Hives, or urticaria as it is called in medicine, is a disease that occurs suddenly on the skin and causes a pale red rash with a pale red center. This condition, which is also popularly referred to as hives, generally occurs in a certain part of the body, but sometimes there may be rashes that cover the whole body. The size of the rash varies between a few millimeters and a few centimeters and can merge to form a larger rash.
Hives (urticaria) is a skin condition associated with a large number of itching, swelling and reddening rashes on the body. In some affected individuals, the rash may be accompanied by swelling of the lips, mouth and face. This disease is usually seen in a single area of the body.
What Causes Hives (Urticaria)?
Hives are triggered by various stimuli that may come from inside or outside the body. Some of these stimuli trigger hives through allergic functions, some during or after inflammatory infections , and others through physical effects such as cold, intense heat, pressure and force. In many cases, however, there are no triggers. However, regardless of the triggers, the mechanisms that cause hives are largely the same in every patient;
- After the body is triggered by various reasons, agents called platelet activating agents are released from mast cells, which are known as one of the defense cells of the immune system.
- These released agents dilate the blood vessels in the skin and make the vessels permeable to the blood fluid called plasma.
- As a result, the blood plasma overflows to the outer part of the vessel and is distributed to the skin, causing localized accumulation and rashes called hives.
What are the Trigger Agents for Hives (Urticaria)?
There are many possible triggering agents for hives. This usually makes it very difficult to identify the triggering agent in the affected person. Some of the triggers that can cause urticaria are as follows;
- Allergenic products, especially nuts and shellfish
- Infections caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites
- Thyroid disorders, rheumatic disorders
- Bee and mosquito bites
- Physical factors such as cold, hot weather, sun rays, sweat, pressure
- Some antibiotic medicines, blood pressure or pain medicines
What are the Symptoms of Hives (Urticaria)?
When urticaria develops, some characteristic symptoms occur in each person. We can list these symptoms as follows;
- Red swellings can be seen around the skin. These swellings can be in the form of millimetric small parts or larger proportions.
- Itching and burning is felt on the swollen skin.
- The lesions disappear within 24 hours at most without causing any specific scarring or damage. However, this does not mean that it will not recur in later stages.
How is hives (urticaria) diagnosed?
The rashes caused by hives are typically visible and therefore specialists usually diagnose urticaria in a simple way based on patient complaints and physical examination findings. For a definitive diagnosis, some tests may be ordered to confirm the diagnosis.
In cases of sudden onset of urticaria, the diagnosis of urticaria can be made quickly by the specialist. If urticaria rashes are not observed during the doctor's appointment, a description of the typical picture by the patient may be sufficient for the diagnosis. What is important here is to question whether the urticaria rash disappears completely within 1 day. Because there are other diseases that progress with rashes that resemble hives.
In addition, the timing of the symptoms is questioned by the specialist in its entirety, so that it can be determined whether the condition is acute or chronic. In addition, the agents of concern when the affected person triggers hives can be questioned.
How is hives (urticaria) treated?
The first step in thetreatment of hives is to find possible triggers and avoid them as much as possible. If a food consumed by a sick person causes hives, this food should not be consumed by the sick person. If the urticaria is caused by the use of a medication, this medication can be discontinued by the specialist and replaced with a different medication. If hives are caused by bee stings or insect bites, treatment that can cure allergic disorders can be applied.