To effectively treat any form of hives is a challenge; you need first to establish the triggers, or the cause based on the signs and symptoms exhibited by the welts or wheals on the different parts of your skin. Most of the conditions manifest themselves in a similar way; welts on the skin that appear and disappear daily. But there are extreme conditions that will come with other complications that might be fatal in the long run.

What to consider when diagnosing any form of urticaria

* Medications used recently which could include herbal and supplements prescriptions: many people do react to different drugs or catalyze/trigger the condition.

* Food; ingested, inhaled or and contacted; most high protein foods have the history of triggering the condition.

* Physical triggers; this include extreme temperatures-cold or hot, physical injury due to contact, exposure to heat, profuse sweating, extreme pressure, and prolonged solar exposure.

* Viral infections; this could include, viral hepatitis, infectious mononucleosis and respiratory viral infections.

* Exposure to allergens or irritants as perfumes, pollen and chemicals.

* Insect sting or bite; where the poison reacts with the body making the autoimmunity to respond or fail.

Basic signs and symptoms

In majority of cases the primary signs and symptoms are red-pinkish swellings or welts that vary in sizes. They either occur singly or merge into a colony. Individual welts can be up to an inch in diameter although those that which are caused by physical causes as injuries may com in linear shapes. The condition may be either acute or chronic with the later demanding more medical care and apt management. Some of the mild signs and symptoms are;

1. Itchy swelling that result due to the accumulation of blood or fluids in the cuteneous layer of the skin as the blood vessels are dilated.
2. In more complex cases the patient experiences relapsing fever, digestive disorders and prostration.

When do you seek medical attention?

The following symptoms should surely alert you on the severity, and urgent medical attention should be sort!

• Tightness in your throat-due to the boy reaction to the inhaled and ingested triggers. It is then followed by the swelling of the face and the upper body parts.

• Difficulty in breathing- this is caused by the blockage of the air-way by the swollen throat. If not attended to in good time it may be fatal as the body lacks enough oxygen rendering some organs unable to function.

• Tongue or face swelling-this signifies the presence of foreign substances in the body which the antibodies are fighting and depositing them in some of the body glands as saliva and sweat glands; this could be very painful especially every time you move the tongue.

• Fainting due to lack of enough oxygen and blood in the brain due to the dilation and accumulation of blood on the skin and blocking of the air passage hence limited oxygen is transport to all the organs of the body.

• Wheezing-this indicates the obvious blockage on the air passage towards the lungs.

Patience is required in the management and treatment of urticaria for it has a lot of discomfort and takes long to complete eradicate it. The above measures must be adhered to ensure total healing is achieved in good time. The application of skin lotions and creams may be included to clear out the patches which are very embarrassing especially if they occur on the face, hands or the neck.

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