Hives
- Overview
- Introduction
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Complications
- Homoeopathic Treatment
- Do's and Don'ts
- Diet and Nutrition
What is Hives (Urticaria)?
Urticaria is an allergic condition of the skin presenting as slightly raised, well-defined areas of redness and swelling involving the outer layers of the skin, associated with itching.
- Urticarial rash comprises of wheals that are itchy, pink or red plaques
- They are usually transient and last for less than 24 hours
- They may be round or irregular and occur anywhere on the skin including palms, soles, and scalp
- The itching is generally most severe in the evenings or night. Click to read Causes of Hives (Urticaria).
Homeopathy offers the safest, quickest, and most permanent solution to this frustrating problem faced by millions around the world.
What Happens In Hives (Urticaria)?
QUICK LOOK
- Slightly raised, pink or red swellings appear on the skin rather suddenly.
- These wheals occur alone or in a group and may cover a large area of the skin.
- There is usually itching associated with it.
- There may be a stinging sensation along with the itch.
- The skin swelling usually subsides within 24 hours, but may re-appear at another spot.
Click to know more about Symptoms of Hives (Urticaria)
What Can Hives (Urticaria) Lead To?
- Swelling of the throat or tongue in severe urticaria can cause difficulty in breathing.
- Angioedema or accumulation of fluid in the affected part.
- Angioedema or swelling of the conjunctiva can affect vision.
- Chronic urticaria can have a considerable negative impact on the quality of life.
How Well Homeopathy Works In Hives (Urticaria)?
- Homeopathy offers the most definitive treatment. for this stubborn disease condition
- It significantly reduces the intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms
- Homeopathy helps prevent the dangerous and life-threatening complications of urticaria
- The primary aim of Homeopathic Treatment For Hives (Urticaria) is to regulate the body's defense mechanisms that tend to react excessively to things that are harmless and inert to most others.
- Homeopathic books and literature show that there are more than 100 highly potent homeopathic remedies in complete treatment for Hives (Urticaria).
The success rate of Homeopathy in managing Urticaria is 85%! So what are you waiting for?
HAVE A LOOK AT SOME AMAZING REMEDIES FOR URTICARIA!
- Apis mellIfica: Indicated for burning, stinging pains with localized edema developing after suppressed measles or other eruptive fevers.
- Belladonna: For people complaining of smooth, shiny, uniform hives with dryness, heat and burning sensation that is worse from exposure to draft of air.
- Dulcamara: For widespread urticaria after exposure to cold covering almost the whole body with severe itching; worse from warmth, better from cold application.
- Urtica urens: For stinging burning pains with itching that appears in the same season every year or after eating shellfish.
Just look at the uniqueness of every symptom where even the minutest point is given importance!
Urticaria or Hives are red patches that develop suddenly on the skin and often itch. They can appear on the skin of any part of the body. They can vary from the size of a pen tip to that of a large dinner plate. At times, they join together to form even larger patches.
Acute hives often result from an allergy, but they can have many other causes.
DID YOU KNOW?
Around 15% of the world's population is estimated to have suffered from Urticaria at some point in their lives.
In severe cases, there may be swelling of the tongue or throat tissue causing difficulty in breathing and requiring immediate medical attention.
The most common signs and symptoms of Hives (Urticaria) are:
- Appearance of slightly raised, pink or red, circular or oval or worm-like patches on the skin.
- These hives can occur alone or in a group, or join together to form larger patches.
- They usually itch or burn with a stinging kind of pain.
- Swelling usually subsides within 24 hours at one spot but may appear at another spot along with other symptoms of Hives (Urticaria).
- The patient gets hives every time he/she is exposed to one or more "triggering agents".
- Chronic hives can last for months or even years together.
- Some people get hives on more or less the same spots every time - called "fixed hives" - which do not move much. The triggers in such cases are usually certain medications or too much sunlight. This is an important feature amongst other symptoms of Hives (Urticaria).
- Sometimes, there is affection of the deeper layers of the skin leading to development of large, thick firm patches with significant swelling of the affected parts. This condition is called "angioedema".
Urticaria occurs due to release of the chemical "histamine" and other factors from mast cells in the skin as a response to triggering agents.
This causes leakage of fluid from the capillaries, resultant swelling of the skin and relaxation of blood vessels leading to the inflammatory reaction.
Some causes of Hives (Urticaria) are:
- Foods: A large variety of foods can trigger urticarial reactions in people with strong sensitivities. Foods such as shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, and milk are the most common culprits.
- Medications: Virtually every medication has the potential to trigger hives or angioedema. However, the most common causes of Hives (Urticaria) are penicillin, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and blood pressure medications.
- Common allergens: Other substances that commonly cause hives and angioedema are pollen, latex, animal dander, and insect stings.
- Environmental factors: Physical factors such as heat, cold, water, sunlight, pressure, exercise and emotional stress also figure among the causes of Hives (Urticaria).
- Underlying medical conditions: Certain illnesses such as thyroid conditions, bacterial and viral infections such as hepatitis, HIV, Cytomegalovirus or Epstein-Barr virus; cancers such as lymphoma, blood transfusions, etc are also known to trigger hives.
- Genetics: Hereditary angioedema is an inherited form of urticaria. It is known to occur due to low levels or abnormal functioning of certain components of the immune system.
- The most severe complication of Urticaria is swelling of the throat or tongue causing difficulty in breathing.
- Angioedema or swelling of the affected part due to accumulation of fluid. Severe angioedema can be life-threatening.
- Chronic urticaria can have a considerable negative impact on the mood and quality of life of the patient suffering from it.
- Living with frequently itchy skin can be uncomfortable and upsetting.
- Homeopathic treatment for Hives (Urticaria) is holistic, deep rooted and comprehensive.
- The target of homeopathic treatment for Hives(Urticaria) is the patient's Immune System, NOT JUST the superficial skin symptoms.
- The aim is to eliminate the root cause of urticaria by "calming down" or regulating (but not suppressing) the hyperactive immune system that is responding erratically and excessively to harmless substances.
- Homeopathic treatment for Hives(Urticaria) significantly reduces the intensity, frequency and duration of flare-ups.
- Homeopathic treatment for Hives(Urticaria) provides wholesome, complete and long-lasting solace from this frustrating, irksome and potentially serious ailment.
Homeopathy has a formidable success rate of not less than 85% in treating Urticaria.
There are more than 100 remedies in homeopathic treatment for Hives (Urticaria) that are highly effective in both, prevention and treatment. See how remedies can be chosen depending on the finer differentiation points listed below:
URTICARIA: 2Acon, 1Agar, 1All-c, 1Am-c, 1Am-m, 2Ant-c, 1Ant-t, 3Apis, 1Arn, 3Ars, 2Ars-i, 3Astac, 1Aur, 1Bar-c, 1Bar-m, 1Bell, 1Benz-ac, 2Bov, 2Bry, 1Bufo, 2Calad, 3Calc, 3Calc-s, 1Carb-an, 2Carb-v, 3Carbn-s, 3Caust, 1Cham, 1Chin, 1Chin-ar, 2Chin-s, 3Chlol, 1Chlor, 1Cic, 1Cimic, 1Coca, 1Cocc, 2Con, 3Cop, 2Corn, 2Crot-h, 1Croto-t, 1Cub, 2Cupr, 3Dulc, 2Elat, 1Ferr-i, 2Graph, 3Hep, 1Hydr, 1Ign, 1Iod, 1Ip, 2Kali-ar, 2Kali-br, 2Kali-c, 1Kali-i, 1Kali-p, 1Kali-s, 2Kreos, 1Lach, 3Led, 2Lyc, 1Lycps, 1Mag-c, 1Merc, 2Mez, 1Nat-ar, 1Nat-c, 3Nat-m, 2Nat-p, 1Nit-ac, 2Nux-v, 1Pall, 2Petr, 1Ph-ac, 2Phos, 2Psor, 2Puls, 3Rhus-t, 1Rumx, 1Ruta, 2Sal-ac, 1Sars, 1Sec, 1Sel, 2Sep, 1Sil, 1Staph, 1Stram, 2Sul-ac, 2Sul-i, 3Sulph, 1Ter, 1Thuj, 2Til, 3Urt-u, 1Ust, 1Valer, 2Verat, 1Vesp, 1Zinc
URTICARIA, NETTLE-RASH: Morning: 1Bart, 3Bell, 1Bov, 1Chin
URTICARIA, NETTLE-RASH: Evening: 1Bart, 1Hyper, 3Kreos, 1Lyc, 3Nux-v, 1Oxpren, 1Tarent-c, 1Titan
URTICARIA, NETTLE-RASH: Bathing: Amel., cold: 1Puls, 1Titan
The remedy abbreviations with
- 4 marks- most effective,
- 3 marks- quite effective,
- 2 marks- less effective,
- 1 mark- least effective.
Do’s
- Identification and avoidance of the triggering factor is the key.
- Application of soothing agents like non-medicated petroleum jelly to alleviate the itching and burning.
- Practice yoga and other relaxation techniques such as meditation to de-stress yourself and reduce the severity of your symptoms.
- When washing or bathing, keep water contact as brief as possible and use less soap than usual. After bathing, apply lubricating cream on the skin while it is damp.
Don’ts
- Avoid eggs, fish, peanuts and soy.
- Avoid dairy products, sugar, white flour, fried foods and processed foods.
- Avoid the excess fat from meat - buy lean and preferably organic.
- Avoid sugar, gluten (wheat, barley, rye and oats) and raw eggs.
Two types of chemicals in foods are believed to trigger urticaria in some people:
- Vasoactive amines: Foods that contain vasoactive amines, or cause histamine release, including shellfish, strawberries, tomatoes, fish, chocolate, pineapple, etc.
- Salicylates: Salicylates are naturally occurring aspirin-like compounds that are found in a wide variety of foods of plant origin. Foods that contain salicylates include tomatoes, spices, orange juice, raspberries, tea, etc.
Avoidance or reducing the intake of these foods can help reduce the outbreaks of urticaria.
Some of the additional measures include:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat a generally healthy diet, including vegetables every day, brown rice, millet, oily fish and a little fruit should also be part of the meal (avoid oranges).
- Consuming a diet rich in vitamin A helps in regeneration of the skin. These include fish liver oils, egg, milk and milk products, yellow or orange-colored fruits (avoid oranges) and vegetables and green leafy vegetables.
- Increase intake of vitamin C as it helps maintain healthy skin. Have more of fresh citrus fruits and green vegetables.
- Have coriander leaves frequently as they are high in vitamin C and help to maintain healthy skin.
- Basil leaves (tulsi) are said to be helpful in skin ailments. Eat 3-4 fresh leaves daily.