Urticaria

Urticaria is an inflammatory reaction of the skin which is manifested by a rash that looks like red nettle stings.Urticaria is a skin disease that affects 15 to 20% of the population. When the cause is identified, removing it usually helps healing. But the location of this problem is not always obvious.

Urticarial rash

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The rash after insect bites is a reaction to the venom of wasps, hornets, bees, bumblebees. A fatal reaction (anaphylactic shock) is possible within minutes of the bite and it occurs on the face or neck, in a blood vessel or when the stings are numerous. Similarly, a shock is possible in a patient previously sensitized. Desensitization is essential, since it is very effective.

Acute urticaria

Angioedema is a subcutaneous form of hives. The acute urticaria is an accident of sudden start and rapid disappearance, composed of one or more outbreaks which can be renewed for several consecutive days. The crisis of urticaria lasts a few hours to 4 or 6 weeks. Chronic urticaria is defined as outbreaks of hives that can appear every day for over 3 months. Women of 30-40 years are the most affected. Chronic urticaria can persist for years before abating spontaneously. Needless to say, pruritus causes insomnia, frustration and repeated changes of doctors because the treatment is often disappointing.

Signs of urticaria disease

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The lesion of urticaria is a localized swelling of the dermis. It is a papule (elevated skin lesion), pink or red, and has a sharp edge. It is fleeting, labile and disappears within hours. Sometimes the lesion is enormously high and the itching is intense. Urticaria papules may remain separated from each other in large plaques (giant hives).

The two major forms of urticaria hives:

The pink areas wich are itchy. They tend to disappear and reappear.
The oedemas, that sometimes appear on lips and eyelids. They bring a sensation of heat and tingling.

The outbreak of urticaria is reflecting an allergic reaction to which one must try to find the cause. The first urticaria crises can occur in the toddler. Allergy to cow milk protein may be the cause. Drugs and foods may be responsible for this as well as viral and bacterial infections.
How to prevent and treat the allergic reaction? When the cause is identified, which is not always obvious, removing it helps healing.

The accompanying urticarial viral diseases

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Almost all childhood illnesses are accompanied by bouts of urticaria: chickenpox, measles, rubella, hepatitis, etc.. Antibiotics like Amoxicillin or cephalosporins are most often involved. Aspirin may give severe outbreaks. Sensitivity to drugs can be identified by specific blood tests. Some vegetables like berries, eggs, can cause tingling of the tongue, redness of the lips and around the mouth. The outbreak of urticaria is usually within one hour after ingestion.

The infectious urticaria

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The rash may precede manifestations of viral hepatitis or an infectious mononucleosis. Hives can also appear in the measles and coxsackie virus infections A9. Most of the parasites may be associated with urticaria or angioedema: roundworm, hookworm, trichinosis, taeniases, giardiasis, hydatid disease, hepatobiliary distomatose, amoebiasis, filariasis, schistosomiasis, etc.. During the chronic urticaria, it is not uncommon to identify an bacterial outbreak. If you are also experiencing cystitis symptoms in this period than get informed on cystitissymptoms.org.

Urticaria pictures

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