Hives (urticaria) are red, raised patches that appear on your skin. Though hives tend to appear quickly and then disappear within a few minutes or hours, new hives keep developing. You can end up with hives that last for days or longer. You have chronic hives when the patches appear at least twice a week for six weeks.

Hives turn white when you press them. The patches (wheals) also frequently change shapes, and several hives may run together and create one large wheal.

Hives develop when your body releases chemicals called histamines, often in response to allergies such as:

• Pollen
• Food
• Poison ivy
• Insect venom
• Medication
• Latex

In addition to allergies, health conditions and triggers can also cause hives, including:

• Viral infections
• Chronic stress
• Thyroid disease
• Mast cell activation syndrome
• Changes in body temperature
• Exposure to sunlight
• Contact and pressure

Examples of contact and pressure that lead to hives include scratching your skin, pressure from a tight belt, and pressure on the bottom of your feet.

Hives usually cause intense itching, but they’re not painful. However, hives often appear with a painful condition: angioedema.

Angioedema develops when fluids accumulate in the tissues below your hives. As a result, you develop symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness.

Your DFW Asthma & Allergy Center provider primarily diagnoses hives with a physical exam, but they need to obtain information that helps them determine the underlying cause. They need to know about things like your activities, medications, and diet when the hives appear.

If your physical exam suggests allergies or a health condition may cause your hives, your provider performs allergy testing and blood tests to identify the underlying problem.

If your provider suspects your hives were caused by allergies, they do allergy testing and treat your allergies. A mild case of hives may only need medication to relieve the itching and inflammation while the hives run their course.

Chronic hives demand more intensive medications such as antihistamines, anti-inflammatory medicines, and immune-suppressing drugs. In severe cases, your provider may recommend advanced biologic medications, such as XOLAIR®.

Whether you need relief from sudden or chronic hives, call DFW Asthma & Allergy Center or book an appointment online today.