URTICARIA/HIVES

URTICARIA (HIVES)

- - Itchy evanescent wheals, surrounded by a red halo or flare and sometimes also associated with stinging, burning or pricking sensations are characteristic feature of urticaria . Angioedema i.e. subcutaneous swellings around the eyes, lips may accompany the wheals. Mostly, wheals disappear within 24 hours but new lesions keep appearing for few days.
  - Various factors like food allergy, drugs, infections, vaccines, parasites, physical stimuli like heat,cold, and vibration, emotional stimuli can cause urticaria. It can be autoimmune or idiopathic also. Acute urticaria resolves within 6 weeks while lesions in chronic urticaria are recurrent beyond 6 weeks.
  - Management:- Urticaria is a treatable diasese. Avoiding the stimulus if known can itself prevent the recurrence. H1 Antihistamines are the mainstay of treatment. Soothing agents like calamine, menthol can be used topically for local discomfort. Oral antibiotics, steroids, ASST therapy and various immunosuppressive drugs are used depending on the etiology causing the disease.