Hives
Get convenient online consultation for hives (urticaria) with DocOnTrip during your travels – assess symptoms, identify triggers, and receive expert advice for effective relief.
About Hives
Hives, also known as urticaria, are itchy welts that can appear anywhere on the body. They vary in size and shape, often appear suddenly, and can disappear rapidly (within minutes to hours), only to reappear elsewhere. Hives are a common allergic reaction or a response to various triggers and can be quite uncomfortable and even alarming, especially when you're traveling away from home. DocOnTrip offers convenient online consultations to help assess your hives, identify potential triggers, and guide you toward effective relief and management strategies.
Symptoms
- Raised, red, or skin-colored welts (wheals) that can be small, large, or coalesce to form larger areas.
- Intense itching, which can range from mild to severe.
- Welts that blanch (turn white) when pressed in the center.
- Welts that change size, shape, and location rapidly, often disappearing from one area within 24 hours and reappearing in another.
- Swelling beneath the skin (angioedema), often around the eyes, lips, tongue, hands, feet, or throat, which can be painful or burning.
Causes & Risk Factors
- Allergens: Foods (e.g., nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk), medications (e.g., antibiotics, NSAIDs), insect stings/bites, pet dander, pollen, latex.
- Physical Factors: Pressure (e.g., from tight clothing), cold (cold urticaria), heat, sunlight (solar urticaria), exercise, water.
- Infections: Viral infections (especially in children), bacterial infections (e.g., strep throat), fungal infections, parasitic infections.
- Stress: Emotional stress can exacerbate or trigger hives in some individuals.
- Underlying Medical Conditions: Thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus), certain cancers.
- Environmental Changes: Exposure to new environments, foods, or allergens during travel.
Diagnosis via Teleconsultation
Our experienced doctors can assess the appearance of the hives and angioedema (if present), discuss your symptoms, recent exposures, travel history, and medical history through a secure video consultation. This comprehensive approach helps to identify potential triggers and recommend an appropriate management plan, which may include further investigation if chronic hives are suspected.
Treatment Options
- Oral antihistamines (non-drowsy second-generation types are usually first-line) are the primary treatment for relieving itching and reducing swelling.
- Corticosteroids (oral or topical) may be prescribed for severe acute cases to quickly reduce inflammation, typically for short durations.
- Avoiding known triggers once identified.
- Applying cool compresses to the affected areas for symptomatic relief.
- Wearing loose, light clothing to minimize irritation.
- For individuals at risk of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) with hives and angioedema, an epinephrine auto-injector prescription and training may be necessary.
When to Seek Emergency Care
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing: This is a sign of severe angioedema affecting the airways and requires immediate emergency medical attention.
- Swelling of the tongue, lips, or throat (angioedema involving airways).
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting: These indicate a potential drop in blood pressure, a sign of anaphylaxis.
- Rapidly spreading hives covering a large area of the body, especially if accompanied by other severe symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, or joint swelling.
- If hives occur immediately after an insect sting, taking a new medication, or exposure to a known severe allergen, as this could indicate anaphylaxis.
Why Choose DocOnTrip?
- Fast and convenient access to medical advice for acute skin reactions, allowing for prompt assessment and management.
- Digital prescriptions for effective antihistamines and corticosteroids, easily accessible while traveling.
- Expert guidance on identifying potential triggers and developing a personalized management plan, essential for preventing future episodes and ensuring your comfort abroad.
- Receive timely support to find relief from the itch and enjoy your trip without discomfort.
FAQ
What causes hives? Hives are caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals from cells in the skin, triggered by various factors including allergies (to foods, medications, insect stings), physical stimuli (like cold, heat, pressure), infections (viral, bacterial), stress, or underlying medical conditions.
How long do hives last? Individual welts typically disappear within 24 hours, but new ones can continue to appear for days or weeks (acute hives). If hives persist for more than six weeks, they are classified as chronic hives, and further investigation may be needed.
Can stress cause hives? Yes, while stress itself doesn't directly cause hives, it can exacerbate existing hives or act as a trigger in some individuals, often by influencing the immune system or histamine release.