most likely not need to take an antihistamine.
3. Hydrocortisone Cream for Localized Hives:
   • For very itchy spots, put on hydrocortisone cream 4 times a day as needed.
   • It is sold over-the-counter (OTC) in the United States as 0.5% and 1% cream.
   • Sold OTC in Canada as 0.5% cream.
4. Prevention: Try to avoid what you think caused the hives.
5. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe hives or itching lasts more than 24 hours after taking an antihistamine
   • Hives last more than 1 week
   • You get worse

1. What You Should Know:
   • Hives is a common allergic skin reaction.
   • Widespread hives are hives that occur on more than one part of the body at the same time. It is often an allergic reaction to something that you have been exposed to. It can caused by things like food, medicines, or an insect bite. Sometimes people get widespread hives after a viral infection. Stress can sometimes bring on hives or make them worse. Often the cause of hives is never found.
   • Hives cannot be spread to other people. They will normally go away on their own.
   • You can treat hives at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
     
2. Treating Widespread Hives:
   • Remove allergens by taking a bath or shower. This is important if the hives were from pollens or an animal. You should also change your clothes.
   • Take a cool bath for 10 minutes to help the itching. Rub very itchy skin with an ice cube for 10 minutes.
   • It is normal for hives to come and go for 3-4 days. Then they will go away.
3. Antihistamine for Widespread Hives:
   • Take cetirizine or loratadine for widespread, itchy hives. Keep taking it until the hives have been gone for 24 hours.
   • Cetrizine (Zyrtec): This is sold over-the-counter (OTC). The adult dose is 10 mg by mouth one time a day.
   • Loratadine (Claritin, Alavert): This is sold OTC. The adult dose is 10 mg by mouth one time a day. Keep taking it until the hives have been gone for 24 hours.
   • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine (Chlortrimeton) may make you feel drowsy. Cetirizine and loratidine are newer antihistamines that don't cause you to feel as sleepy. They are also long-lasting so they last 24 hours.
   • Caution: Antihistamines may cause you to feel sleepy. Do not drink alcohol, drive, or use dangerous machinery while taking them. Do not take them if you have an enlarged prostate.
   • Read all package instructions.
4. How It Is Spread:
   • Hives are not contagious. You cannot spread hives to other people.
   • You can return to work or school if the hives do not interfere with normal activities.
5. Prevention: If you identify a substance that causes hives, try to avoid that substance in the future.
6. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe itching lasts more than 24 hours while taking an antihistamine
   • Hives last more than 1 week
   • You get worse