What are Hives ?
Urticaria is the medical name for hives. This is a common skin reaction. A large part of the population will face in the course of his / her life or agrees. The causes vary and the disease occurs at all ages, both men and women.
Hives Symptoms
Hives is a developing in a short time, often severe itchy rash of the skin, which begins with red spots, and thereafter in thickened, pale patches can pass. Different sites may or may not coalesce into larger flat placards. Also typical is that they can disappear within hours and appear somewhere else. Hives are not contagious.
In fact, it is a swelling (edema) in the upper layer of the skin because of the small capillaries in the skin dilate (red stage), and wherein between the cells lining the capillaries emerge openings, after which by leakage the fluid in the tissues rightly comes (pale phase). Such a place is called a urtica, bladder or wheal. These hives are not preferred sites, they get both arms and legs before and on the trunk and face. Although the spots are sometimes confused with blisters, there is a clear difference: there is no free fluid filled bladders with. Sometimes urticaria accompanied by swelling of eyelids, tongue or oral mucosa. This is known as angioedema. Angioedema is the same as hives, but the fluid accumulation can find deeper into the skin rather than in tissues that turn easier. Further, it may take longer for the swelling is gone (up to several days).
The urticarial reaction is generally very annoying, but usually not of a serious nature, because the process is fully restored, usually within hours. The initial draw itchy spots gradually away. Are the symptoms for more than 6 weeks, it is called chronic hives.
What Causes Hives ?
Hives are almost always allergic in nature, but also rapid changes in temperature (on a hot day jumping into a cold pool) can induce hives with it. Upon the occurrence of urticaria histamine plays an important role. Histamine dilates blood vessels, and namely, the causes itching. In a nettle sting creates a urtica because contain stinging cells of the nettle histamine (the Latin name for nettle is moreover urtica). Also, the conifer contains many of these substances.
Besides histamine also other endogenous substances involved in the development of hives. Such (messenger) substances like histamine are done in certain "depots" (granules) in mast cells from which they are under the influence of stimuli can be released. The main incentive is the binding of a molecule of the substance for which there is an allergy to the cell membrane of the mast cell. Such dust may originate from a drug or foodstuff, but also released into the body under the influence of mental factors, an infection, the delivery of excessive physical exertion or the action of sunlight on the skin. Often the nature of the stimulus is not known, and is it also possible not to detect this. Multiple stimuli can also be present at the same time. Normally compromising these physical stimuli cause no reaction. This process takes less than can cause urticaria. Most urticaria, however, are to a substance is a direct result of exposure for which there is a type 1 allergy (via specific IgE against the substance).
To date, the stimuli are divided into the following groups:
- (Allergy), medicines (such as painkillers and antibiotics)
- Acute or chronic infections (especially caused by bacteria)
- Physical stimuli (cold, heat, sunlight, exercise ...)
- Food additives (colorings the like)
- Allergies to foods (especially shellfish and small children milk, egg and soy)
- Allergies to inhaled products (such as solvents and animal dander)
- Insect bites and stabbing (bees, fleas, mosquitoes, etc. With fleas and mosquitoes is an allergic reaction to proteins in the saliva of these animals, wasp and bee stabbing contains the poison itself including weather histamine)
- Internal diseases (such as hormonal disorders and metabolic diseases)
- Contact on the skin with vegetable or chemical substances. (Eg in the garden: primula, chrysanthemum, conifer or other plants)
Hives Treatment
Hives is readily detected by physicians. When you submit the issue for the first time, the doctor will first inquire about common causes. It already talking napluizen a possible cause solves a lot of the cases without further investigation is necessary. Usually, it is about in a matter of one or two weeks. Until that time, the complaints with an antihistamine can be suppressed.
In chronic urticaria (which persist for longer than 6 weeks), further investigation may be required. The main source of information is the patient. The clues in the story determine possible causes should be investigated. The number of possible causes is unlimited, in contrast to the number of tests that can be performed. There is only likely to be successful if there is already an idea about what the cause might be. It works only in a part (less than 50%) of cases, to detect the cause. Observations of the patient are of much greater value than allergy assays, or skin tests, either immunoglobulin (IgE) provisions.