Hives, also known as urticaria, is a common problem that can affect anyone at anytime.
There are many things that can cause hives such as allergic reactions to an insect bite, certain chemicals in foods, over-exposure to sunlight, or medications.
These can all cause outbreaks of hives.
There are several treatment options available for hives treatment.
Identifying the Cause: The first hives treatment we will discuss is to identify what is causing, or triggering, your outbreaks of urticaria.
If you can identify what is causing your hives then you can avoid the cause and help control the outbreaks.
For instance, if you find that when you eat a certain food you break out into hives you can avoid the food.
By avoiding that particular food you can decrease the number of outbreaks you experience.
Oral Antihistamine: If you cannot pinpoint what is triggering your hive then you may want to consider using an oral antihistamine.
There are many over-the-counter oral antihistamines that can help control outbreaks of hives.
There is one thing to consider about this type of hives treatment.
If your outbreaks disappear on their own in a few hours or less you probably do not need an antihistamine.
If your outbreaks do last more than a few hours they will usually respond well to the recommended dose of this type of medication.
If your outbreaks last more than a several days you should consult with a physician.
If you begin to see signs of angioedema or anaphylaxis you should seek immediate medical attention.
If your urticaria outbreaks need medical attention your doctor will usually prescribe a ongoing prescription of antihistamines.
This will allow the antihistamines to build in your blood stream stopping the outbreak of urticaria.
Your physician may also use oral corticosteroids as a hives treatment.
Corticosteroids will reduce swelling when the antihistamines do not work, generally this type of treatment is only prescribed in severe cases.
Have an Emergency Kit: Another hives treatment your doctor can prescribe for you is an emergency kit.
If you have regular outbreaks you can ask your doctor to prescribe an emergency kit for you.
An emergency kit contains epinephrine, this injection is used to treat anaphylaxis and the hives associated with them.
If you have severe allergic reactions to insect bites, bee stings, certain foods, or certain medications you should definitely have your doctor prescribe an emergency kit.
Finding Help: As you can see there are several hives treatment options.
If you have severe outbreaks of hives, or urticaria, you should consult with your doctor.
The reason for this is that hives can appear anywhere on your body, they can even appear in your throat and other areas where the swelling associated with severe cases of hives can lead to many complications.
One example of this is if hives appear in your throat the swelling could cause your throat to close causing you to suffocate.