Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHive TreatmentsHives and Their CausesWhen to Seek Medical CareNext in Urticaria GuideLiving With Chronic Urticaria (Hives)
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hive Treatments
Hives and Their Causes
When to Seek Medical Care
Next in Urticaria Guide
Hives, also called urticaria, are red, itchy welts that can appear anywhere on the body and range from mild to severe. In darker skin tones, they may appear as a patch of skin slightly darker than the rest of the skin.While mild cases may clear up within a few days without specific treatment, many remedies can help relieve discomfort and reduce the severity of symptoms.
1. Apply a Wet, Cold Compress
A wet, cold compress is one of the fastest ways to relieve the itching and swelling associated with hives.Cold temperatures help numb the skin, reducing the itchiness and inflammation. To use, soak a clean washcloth in cold water or wrap ice cubes in a towel, then place it on the affected area for 10 to 20 minutes. Repeat this treatment several times a day as needed for relief.
2. Wear Loose Clothing
3. Avoid Overheating
4. Take It Easy
Stress and anxiety can sometimes trigger or worsen hives.Stress-management techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or light stretching exercises can help calm the body and may reduce stress-induced hives. Even taking a few minutes to relax and unwind can lower stress levels, potentially decreasing the intensity or frequency of your hives.
5. Do Not Scratch
Scratching hives, while tempting, can worsen inflammation and may break the skin, leading to infection. Instead, gently pat the itchy area or distract yourself with other activities. Keep your nails short, and consider wearing gloves at night if you’re prone to scratching in your sleep.
6. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has natural anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, making it a popular remedy for skin conditions. Always do a patch test first, as some people can be sensitive to aloe vera.
7. Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal, which is finely ground oatmeal, can help soothe the skin and relieve itchiness. To use, add a cup of colloidal oatmeal to a lukewarm bath and follow the instructions on the packaging. If colloidal oatmeal is too costly, you can use regular oatmeal instead. Simply place it in an old sock or stocking, tie a knot to secure it, and add it to your bath.
8. OTC Antihistamines
9. Calamine Lotion
Calamine lotion provides a cooling effect that can relieve itching and reduce redness or discoloration.Apply a thin layer to the affected areas using a cotton ball or clean cloth. Calamine lotion is helpful for mild cases of hives and is safe for use in most children and adults. It’s readily available at most drugstores and can be used multiple times a day for ongoing relief.
10. Prescription Antihistamines
11. Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids like prednisone can rapidly reduce inflammation and provide significant relief for severe hives. These medications are typically prescribed for short-term use due to potential side effects, including weight gain and increased susceptibility to infections. Your healthcare provider will guide you on the appropriate dosage and duration for corticosteroid treatment.
12. Leukotriene Modifiers
13. Xolair (Omalizumab)
14. Silenor (Doxepin)
Silenor (doxepin), an antidepressant with antihistamine properties, is effective for treating chronic hives. It helps reduce itching and inflammation and is prescribed when other antihistamines are ineffective. Doxepin requires close monitoring due to potential side effects like drowsiness and dry mouth.
15. Neoral (Cyclosporine)
16. Procardia (Nifedipine)
17. Mitigare (Colchicine)
Colchicine, primarily used for gout, has anti-inflammatory effects that can sometimes help with stubborn cases of chronic hives. It’s prescribed when other treatments, such as antihistamines, are ineffective.
18. Anti-Inflammatory Antibiotics
Certain antibiotics like dapsone have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce chronic hives. These medications are usually reserved for persistent cases that don’t respond to antihistamines and should be used under a healthcare provider’s supervision due to potential side effects.
19. Special Diets
Some people have food allergies or food intolerances that trigger hives. By following an elimination diet (i.e. cutting out foods that may be causing hives) under the guidance of a healthcare provider or dietitian, you may identify any foods causing your hives.Common triggers are shellfish, nuts, dairy, and certain preservatives. Avoiding trigger foods can help prevent or reduce flare-ups.
20. Mind-Body Therapies
Types of Hives and Their Causes
Acute hivesdevelop suddenly, often due to an allergic reaction to food, medication, insect stings, or exposure to certain environmental factors. These usually resolve within hours or a few days but may persist for a few weeks in some cases.
Chronic hivescan persist for a year or more and often have no identifiable cause. In some cases, they may be linked to underlying autoimmune conditions, chronic infections, or prolonged exposure to stress. Due to their persistent nature, treatment for chronic hives often involves a combination of therapies.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
These symptoms may indicate anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening, whole-body allergy reaction, which can be life-threatening.
Summary
Hives can appear anywhere on the body, and the time to treat them varies. Mild hives will clear up independently, but more serious ones may need specific treatments to reduce symptoms.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: Signs and symptoms.Medline Plus.Hives.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.Hives: causes and natural remedies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: How to get relief at home.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hives.Diehl KL, Erickson C, Calame A, et al.A woman with solar urticaria and heat urticaria: a unique presentation of an individual with multiple physical urticarias.Cureus. 2021;13(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.16950Allergy and Asthma Network.Hives.Medline Plus.Learn to manage stress.Allergy and Asthma Network.What is chronic urticaria?American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 ways to get relief from chronic hives.National Institutes of Health.Calamine lotion.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: diagnosis and treatment.de Silva, N.L., Damayanthi, H., Rajapakse, A.C. et al.Leukotriene receptor antagonists for chronic urticaria: a systematic review.All Asth Clin Immun10, 24 (2014). doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-24Özkaya E, Babuna Kobaner G, Yılmaz Z, Kutlay A.Doxepin in difficult‐to‐treat chronic urticaria: A retrospective, cross‐sectional study from Turkey.Dermatologic Therapy. doi:10.1111/dth.12993Bressler RB, Sowell K, Huston DP.Therapy of chronic idiopathic urticaria with nifedipine: Demonstration of beneficial effect in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.1989;83(4):756-763. doi:10.1016/0091-6749(89)90011-0Pho L, Eliason M, Regruto M, et al.Treatment of chronic urticaria with colchicine.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.Liang SE, Hoffmann R, Peterson E, Soter NA.Use of Dapsone in the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic and Autoimmune Urticaria.JAMA Dermatol.2019;155(1):90–95. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.3715Vojvodic P, Vlaskovic-Jovicevic T, Vojvodic J, et al.Psychotherapy role in treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in a 32 years old female patient.Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(18):3118-3120. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.773American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Acute hives versus chronic hives.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: Signs and symptoms.Medline Plus.Hives.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.Hives: causes and natural remedies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: How to get relief at home.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hives.Diehl KL, Erickson C, Calame A, et al.A woman with solar urticaria and heat urticaria: a unique presentation of an individual with multiple physical urticarias.Cureus. 2021;13(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.16950Allergy and Asthma Network.Hives.Medline Plus.Learn to manage stress.Allergy and Asthma Network.What is chronic urticaria?American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 ways to get relief from chronic hives.National Institutes of Health.Calamine lotion.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: diagnosis and treatment.de Silva, N.L., Damayanthi, H., Rajapakse, A.C. et al.Leukotriene receptor antagonists for chronic urticaria: a systematic review.All Asth Clin Immun10, 24 (2014). doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-24Özkaya E, Babuna Kobaner G, Yılmaz Z, Kutlay A.Doxepin in difficult‐to‐treat chronic urticaria: A retrospective, cross‐sectional study from Turkey.Dermatologic Therapy. doi:10.1111/dth.12993Bressler RB, Sowell K, Huston DP.Therapy of chronic idiopathic urticaria with nifedipine: Demonstration of beneficial effect in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.1989;83(4):756-763. doi:10.1016/0091-6749(89)90011-0Pho L, Eliason M, Regruto M, et al.Treatment of chronic urticaria with colchicine.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.Liang SE, Hoffmann R, Peterson E, Soter NA.Use of Dapsone in the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic and Autoimmune Urticaria.JAMA Dermatol.2019;155(1):90–95. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.3715Vojvodic P, Vlaskovic-Jovicevic T, Vojvodic J, et al.Psychotherapy role in treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in a 32 years old female patient.Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(18):3118-3120. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.773American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Acute hives versus chronic hives.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: Signs and symptoms.Medline Plus.Hives.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.Hives: causes and natural remedies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: How to get relief at home.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hives.Diehl KL, Erickson C, Calame A, et al.A woman with solar urticaria and heat urticaria: a unique presentation of an individual with multiple physical urticarias.Cureus. 2021;13(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.16950Allergy and Asthma Network.Hives.Medline Plus.Learn to manage stress.Allergy and Asthma Network.What is chronic urticaria?American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 ways to get relief from chronic hives.National Institutes of Health.Calamine lotion.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: diagnosis and treatment.de Silva, N.L., Damayanthi, H., Rajapakse, A.C. et al.Leukotriene receptor antagonists for chronic urticaria: a systematic review.All Asth Clin Immun10, 24 (2014). doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-24Özkaya E, Babuna Kobaner G, Yılmaz Z, Kutlay A.Doxepin in difficult‐to‐treat chronic urticaria: A retrospective, cross‐sectional study from Turkey.Dermatologic Therapy. doi:10.1111/dth.12993Bressler RB, Sowell K, Huston DP.Therapy of chronic idiopathic urticaria with nifedipine: Demonstration of beneficial effect in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.1989;83(4):756-763. doi:10.1016/0091-6749(89)90011-0Pho L, Eliason M, Regruto M, et al.Treatment of chronic urticaria with colchicine.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.Liang SE, Hoffmann R, Peterson E, Soter NA.Use of Dapsone in the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic and Autoimmune Urticaria.JAMA Dermatol.2019;155(1):90–95. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.3715Vojvodic P, Vlaskovic-Jovicevic T, Vojvodic J, et al.Psychotherapy role in treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in a 32 years old female patient.Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(18):3118-3120. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.773American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Acute hives versus chronic hives.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: Signs and symptoms.
Medline Plus.Hives.
Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.Hives: causes and natural remedies.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: How to get relief at home.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hives.
Diehl KL, Erickson C, Calame A, et al.A woman with solar urticaria and heat urticaria: a unique presentation of an individual with multiple physical urticarias.Cureus. 2021;13(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.16950
Allergy and Asthma Network.Hives.
Medline Plus.Learn to manage stress.
Allergy and Asthma Network.What is chronic urticaria?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 ways to get relief from chronic hives.
National Institutes of Health.Calamine lotion.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Hives: diagnosis and treatment.
de Silva, N.L., Damayanthi, H., Rajapakse, A.C. et al.Leukotriene receptor antagonists for chronic urticaria: a systematic review.All Asth Clin Immun10, 24 (2014). doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-24
Özkaya E, Babuna Kobaner G, Yılmaz Z, Kutlay A.Doxepin in difficult‐to‐treat chronic urticaria: A retrospective, cross‐sectional study from Turkey.Dermatologic Therapy. doi:10.1111/dth.12993
Bressler RB, Sowell K, Huston DP.Therapy of chronic idiopathic urticaria with nifedipine: Demonstration of beneficial effect in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.1989;83(4):756-763. doi:10.1016/0091-6749(89)90011-0
Pho L, Eliason M, Regruto M, et al.Treatment of chronic urticaria with colchicine.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
Liang SE, Hoffmann R, Peterson E, Soter NA.Use of Dapsone in the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic and Autoimmune Urticaria.JAMA Dermatol.2019;155(1):90–95. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.3715
Vojvodic P, Vlaskovic-Jovicevic T, Vojvodic J, et al.Psychotherapy role in treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in a 32 years old female patient.Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(18):3118-3120. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.773
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Acute hives versus chronic hives.
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