How long does it take for hives to settle down
15 Ways to Get Rid of Hives
You may be able to relieve hives with home remedies, including aloe vera or an oatmeal bath, and over-the-counter products. But a doctor may need to treat severe or chronic hives.
Hives (urticaria) are a rash on your body. Identifying what triggered your hives is crucial to preventing them from happening again. If you can identify the trigger, you can avoid contact with it.
Although hives are often associated with allergic reactions, they can also occur due to:
Hives generally fade within 24 hours and dont require treatment.
However, you should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following:
- dizziness
- swelling in your throat or face
- difficulty breathing
These may indicate a severe allergic reaction and require emergency care.
If your hives are milder, continue reading to learn how to ease any discomfort and speed up the healing process.
Some remedies and other products may cause a skin reaction. Its best to do a skin patch test before applying.
In most cases, home remedies can help you find relief. Here are a few ways to soothe itchy skin:
Use a cold compress
Applying something cool to your skin can help relieve irritation and swelling. To do this, grab a bag of frozen veggies or wrap a handful of ice in a towel and apply it to the affected area for up to 10 minutes. Repeat as needed throughout the day.
Take a bath with an anti-itch solution
There are several products you can add to a bath to relieve itching. These include colloidal oatmeal or one or two handfuls of baking soda.
Learn more: How to make an oatmeal bath
Avoid products that may irritate the skin
Certain soaps may dry your skin and cause more itching when you have hives. Make sure to use a mild soap thats marketed for sensitive skin. These typically omit fragrance and irritating chemicals.
You should also avoid using irritating moisturizers or lotions. When in doubt, opt for a formula that targets sensitive skin, such as these options. Applying immediately after bathing may also help soothe the itch.
Keep things cool
Heat can make itchiness worse. Wear lightweight clothing and keep the temperature in your house cool and comfortable. Avoid sitting in direct sunlight.
If home remedies arent relieving your symptoms but you arent ready to head to the pharmacy you may want to give a few natural solutions a try.
Natural remedies arent regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so use them with caution.
Witch hazel
The natural tannins found in the herb witch hazel can help relieve irritation. Despite this, it
You can apply witch hazel to your skin like a mask a few times each day. Let it sit on the affected areas for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a natural anti-inflammatory. According to the
But, as with any new product, its important to do a skin patch test before application, especially if you have sensitive skin. Some aloe products may also have added fragrance or other chemicals, so be sure to read the label.
You can apply topical aloe vera to your hives as needed, likely a few times a day. Be sure to follow any instructions on the package.
If the above remedies arent enough to help your hives, over-the-counter (OTC) treatments may help relieve your symptoms. Not only can OTC options relieve itching and irritation, but they can also target your bodys histamine response, which is what causes hives.
Calamine lotion
Products containing calamine can help relieve itching by cooling your skin. You can apply calamine lotion directly to your skin:
- Make sure you mix the lotion before using it by shaking the container.
- Put some calamine lotion on a cotton pad or cloth.
- Apply the pad or cloth directly to the hives and let dry.
You can treat the hives with calamine lotion as necessary.
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
This oral antihistamine can reduce rash and other allergy symptoms like itching by working from the inside out.
Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the package. Benadryl usually kicks in within an hour and should start to relieve your symptoms the same day.
Benadryl may cause drowsiness.
Fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin), and cetirizine (Zyrtec)
These antihistamines typically come in 12- or 24-hour formulas to provide extended relief. Theyre also less likely to cause drowsiness than diphenhydramine.
You may need to adjust the dosage to effectively treat hives, so talk with a doctor or pharmacist. They can advise you on how much to take and how often.
If youre experiencing severe or chronic hives, you may need prescription medication. Talk with a doctor about your symptoms and how you can best find relief.
Common prescription options include:
Prednisone (Deltasone)
This corticosteroid is taken orally. You should only use it for a short period of time as directed by a doctor. Corticosteroids can have side effects, especially if taken for extended periods of time. Side effects can include:
- elevated blood pressure
- elevated eye pressure (glaucoma)
- swelling
- weight gain
- immunosuppression, which means you may get infections more easily
To reduce side effects, take oral corticosteroids at a lower dose and transition to corticosteroid creams with your doctors supervision.
Omalizumab (Xolair)
This medication must be injected under the skin. This option is
- headache
- dizziness
- inner ear pain
- cold symptoms
Dapsone (Aczone)
This antibiotic is available topically and as an oral medication. This medication can treat inflammation due to hives or other skin conditions that are caused by bacterial infection. Its important to take all antibiotics as prescribed.
Antibiotics only help relieve symptoms caused by a bacterial infection.
Leukotriene-receptor antagonists
This nonsteroidal treatment option is taken orally. These drugs should be used only after steroid treatment and antihistamines have been unsuccessful. There is
- headache
- nausea
- cough
- low fever
If your symptoms worsen or last longer than a couple of days, you may want to talk with a doctor. They can identify the cause and provide medication to help relieve your symptoms. Understanding your triggers may help prevent future outbreaks.
How to Treat Hives
If you have only one outbreak of hives and you dont have breathing difficulties, you probably dont need medical attention. Yet if you continue to get multiple bouts of hives that continue after a couple of weeks, you may want to call a doctor, Elmariah suggests. Most often, the hives will resolve during this time or youll figure out whats causing them.
But hives that continue for weeks warrant a trip to a specialist, such as a dermatologist or an allergist. If they continue for six weeks or longer theyre considered chronic hives, which tend to be caused by the same triggers as short-term or acute cases of hives. Because dermatologists and allergists are skilled at working with hives, theyre your best bet for getting appropriate treatment, Dr. Rossi explains.
How Doctors Diagnose Hives
Expect to undergo a thorough physical exam. The dermatologist or allergist will also likely ask you to review your hives experience in detail, including when the hives started, if you suspect anything in particular triggered your hives, what medications youve tried, and what type of response youve gotten. Come prepared with this information.
Doctors will also verify that the bump (or bumps) is hives, often circling the spot on your skin to see if it disappears the next day (if so, its a hive, Elmariah says).
Once theyve confirmed that it is hives, theyll work to determine the trigger. Rossi says: Figuring out the cause can be the most frustrating part of it, especially if the tests arent helpful.
You may require additional testing. If an allergy is suspected, you may need to undergo allergy testing. If you are diagnosed with a severe allergy, the doctor may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) in case youre accidentally exposed to your allergen. (1)
And because chronic hives can signal autoimmune disorders, you may need to have a blood draw in which doctors will look for a common antibody found in many autoimmune disorders. In rare cases when a bout of hives doesnt disappear within 24 hours, your doctor may do a skin biopsy to see if theres inflammation of the blood vessels, Rossi adds.
Treatments Doctors Use for Hives
Doctors usually prescribe antihistamines as the first course of treatment for hives. Acute cases can generally be treated with over-the-counter antihistamines like loratadine and pseudoephedrine,cetirizine, fexofenadine, or diphenhydramine.
If your hives are persisting (or youve already tried OTC antihistamines without success), your doctor may move to another class of antihistamines called histamine type 2 receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, including cimetidine (Tagamet) and famotidine (Pepcid)(both available over the counter); up the dose of antihistamines (some as high as four times); or combine several antihistamines, Friedman says.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe an oral steroid, such asprednisone (Deltasone), if your hives still arent responding. Oral steroids are stronger but can cause more significant side effects than antihistamines. (3)
If youre still not seeing results, your doctor may recommend even stronger medications, like an injectable prescription medication called omalizumab(Xolair). There is also evidence that off-label use of stronger medications that suppress the immune system under careful monitoring by a specialist may be helpful in patients with difficult-to-manage hives.
Its important to note that you shouldnt try taking high doses of vitamins or any other off-label medication on your own without instruction from your doctor. No one treatment works for everyone, Friedman says. And for some, such therapies may not be safe.
Timeline of an Anaphylactic Reaction
A dangerous allergy response
An allergic reaction is your bodys response to a substance that it deems dangerous or potentially deadly. Spring allergies, for example, are caused by pollens or grasses.
A deadlier type of allergic response is possible, too. Anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction. It occurs within minutes of exposure to an allergen. If not treated appropriately, anaphylaxis can turn deadly very quickly.
An allergen may be inhaled, swallowed, touched, or injected. Once an allergen is in your body, an allergic reaction may begin within seconds or minutes. Milder allergies may not cause noticeable symptoms for several hours. The most common allergens include foods, medications, insect stings, insect bites, plants, and chemicals. An allergist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating allergies. They can help determine your specific allergy issues.
Early symptoms
An anaphylactic response begins quickly after you come into contact with an allergen. Your body releases a lot of chemicals that are intended to combat the allergen. These chemicals set off a chain reaction of symptoms. Symptoms may begin in seconds or minutes, or a delayed response may occur. These initial symptoms include:
- chest tightness or discomfort
- difficulty breathing
- cough
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- difficulty swallowing
- skin redness
- itchiness
- slurred speech
- confusion
The most severe reactions
Initial symptoms may quickly turn to more severe problems. If these symptoms go untreated, you may develop one or more of the following symptoms or conditions:
- low blood pressure
- weakness
- unconsciousness
- abnormal heart rhythm
- rapid pulse
- loss of oxygen
- wheezing
- blocked airway
- hives
- severe swelling of the eyes, face, or affected body part
- shock
- airway blockage
- cardiac arrest
- respiratory arrest
If you are experiencing an allergic reaction, its important to focus and remain calm. Fully explain to a responsible person what just happened, what you think the allergen is, and what your symptoms are. Anaphylaxis will quickly leave you disoriented and possibly struggling to breathe, so its important you communicate the difficulties youre having as quickly as possible to someone who can help. If you are alone when the reaction occurs, call 911 immediately.
If you are helping someone who is experiencing an allergic reaction, its important to encourage them to stay calm. Anxiety can make symptoms worse.
Identify what caused the reaction, if you can, and remove it. Make sure the person has no further contact with the trigger.
Monitor them for signs of a reaction. If they show signs of difficulty breathing or loss of circulation, seek emergency help. If you know that the person is severely allergic to the allergen, call 911.
Many people with diagnosed severe allergies will receive a prescription for an epinephrine autoinjector from their doctor. If you are carrying your autoinjector when you begin experiencing the reaction, give yourself an injection right away. If youre too weak to give the injection, ask someone who is trained to administer it.
Its important to keep in mind that this medicine is a timesaver, not a lifesaver. Even after an injection, you must seek emergency treatment. Call 911 as soon as you inject the epinephrine, or have someone drive you to a hospital immediately.
Anaphylaxis always requires a trip to the emergency room. If you do not receive the proper treatment, anaphylaxis can turn deadly in less than 15 minutes. The hospital staff will want to monitor you closely. They may give you another injection. In the case of severe reactions, one injection is sometimes not enough. In addition, healthcare professionals can provide other medications, such as antihistamines or corticosteroids. These medicines can help treat any additional symptoms, including itchiness or hives.
The first time youre exposed to an allergen, you may only experience a mild reaction. Your symptoms will likely be less severe and will not escalate as quickly. However, multiple exposures may eventually lead to more severe reactions. Once your body has experienced an allergic reaction to an allergen, it becomes much more sensitive to that allergen. This means that even small exposures can potentially trigger severe reactions. Make an appointment with an allergist after your first reaction so you can be tested and receive proper medical guidance.
Together, you and your doctor can create an allergy response plan. This plan will come in handy as you learn to cope with your allergies and teach others in your life what to do in case of a reaction. Review this plan annually and make changes as necessary.
The key to prevention is avoidance. Diagnosing your allergy is the most important step for preventing future reactions. If you know what causes the reaction, you can avoid it and the life-threatening reaction altogether.
