Can Adults Also Suffer From Urticaria Pigmentosa Mastocytosis?

Many people have the misconception that Urticaria Pigmentosa Mastocytosis is only found in infants. It is true that this disease is more common in infants but adults are not an exception. You might be surprised to know that it has a more drastic effect on the adults as compared to infants as it tends to last much longer and in some cases it may stay there for the patients whole life.

It doesn’t matter if it is you who is suffering from Urticaria Pigmentosa Mastocytosis or if it is your child, you must avoid unnecessary touching.  The reason for this is that it can aggravate the swelling and itchiness. If you want to learn more about it and the possible treatments, read my complete article about Urticaria Pigmentosa Mastocytosis here.

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Urticaria pigmentosa Mastocytosis is a skin problem in which patches (usually brown in color) appear on the skin due to disturbance or abnormal collections of mast cells. Mast cells are widely distributed in the skin and contain different chemicals along with histamines. When a mast cell is disturbed, these chemicals are released into the surrounding skin and may cause urticaria pigmentosa mastocytosis.

Urticaria Pigmentosa

Urticaria Pigmentosa, the most widespread form of Cutaneous Mastocytosis, is an uncommon skin problem caused by excessive numbers of mast cells in the skin, which can produce urticaria on the skin when stimulated.

Urticaria Pigmentosa Adults

Though urticaria pigmentosa is usually found in children, it can develop in adults. It can cause itchiness and burning. Unlike urticaria pigmentosa in children, in adults it tends to persist for a longer period of time due to the nature of their skin. It is quite possible to be associated with internal symptoms.

Urticaria Pigmentosa in Children

Urticaria pigmentosa usually affects infants. In most cases, the first patches appear during the first year after birth. These patches can appear on any part of the body. People tend to confuse them with insect bites; however, these patches tend to persist and start increasing in number. Unnecessary touching or rubbing should be avoided or the patches may swell up and cause itchiness.

With the passage of time, urticaria pigmentosa patches start to fade away and completely vanish by the teen years.

Urticaria Pigmentosa Tratamiento

Different anti-allergy medicines can be used to reduce the mast cell’s ability to react to histamine. However, such medicine will not make your urticaria pigmentosa disappear completely. Herbal medicines have always been preferred for skin problems because of their positive results and no side effects.

Information about Acquired Angioedema Treatment?

Are you looking for a reliable acquired angioedema treatment? If yes, you have reached the right place. Acquired angioedema treatment is not as tricky as hereditary angioedema treatment and some minor cases may not need any treatment at all. However, chronic angioedema must be given proper attention and medical care.

The two most commonly used drugs for acquired angioedema treatment, besides certain histamines, are epinephrine and cinnarizine. However, for proper treatment a complete diagnosis after necessary tests and a doctor’s prescription is mandatory.

If you interested in reading more about acquired angioedema and Acquired Angioedema Treatment, read here for a detailed and comprehensive guide.

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Though acquired angioedema treatment is simpler than the hereditary angioedema treatment, it should be carried out with extra caution. As you know, angioedema can be deadly, so the first aim of therapeutic treatment should be to avoid the triggers. Recurring angioedema can result in certain disabilities; therefore, treatment must be taken seriously.

Whenever you seek acquired angioedema treatment, the doctor you consult with will perform certain necessary tests, such as a urine test or blood test, which will reveal the causes and triggers of the disease. The patient must avoid these factors as well as any other drug during treatment.

Epinephrine has proved to be a life-saving drug in the case of acquired angioedema. Cinnarizine is also useful in many cases, as it prevents the formation of C4 and it can be used by patients who are also suffering from liver disease and cannot ingest androgens. Laryngeal edema is considered the primary culprit when it comes to fatalities caused by angioedema. Therefore, plasma-derived C1-INH can be used to regress laryngeal edema in people suffering from acquired angioedema. This approach has also been successful in hereditary angioedema cases.

Acquired Angioedema

Acquired angioedema usually has some association with hives (urticaria), and both of them are similar in evaluation and management. Acquired angioedema usually occurs in people over 40 due to autoimmune reasons and certain allergies, which may cause C1 inhibitor’s (C1-INH) deficiency.

Acquired angioedema may reappear at impulsive intervals. It normally lasts two to five days in the shape of swelling on the eyes, lips, hands, feet, and genitals, etc. Some patients may also suffer from severe abdominal pain due to swelling in the abdomen. If the swelling occurs on the upper reparatory tract, it is an alarming situation and can lead to death; therefore, patients should seek prompt medical attention.

The amount of people that look up urticaria pronunciation every month would suggest that they have not heard the word before. Not nearly as many look up hives pronunciation. A conclusion could be drawn that many people are not aware that hives and urticaria both describe the same condition.

Urticaria Pronunciation

If you look up urticaria pronunciation, you will find the typical dictionary type phonetic description that looks like this:

ûr’tĭ-kâr’ē-ə

Since those accent marks showing the long and short vowel marks, and which syllable gets the emphasis are not that helpful to many people, an easier way to master urticaria pronunciation is to on to the internet to one of the many sites that will actually let you play a sound clip of a voice actually pronouncing the word. For those that are good with descriptions as shown above but not sure about which syllable gets the emphasis, it is the third syllable that is pronounced a little stronger than the rest.

Hives Pronunciation

Hives pronunciation is a lot easier than urticaria pronunciation. But the same dictionary would show an example of hives pronunciation as follows:

hīvz

Not only is hives pronunciation a little easier, there is only one syllable and most people have already heard the word. The vowel (I) is pronounced with the long sound.

They Both Mean the Same Thing

Hive pronunciation is certainly easier than urticaria pronunciation which is why most people will refer to the condition as hives. It is a skin condition that is characterized by welts that are very itchy and a result of the body releasing histamines as an immune response to some internal or external agent that is perceived to be foreign and unwelcome.

Most people recognize this condition as hives when they see it, primarily because it appears so suddenly. This is the most common way hives is recognized as opposed to other rashes. It can come and go on different parts of the body very quickly, without an apparent reason. When they go to research it further for the first time is when most people discover that the condition is known medically as urticaria. The unfamiliarity of the word is probably why people search by the hundreds monthly for urticaria pronunciation as opposed to only dozens for hives pronunciation.

Whatever you call it, if it comes and goes quickly, there is no reason for alarm, but if it persists or comes and goes for longer than six week, the condition is chronic and a remedy should be sought. You should stay away from prescription remedies if at all possible, as you may become dependent on them or have other unwanted side effects.

If you are having problems with urticaria, hair loss is probably not related directly to the urticaria. Hair loss can be attributed to many things but there is no medical research to indicate a direct relationship to hives. Hair loss can be attributed to many conditions and you should see if any of them also have hives as a symptom or side effect as well.  Some possible causes of hair loss include:

• Stress
• Drug side effects
• Iron deficiency
• Menopause
• Genetics
• Aging
• Allergic reaction to something put into the hair
• Hair style

Look For a Link to Both Urticaria, Hair Loss

If you look at the general list above, it is known that stress, drug side effects, and allergic reactions can cause hives. Hair loss occurs with all of these so it seems a logical place to start would be with the most common condition that causes hives, hair loss, or both and that would be anxiety or stress.

Stress is so prevalent in modern society that hardly anybody is immune from it. It is also one of the most common triggers of hives. Hair loss to be concerned with is difficult to define and is relative. 50 to 100 hairs lost in a day is not all that unusual. Control your stress and see if the problem with hives disappears. If it does, you should be relieved and, quite frankly, quit worrying about your hair loss.

Have You Changed Your Hair Style or Color Lately?

Allergic reactions to hair dyes, permanent solutions, or any of the other myriad of hair care products available is very common. And one of those reactions is hives. Hair loss can also be caused by some solutions put into the hair, but it will be temporary.

Sometimes a new hair style that pulls the hair tightly in any one place could cause what is known as pressure urticaria. Hair loss from tight buns or pony tails is not unusual either so this is another possible cause.

Have You Started Taking a New Medication?

Cancer fighting drugs are known to cause urticaria, hair loss, vomiting, nausea, and many other side effects. But if you are fighting cancer, hair loss and hives are, frankly, the least of your concerns.

Some anti-acne drugs like Isotretinoin, can cause hives, hair loss and other unwelcome rashes.

You should know that the two conditions – hives, hair loss, are not directly related. So a little detective work is in order if these two problems are causing you concern.  Look for common causes. The good news is that hives are very difficult to find a cause for and if you can correlate hives with hair loss you may have narrowed down the list of possible causes for your particular type of hives.  Hair loss, if it continues over many years, is more likely age-related or genetic and there is not much to be done for it.

Hives episodes can manifest in many different ways. Thus, an individual’s urticaria prognosis will depend on his or her circumstances. The hives prognosis may be affected by the length of the episodes and by the cause of the hives, among other factors.

Acute urticaria, which can last anything from a few hours to six weeks, can be triggered by viral and bacterial infections, foods, food preservatives and additives, insect bites and stings, and medications. Chronic urticaria, which can last from just over six weeks to many years long, may also be caused by a variety of factors. Among its triggers are physical stimuli like sunlight, heat, physical exertion, sweat, cold, pressure and water.

Most cases of chronic urticaria are idiopathic. This means that the people suffering from them and the medical professionals consulted are unable to determine what triggered them. The patients could unknowingly expose themselves to these factors every single day. For these people, being unable to identify the factor may result in an urticaria prognosis of lifelong discomfort.

For other patients with idiopathic chronic urticaria, either complete recovery or partial improvement is possible within one to five years. According to the March 2011 edition of The Journal of Family Practice, studies carried out in Netherlands, Brazil and Greece showed that full recovery would result for a third of such patients and partial improvement would result for another third. Those patients younger than 30 years in age with more severe hives or with physical hives tended to have the worst hives prognosis.

Some General Remarks about a Patient’s Possible Hives Prognosis.

While it is not possible to generate exact predictions for every stricken patient, the general urticaria prognosis is positive. Hives are usually uncomfortable but harmless. In a minority of situations, hives occur in tandem with a condition called angioedema in such a way as to potentially harm a patient. In these rare situations, unless the patient gets immediate medical assistance, the angioedema can cause suffocation and death.

In most cases, hives will eventually disappear quickly on their own, leaving no scars or discolored skin behind. Before then, one can take various medications to ease the discomfort associated with the symptoms. Many of the medications and home remedies for hives act to soothe the itching skin. Others, known as antihistamines, work by interrupting the process by which the mast cells in the patient’s skin produce histamine. Steroids are often used to treat severe cases of hives, but they have unfortunate side-effects with prolonged use.

Most cases of urticaria resolve in time, but in some cases urticaria complications ensue. Hives complications tend to result in severe cases where hives is compounded by the simultaneous occurrence of severe angioedema.

Online descriptions of urticaria tend to list the symptoms and complications of hives together in order of severity. Detailed descriptions of the wheals or welts characteristic to hives are first on the list, followed by itching skin and discomfort. Fortunately, most patients with hives recover completely. No scars or discolored skin remain to tell the tale of their discomfort. As for the itching and discomfort, these are usually mild and topical creams or soothing home remedies can be applied to the skin to minimize them. Loose-fitting cotton clothing also helps tremendously.

Unfortunately, not all cases of hives have a happy ending. In some cases, the symptoms are severe: the wheals associated with hives may cover much of the body. Rather than feeling just some itching and discomfort, the patient may have to endure a burning sensation on the affected patches of skin. Such cases of hives may be resistant to treatment by antihistamines. Instead of resolving with time, they may occur again and again in repetitive cycles that frustrate the poor patient. Some people have been known to live this way for decades with little relief.

Life-Threatening Urticaria Complications

There are yet other cases of hives where the progression of the condition results in swelling inside the mouth or the throat. These urticaria complications cause acute upper airway obstruction, the results of which can be agitation, confusion, cyanosis, breathing difficulties, wheezing and loss of consciousness. Such hives complications must be resolved with medical assistance, which may entail a tracheotomy or the insertion of an endotracheal tube. Failure to get the appropriate treatment in time can result in brain damage or even death.

Anaphylactic shock is one of the more alarming urticaria complications. It is a severe, full-body allergic reaction that is sometimes associated with hives and angioedema. The release of histamine causes the narrowing of the breathing tubes, which makes breathing difficult. Other symptoms of anaphylaxis include abdominal pain, anxiety, lightheadedness, palpitations, nausea, low blood pressure, cyanosis and angioedema in the throat. The angioedema might cause obstruction of the upper airway, leading to suffocation, while the drop in blood pressure can result in loss of consciousness or death. Because these hives complications are severe and can progress in a matter of minutes, emergency medical care is necessary.

Urticaria research has helped to demonstrate that autoimmune diseases, bacterial infections and viral infections have played a role in triggering some forms of hives. Research of this kind has made it clear that urticaria does not constitute a simple ailment: It can be a manifestation of dysfunction in the immune system, pushing it to respond to infection in an unusual manner or to attack the body’s own cells.

Research on some forms of hives has revealed an association between them and some autoimmune diseases. These autoimmune diseases include autoimmune thyroid disorders (like Hashimoto’s disease and Grave’s disease) and lupus. All of these autoimmune diseases have been shown to coincide with hives in a number of patients. In many cases, it has turned out that the coincidence of hives and autoimmune disease is statistically significant.

One study, involving a group of chronic hives patients and a healthy control group, showed that the patients with hives were more likely than the people in the control group to show positive results when tested for autoimmune thyroid disease. When these patients were treated for thyroid disease, their hives were eliminated. The results were shown to be statistically significant. Hence they provided some evidence for the claim that autoimmune disease played some role in triggering hives.

Urticaria Research Findings on Bacterial and Viral Infections

Hives research, highlighting the implication of bacterial infections in the development of hives has shown that, with the successful treatment of bacterial infections using antibiotics, associated hives cases have been completely resolved. Of course, not all cases of hives are triggered by bacterial infections. In fact, it is possible for one’s hives to coincide with an unrelated bacterial infection. So it is important to recognize that given research findings will apply in a specific set of circumstances, but not in others.

Among the bacterial infections that have been identified as hives triggers in the aforementioned research are a variety of dental, gastrointestinal and ear, nose and throat infections. These include Helicobacter pylori infections (which cause stomach ulcers) and yersiniosis. Tonsillitis, pharyngitis, otitis and sinusitis, which may be caused by bacteria like staphylococci and streptococci, are also included in this category.

Some urticaria research cases have linked the development of hives to viral infections. These have included cases of both acute and chronic hives, and the associated infections have typically affected the upper respiratory system, the ENT region and the digestive system. The infections in question have included the flu, adenoviruses and rhinoviruses. It is telling that, with the successful treatment of these viral infections, the associated hives attacks have been completely eliminated.

For those who are interested in learning more about urticaria, news reports can be instructive. On occasion, online news articles discuss incidents involving unusual manifestations of hives. News of this nature can be enlightening for a hives patient or even for a medical student, because it describes some of the symptoms of hives in a manner that is impossible to forget.

Urticaria News Article on Skin Writing Artist

One example that comes to mind is a brief piece describing a hives artist. This artist essentially uses her hives symptoms to produce breathtaking artwork. She is a woman with a form of hives called dermatographic urticaria or skin writing.

In this form of hives, the exertion of pressure on the skin results in the formation of a welt on the area of skin where the pressure was applied. Thus, if a dime is pressed onto the sensitive skin, a dime-shaped welt will appear on it shortly thereafter.  Likewise, if one uses a finger to trace the letter A onto the skin, then an A-shaped welt will subsequently appear on the skin. It is not unusual that an artist with dermatographic urticaria would use her skin as a canvas of sorts for calligraphic welts. Nor is it surprising that her story would make it into an urticaria news article.

The welts last only 30 or so minutes, but that is long enough to take pictures and immortalize the hives. News articles on this artist, together with pictures of her art would undoubtedly appeal to creative people everywhere.

Dermatographic urticaria is actually a very common form of hives. The sensitivity to pressure tends to be triggered by allergens, but can also be attributed to the diet. It often occurs in people in their teens, early twenties and middle age. The duration of the condition can be as short as a few months or as long as a few decades.

Hives News Article on Rapidly-Aging Woman

There are other curious manifestations of urticaria. News articles have focused a lot on the case of a 27-year old Vietnamese woman who seems to have aged prematurely. The diagnosis, finally announced by specialist doctors, is chronic autoimmune urticaria, likely complicated by the use of corticosteroids and traditional forms of medicine. For the woman, who has suffered from the condition from the age of 12, it is probably a relief to find out that she has a well-known condition- hives. News of the diagnosis will hopefully help to dispel the social stigma she has experienced.

The synonymous terms “urticaria syndrome” and “hives syndrome” are potentially confusing. It may not be immediately apparent to the layperson what they mean. The first step towards understanding the terms involves looking up the definition of the word “syndrome.”

A syndrome refers to a group of symptoms that occur simultaneously. It often suggests that one has a certain disease or is likely to develop that disease. However, a syndrome is not always related to a specific disease. Some syndromes can be indicative of a number of different diseases. Other syndromes have absolutely nothing to do with disease. Yet other syndromes have no identifiable physical cause.

Diseases, on the other hand, are abnormal conditions that involve the impairment of function in an organism, and have readily identifiable causes. Diseases may be inherited, or they may result from environmental poisoning, infection or dietary deficiency.

Various conditions in which hives manifest as prominent symptoms are referred to as urticaria syndromes. Some examples include the five cold urticaria syndromes: idiopathic cold urticaria, secondary forms of cold urticaria (for instance cryolubulinemia and cold hemolysis), delayed cold urticaria, localized cold urticaria and localized cold reflex urticaria.

Contact Urticaria Syndrome

Another example of a hives syndrome is contact urticaria syndrome or CUS, which was first given this name in 1975. The factors that trigger this syndrome include metals, preservatives, foods and plant and animal products. This condition can be difficult to diagnose when the patient also has hand eczema as they can both be triggered in similar contexts (for instance, the healthcare workplace, where latex gloves abound).

When one has CUS, the irritation usually shows up on the skin within a period of a few minutes to one hour after exposure to the triggering factor. Knowledge of this fact might help the patient figure out what the likely triggering factor is.

The symptoms of CUS are similar to the symptoms that one encounters with other urticaria syndromes. They include an itching or burning sensation as well as the reddish bumps known as wheals. A number of CUS patients are able to identify the triggering factor because of the limited amount of time that passes between their exposure to it and their development of the symptoms.

Familial Cold Urticaria Syndrome

Familial cold urticaria syndrome is yet another hives syndrome. It is an autosomal dominant condition. This means that it is genetically transmitted and the patient needs only one copy of the altered gene from one affected parent for the condition to manifest. The symptoms include joint pain, fever and a rash on the skin whenever one is exposed to cold temperatures. It is evident for much of the patient’s life, usually beginning in infancy and continuing henceforth.

Living with urticaria of the acute variety is, at most, a six week-long ordeal (but typically shorter). Living with hives of the chronic variety is another story.

Acute urticaria is often triggered by allergens or by viral infections. If the trigger is an allergen, it is possible for an allergy specialist to determine what it is by questioning the person with the symptoms and doing some tests. As for viral infections, it is often possible to recognize these by their associated symptoms.

When the trigger is identifiable, the patient can take steps to avoid or remove the trigger henceforth. Thus, the prospect of living with urticaria can be kept at bay. Sometimes, doing this is not even necessary: hives can resolve in a few hours or days, bringing an end to the itching, discomfort and wheals without any need for intervention.

Chronic hives are often idiopathic. This means that medical professionals are frequently unable to determine what the trigger of this form of hives is. Because they can last for years, the person living with hives of this form has to face the possibility that the symptoms will become a permanent part of his or her daily existence. The challenge for this patient is to figure out how to live a productive life, even with chronic hives.

The Impact of Medication on Those Living with Urticaria

Antihistamines are a popular treatment among sufferers of urticaria, especially now that non-sedating or low-sedating forms have been developed. Patients who use these antihistamines don’t have to worry about drowsiness. Thus, unlike hives patients who rely on soporific antihistamines, they can live their lives productively.

Medications that address the itching and wheals may make living with urticaria manageable. But that does not mean that they cure the condition. A person could easily spend decades suffering from hives and appearing to recover from them, only to succumb again. The oral corticosteroids that some patients take to treat the most severe forms of chronic hives help control the symptoms, but when taken for a long time they can weaken the immune system.

Some patients who use these corticosteroids are pleased with the results when they first use them. The hives clear up quickly, leaving no scars behind. However, a short while after the patient takes the last dose of the medication, the stubborn symptoms return. This means that the patient living with hives may have no choice but to continue taking potentially harmful medications indefinitely.