A lot of patients will ask their doctor “What is urticaria disease?” Someone may have told them they have it and honestly the name is rather scary sounding. Most people are surprised to learn that the skin disease urticaria is just the medical term for the more common name – hives.

About 1 in 5 people will experience hives at least once so it is one of the more common of the skin disorders.

What does urticaria skin disease look like?

Urticaria, or hives, appears suddenly on the skin in splotchy areas called wheals. They are red, raised areas with sometimes pale centers that are elevated slightly but smooth, itchy, and irregularly shaped. They can range in size from a few millimeters to a few inches and can show up in any body area.

What is urticaria disease when it moves around?

When the urticaria moves around from one body area to another, it is still hives. In fact, one of the common symptoms of hives is that they do tend to move around suddenly from one area of the body to another. They can be on your stomach at the start, disappear in a couple hours, and reappear somewhere else just as suddenly. In most cases of hives that are not chronic, any one area of urticaria seldom stays in the same place for longer than 24 hours. It may be surprisingly large, even frightening, in the morning in one area and then disappear completely by lunchtime, only to reappear in another area just as intensely by dinner and be gone by the time you go to bed.

What is urticaria disease caused by?

It is known that hives are caused by the release of histamine from cells called mast cells, which are normal cells found in the skin. The histamine makes fluid leak from the blood cells in the area of the release, which leads to the slight swelling and the red color. And while urticaria is common, it is also idiopathic, which is a medical term used when there is no known cause. You and your doctor can take an educated guess as to the cause but you will usually not figure it out. It may be helpful to take a photo of your outbreak if you plan to try to figure it out because by the time you get to the doctor’s office, the outbreak may have disappeared.

What is urticaria disease described as ordinary?

Ordinary urticaria is the term used to describe sudden flare ups that happen for no apparent reason and disappear for no apparent reason. If this happens on and off for less than six weeks, the urticaria is described as ordinary.

What is urticaria disease described as chronic?

Chronic idiopathic (there’s that word again!) urticaria disease, or CIU, is hives that reappear for longer than six weeks or last for longer than six weeks. This is the type of hives most people seek treatment for. It is bothersome, and there may be an urticaria autoimmune disease component associated with it. There are many treatments for CIU that are natural and provide great relief. If you have CIU, you should investigate these possible treatments. Help is out there and CIU is not something you want to just live with.

The relationship between hives and virus is sometimes confusing. Hives is medically referred to as urticaria and virus can be one cause of urticaria, but by no means the only one. Hives are the raised red areas that appear in splotches called wheals on the skin in any area of the body. They usually appear suddenly and are sometimes frightening when experienced for the first time. It is not unusual to experience hives and virus at the same time and hives after a virus infection is not uncommon but there is no such thing as a hives virus. But since the urticaria and virus relationship is common it might be helpful to list some of the virus that cause hives.

List of possible virus causing hives

The relationship between hives and virus in children is the most prevalent. It is estimated that greater than 80% of hives in children are caused due to their reaction to a viral infection.

The appearance of urticaria and virus that cause them are partially listed below:

• Common cold
• Human Immunodeficiency virus
• Mononucleosis
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C

Usually, the hives will appear as the body tries to clear the infection. But unless the hives and virus are accompanied by fever, swelling in the mouth or tongue, or difficulty in breathing, a visit to the doctor is not usually needed. You need to use your own judgment on this matter, especially in young children, as you know what is normal with your child and what may be cause for alarm.

Hives with virus could be from medication

The other relationship that often goes unnoticed between urticaria and virus is that it may not be that the hives are caused by a virus but rather medication taken for the virus. Aspirin can cause hives and many of the antibiotics prescribed for an illness can also cause hives. Penicillin and cephalosporin are notorious for causing an outbreak of hives. The hives might appear right after the first dose – in which case the diagnosis is an easy one – or may start days into the treatment, making the connection not so obvious. Even more confusing is that hives don’t always appear the first time the medication is taken. Sometimes they appear after the medication has been taken several times in the past.

The connection between hives and virus is a tricky and sometimes confusing one. You may need a doctor to help you sort it out. But remember there is no hives virus, only hives caused by virus.

Most cases of acute hives in toddlers are nothing more than an allergic reaction of the skin. Medically known as urticaria, in toddlers the condition is not much reason for concern if it goes away within a few hours and is not accompanied by other, more serious complications. As is the case with adults, acute urticaria in toddlers is really a symptom of the toddlers immune system’s reacting to something in the immediate environment or something in the toddler’s body itself.

Causes of Hives in Toddlers Not Always Apparent If the Hives are Acute.

When dealing with urticaria in toddlers, you must differentiate if the outbreak is acute or chronic. Generally speaking, chronic urticaria in toddlers is unusual. If the condition lasts for more than six weeks, or appears more than twice weekly for more than six weeks, the condition could be considered chronic.

The first area of inquiry should be any food or medicine the toddler just ate or ingested. Many parents tend to think that something touching the skin is the cause of hives in toddlers. But this is usually not the case. If a rash appears as a result of contact with something, the toddler is more likely experiencing an allergic reaction and the rash will stay in that area of contact. Acute hives will come and go rapidly.

Pictures of hives in toddlers can be easily found online and can be compared to what your toddler is experiencing. If your toddler is experiencing a rash, the pictures will clearly show the difference. Additionally, rashes will usually respond to topical treatments, whereas hives in toddlers will hardly ever respond favorably to any type of cream or lotion.

How to Treat Hives in Toddlers

One episode of acute hives that comes and goes in a couple hours and doesn’t reoccur generally doesn’t require treatment. It will usually be gone before you can get back from the drugstore. If the hives reappear, you should begin a journal of foods and medicines your child ingests. If a medicine is suspected, your doctor will probably discontinue the medicine. If an over-the counter medicine you are giving on your own is suspected, you should discontinue immediately.

Some foods that commonly cause urticaria in toddlers are nuts, shellfish, dairy, and soy. Your journal should show the culprit of acute hives pretty quickly. If they reappear, the treatment of choice is antihistamines, since hives in toddlers is, after all, caused by the release of histamine. There are many OTC and Rx antihistamines that will provide almost immediate relief. And if they don’t perhaps you are dealing with a chronic case of urticaria or something else completely.

It is only when the hives are accompanied by other more worrisome symptoms that you should seek medical attention without delay. Severe swelling, high temperature, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, or trouble swallowing would all call for medical attention.

Chronic Hives in Toddlers

A final note is that this entire article has been discussing acute urticaria in toddlers. Chronic urticaria in toddlers is another matter entirely and it is important in the chronic cases that the cause be found and adequate treatment started. Living with hives is not pleasant whether you are a child or an adult. There are many traditional and alternative treatments that will effectively treat chronic hives in toddlers. So if the condition goes on for longer than a day, or reappears repeatedly for weeks, please seek medical attention.

Urticaria in babies sounds a lot more frightening than it really is. What your pediatrician is really telling you is you are one of thousands of parents experiencing hives in babies. We all know that hives is fairly common in adults but most people are not aware that hives in babies is just about as common. Urticaria in babies presents the same as they do in adults. They are different shapes and sizes but normally have well-defined areas with pale raised central areas surrounded by a red border.

What Causes Hives in Babies?

Urticaria in babies is caused by the same release of the chemical histamine that is responsible for the condition in adults. The biggest problem with hives in babies is that they cannot communicate with you so pinning down the cause of the histamine result can be more difficult. One word of caution is that some parents confuse urticaria in babies with diaper rash. If the area of concern is in an area that would be prone to diaper rash, you may want to look at some pictures of hives in babies and compare them to your child. The difference should be clear to you. Another condition that often confuses parents is urticaria pigmentosa in babies. This is a different condition usually presenting as brown patches. These are due to an abnormal collection of mast cells, is not serious, and goes away by the teenage years without treatment

Once you have rules out diaper or other rashes and conditions, you need to narrow down the cause.

Viral Hives in Babies is Most Common Cause.

Unlike in adults, the most common cause of hives in babies is a viral infection like the flu or a cold. If your baby has just gotten over or is still suffering from a viral infection like this, you have identified the cause. But more commonly, urticaria in babies has another cause. Some of the more common are:

• Insect bites or stings – your child could be allergic to, say, bee or ant bites and stings, causing hives
• Foods – hives in babies is often a reaction to a food just digested. Dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soybeans, or some additives may cause an outbreak of hives. Breastfeeding is the best way to avoid this. But if that is not practical or possible for you, a process of elimination will usually narrow down the culprit.
• Temperature extremes – especially cold temperatures can cause hives in babies
• Drugs – if your baby is on a medication, prescription or not, it may be the cause of the hives

When Should You Call a Doctor?

If you think it is a result of contacting something causing an allergic type reaction like pollen or pet hair, urticaria in babies responds well to a bath. And a cool bath, not cold, will almost always sooth hives in babies, stopping the discomfort and the crying and fussing. This can be as relieving to the parents as the baby! Your doctor may allow you to use an oral antihistamine to reduce the discomfort.

But if the hives are accompanied by breathing problems, a swollen tongue, or unconsciousness, medical help should be sought immediately. And any time urticaria in babies lasts for longer than a week or so, you should seek medical advice. Hives in babies shouldn’t be treated with drugs on your own without a doctor’s supervision. The cool bath and other natural remedies should be tried first before going with steroids or antihistamines.

In general, there are two different types of hives categories recognized by the dermatologists. Assuming you are not interested in the different types of bee hives, the dermatologist will need to determine which of the two types of hives you are experiencing before beginning treatment, if treatment is even required.

The medical term for hives is urticaria. Dermatologists distinguish between the hives types by categorizing them as either Ordinary Urticaria or Chronic Urticaria. In the most general description, ordinary hives are those that last from a few hours to less than 8 weeks. Chronic hives continue on past the six to eight weeks and may even last for years.

Ordinary hives

Of the different types of hives, this is by far the most common. It is estimated that at least 20% of the general population will come up with one of the different types of hives and most of them will be of the ordinary variety. They usually appear quite suddenly and often for no obvious reason. Many times you will never know the reason because this acute condition can often go away just as fast as it appears.

In general, they will present as slightly raised welts appearing in groups fairly close together in one area of the body. Often times the disappearance in one area will be followed by reappearance in another area.

Chronic Hives

The other main category of the different types of hives is Chronic Urticaria. The distinction is that the condition lasts for longer than 6 to 8 weeks. There is no definite time period to separate the different types of hives, but if the condition goes on longer than a couple of months, you most likely have the chronic urticaria variety. It is at this point that you should begin considering investing the time and expense to find out the cause of the hives. This can be very time consuming and is usually a “shotgun approach” type of diagnosis procedure. The range of causes is so wide that you will likely have to rule out various diseases, drug allergies, food allergies, infections, hormonal disorders and other conditions that mimic the symptoms of hives.

Other types of hives

Chronic urticaria can be further broken down into different types of hives that fall under the chronic broad category.

• Physical urticaria is caused by direct skin stimulation and usually manifests at the site of the stimulation. Types of physical stimulation that can cause hives include temperature extremes, sun, sweating, pressure, vibration, and even exercise.
• Dermatographism are one of the different types of hives that is caused by excessive scratching or stroking of the same area. This sometimes is the result of acute hives causing itching that turns into a habit that feeds on itself. It often occurs with other forms of urticaria.
• Hereditary angiodema is a painful type of hives characterized by swelling and is passed on down through generations of families.

Before effectively treating any of the different types of hives, the root cause has to be determined. If you have a type of hives that comes and goes rapidly, it may be helpful to take pictures of different types of hives attacks that you get before they disappear so you can show them to your doctor to aid in the diagnosis process.

Of all the different types of urticaria, probably the rarest type is identified as vibratory angioedema. First of all it should be noted that the word urticaria is nothing more than the medical word for the condition most of refer to as hives. Vibratory angioedema is the rarest form of hives. The cause of it is coming into contact for some prolonged time with a vibratory stimulus. This would normally be a physical vibration such as a vibration that might be put off by a hand tool. Auditory vibration would not be the cause of any of the different types of urticaria.

The vibration could, however, come from something like prolonged rubbing with a towel used to dry off, or from the constant repetitious vibration that may come from running or use of exercise equipment. Of all the types of urticaria categorized as acute, this is usually the most painful. The hives will usually form in a matter of minutes, so the source is pretty easy to identify. Unlike some of the other different types of urticaria, this type will usually disappear in less than an hour.

Solar urticaria types are also rare

Of the many different types of urticaria, solar urticaria is also relatively rare. The parts of the body exposed daily to the sun, like the face or hands, will not develop this type of urticaria. But if you are the type of person who seldom exposes your back or stomach area to the sun, it is possible that you could develop hives in these areas when they are exposed to the sun for any length of time.

This is one of the strangest of the different types of urticaria, in that it will present almost immediately after exposure of the part of the body to the sun. Unlike sunburn, which takes some time, the splotchy areas will appear right away and are caused by a particular solar wavelength. Believe it or not, there are tests that a physician can perform to determine which of the solar wavelengths the culprit is. Once that determination is made, the correct treatment can be determined. It will typically be a sunscreen or antihistamine, but it may be recommended that you gradually increase exposure of the part of the body to the sun to try to build up immunity or tolerance to the sun. Occasionally, it will be recommended that you avoid completely exposing that body area to the sun. Sometimes that is not particularly practical.

So while there are many different types of urticaria, or hives, the vibratory and solar urticaria types are the most unusual and the rarest forms.

At some point in your life, chances are you will you experience urticaria, kind of like getting the flu. Over 25% of the population will experience urticaria, more commonly known as hives, at least once in their life, and usually more often than that. And like an otherwise healthy person who comes down with the flu, a healthy person who experiences any urticaria kind other than the chronic type really has nothing much to worry about. Acute urticaria usually goes away almost as fast as it appears, but it can be very uncomfortable and even frightening if not understood.

What is urticaria?

Urticaria, or hives, is a very common problem. Occasionally it is an allergic reaction to some food, drug, animal, or insect bite. But contrary to popular belief, hives is most often not an allergic reaction. And if you only get it one time, you don’t need to get tested for allergies, which can be a very tedious, expensive, and lengthy process.

The most common urticaria kind, ordinary urticaria, can best be described as a swollen itchy area, of different sizes, on the skin.  It is usually red and splotchy, and can appear anywhere. Ordinary urticaria doesn’t mean you are sick, but it can be frightening because of the sudden nature of the outbreak. There is no lasting damage, no subsequent peeling or scaling of the skin, and only involves the top layers of tissue. A condition that mimics the ordinary urticaria kind, referred to as angioedema, is a little more serious, and involves deeper tissues. If you experience peeling or scaling of the skin after the itchy red areas disappears, you probably have angioedema and should seek medical advice.

The ordinary urticaria kind usually requires no treatment

Ordinary urticaria appears in a sudden and usually intense attack of randomly shaped, slightly swollen splotches on the skin. They can go away in a matter of minutes or hours and appear somewhere else on the body just as quickly. In most instances, there is not an apparent reason for the attack and it will be gone before you get a chance to figure out what the cause was.

The hives are the result of the release of histamine from the mast cells of the skin. This brings about a leak of fluid from the blood vessels just under the skin. This small amount of fluid release is what causes the slight swelling under the skin, as well as the discoloration. The swelling in turn causes itching and irritation. Usually they will go away very quickly in a matter of hours and you will be left as if it never happened at all. This urticaria kind is really nothing to worry about and if it lasts longer than a couple of hours, an over-the-counter antihistamine will usually clear it up. Only if the hives persist longer than a day or become chronic will you want to consider any kind of treatment or become concerned.

When people are bothered with hives, they usually feel the need to define the urticaria classification. In many ways, the whole exercise is generally unnecessary. If the hives are bothering you enough that you feel the need to find the urticaria classification, it is safe to conclude you have chronic urticaria. In the broadest sense, urticaria classification is either acute or chronic.

If your episode of hives, medically known as urticaria, is severe enough or returns frequently enough that it starts to interfere with your daily activities, your urticaria classification would be chronic and you should put your efforts into finding a way to remedy the condition or find the cause of the outbreaks.

Almost one fourth of the population experiences urticaria at least once

The first thing you should know that regardless of your urticaria classification, you are likely not in any kind of a life-threatening situation, although the suddenness of the symptoms can be a little frightening. The raised splotchy areas are called wheals. They are caused be very small and transient leakage of plasma from small blood vessels into the connecting tissue surrounding those vessels. This usually causes

superficial swelling of the skin that is sometimes itchy as well. Most of the time, these wheals will go away in less than 24 hours and sometimes as fast as 15 minutes without any trace they were even there. This would fit with the more common urticaria classification of acute urticaria. And if it does disappear in a few hours without reappearing in the same place or somewhere else, chances are you will never know the cause and don’t need to concern yourself with it.

Chronic urticaria classification

As opposed to the acute urticaria, the more bothersome chronic urticaria is typically defined as recurring episodes that come on at least twice weekly for 6 weeks or more. Some cases go on for years. If your urticaria episodes occur less frequently than this but over a longer period, it is more correctly defined as episodic urticaria and usually has an environmental trigger that you will be able to identify and eliminate. It is usually a process of elimination and will require you to identify an environmental factor that occurred very shortly before the wheals appeared.

Implicitly, all chronic urticaria goes through a period where it would be defined as acute (before the six week time period elapses). But after you or your doctor determine your urticaria classification as chronic, further investigation should be done on your part so you can get on with your life. There are many natural and alternative ways to rid yourself of chronic urticaria. Below is a clinical urticaria classification table to help you determine which avenue to pursue if you are suffering from chronic urticaria.

Chronic Urticaria

• Chronic idiopathic urticaria (spontaneous)
• Chronic autoimmune urticaria (caused by action of antibodies)

Physical Urticaria (defined by the triggering stimulus)

• Adrenergic urticaria (physiological effects similar to epinephrine)
• Aquagenic urticaria
• Cholinergic urticaria (caused by sweat-inducing stimuli)
• Cold urticaria
• Delayed pressure urticaria
• Dermographism
• Exercise-induced anaphylaxis
• Localized heat urticaria
• Solar urticaria
• Vibratory urticaria

Contact Urticaria (induced by biologic or chemical skin contact)

Urticarial Vasculitis (defined by vasculitis shown on skin biopsy)

• Can last up to 3 years
• Usually associated with another disease
• May leave residual discoloration

What is hives rash? Hives rash is often referred to as urticaria, or just hives. Hives are typically dark red patches of raised skin that are very itchy and often have a stinging and burning sensation as well. They are known to be triggered by allergic or non-allergic factors.

Basically, there are two types of urticaria, acute and chronic. By definition, acute urticaria is any case of hives that lasts less than six weeks; chronic urticaria is any case that lasts more than six weeks, or is very frequent.  According to Hives.org, urticaria are curable in 95% of cases with the right hives rash treatment.

Hives or Rash?

When symptoms occur, sometimes it is hard to tell if the symptoms are of a rash or hives. Health.msn.com explains the difference, stating “‘Rash’ is a catch-all layman’s term, defined broadly as any inflammation of the skin.” The article continues on saying “Hives (urticaria) result from a build-up of fluid underneath the top layer of skin.” In other words, hives are always a rash, but a skin rash may not necessarily be hives.

If you are wonder about a certain rash you should see a dermatologist for a complete diagnosis. However, if you are not sure if it is hives or just rash symptoms you are having you can find hives and rash pictures at Dermatology.about.com and Web.md.com. You can find more hives and rash information on these websites as well. This should help you determine if it is just a skin rash or hives.

Hives Skin Rash

Skin rash and hives symptoms may vary from person to person depending on the causes. Many people think that the allergen that triggered the reaction is the cause. This is not true. Most of the time hives, or urticaria, cases are found to be idiopathic. This means the cause is unknown.

Hives usually have another medical condition as an underlying cause. They are namely, lupus, hepatitis, a thyroid dysfunction just to name a few. Most are linked to autoimmune system problems or over-active immunity conditions. It is, however, the triggers (not the cause) of these outbreaks that define the type that you have. Here are some basic types of urticaria:

• Dermatographism Hives
• Physical Hives
• Chronic Hives
• Acute Hives
• Hereditary Hives

For more information about each of these types and other basic information on urticaria, you should visit Hives.org.

What is chronic urticaria? Urticaria is the medical term used for hives.  Chronic urticaria is any case of hives that lasts more that six weeks, or reoccurs frequently. Chronic hives (urticaria) are uncommon, only about 1 in 1,000 people develop this condition, and it is twice as common in women as it is men (patient.co.uk).

Most conventional chronic urticaria treatment treats the symptoms of the disease with antihistamines, and in more severe cases corticosteroids. These of course are very helpful for treatment of chronic urticaria, but sometimes they do not take away all of the burning, itching, and other symptoms. It is wise to find home remedies and natural treatments to use at home as well; just make sure and tell your doctor about any extra treatment for urticaria that you take on.

Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria

What is chronic idiopathic urticaria? Chronic urticaria, or hives in general rather, are idiopathic in most cases. This means that in many cases the overall cause is unknown. Idiopathic chronic urtircaria is harder to treat because they cannot be prevented if you don’t know what could trigger another outbreak. In addition, many times it ends up being an underlying condition, such as lupus or hepatitis, which just hasn’t been recognized yet.

One thing that people do to narrow down their chronic urticaria causes is to keep a daily journal of potential things that could be triggering their chronic urticaria. Some of the common causes of chronic urticaria outbreaks are food, extreme temperatures, over-exercising, medications, and exposure to soaps and other such items.

Chronic Autoimmune Urticaria

Chronic urticaria is not due to allergy, though sometimes it may be triggered by allergins. It has been connected to several different underlying causes. It is widely believed that chronic hives are really a type of autoimmune disorder or caused by an overactive immune system. Chronic hives have been linked to autoimmune diseases such as lupus. These are some times referred to as autoimmune chronic urticaria. You can read more about chronic urticaria autoimmune disorders within the studies found on Medscape.com.

In chronic urticaria, thyroid conditions have also been linked as an underlying cause and so have diseases like hepatitis. In addition, chronic urticaria and angioedema are very closely connected, though one is not the cause of the other. Chronic urticaria angioedema is a very serious condition, in which the swelling occurs underneath the skin. This is an emergency condition because swelling can occur in the throat and block the airways.