Saturday, January 29, 2011

What Can Cause Chronic Hives?

They start to pop up in different spots on your body and at times the burning and itching is almost unbearable. Hives are red welts that appear for no apparent reason but can signal an autoimmune condition or more serious disease.

The cause for chronic hives cannot always be narrowed down. Allergic reactions can definitely trigger an outbreak but so can an autoimmune disorder. Chronic hives can also be caused by more serious disorders like kidney or liver disease and lupus. The process of trying to narrow down the cause can be very frustrating and many doctors do not even bother. They will just move forward treating the symptoms.

If you are determined to try and find the trigger, checking for allergies is the place to start. Your doctor can perform an extensive scratch test looking for potential allergens. In this test, a number of drops of known allergens are placed either onto the arm or the upper back. The doctor will then scratch the skin in each spot and wait to see if there is a reaction; it usually takes about 20 minutes. If you have a reaction then you know what substance to avoid to prevent future hives in the future.

If the skin test is negative then you must monitor your diet to try to identify the cause of chronic hives. It is best to switch to a diet of very bland foods at first and slowly add items until you hit on one that will trigger an outbreak. The most likely culprits are nuts, shellfish, milk and eggs; sometimes it can be the additives in foods which may cause the hives like artificial food colorings.

Other possible causes include sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. Some people break out when their body is heated up from exercise or a hot shower. A change in medication can trigger hives and so can insect bites and bee stings. There are also diseases such as lupus or vasculitis which have been linked to hives and certain infections might trigger an outbreak. Doctors say even stress can bring them on. The good news is that in most cases they can be controlled with antihistamines or steroids.

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