Tag: autoimmune disease hives

Autoimmune and Hives-Associated Conditions

There is a definite association between hives and various autoimmune conditions. Thus, it makes sense to refer to these conditions as autoimmune and hives-associated conditions.

Autoimmune and hives-associated conditions include diseases like Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis. These are all diseases that have been noted to occur simultaneously with hives in certain patients. In the case of the first two, there is scientific evidence to suggest that chronic hives are significantly associated with autoimmune thyroid disease. This evidence is derived from a study in which patients with chronic hives were found to be more likely to test positive for thyroid autoantibodies than were members of the healthy, hives-free control group.

Thyroid antibodies are those antibodies produced by one’s immune system to attack the body during a spell of autoimmune thyroid disease. Thus, the results of the above study showed that patients who experienced chronic hives were also likely to have an autoimmune thyroid disease like Grave’s disease or Hashimoto’s disease. From this, one could speculate that thyroid disease played a role in triggering hives.

Hives and autoimmune diseases alike can be cause for uncertainty in the field of medical science. Chronic hives are often considered idiopathic, as are autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. Additionally, the exact mechanisms behind different forms of hives and various autoimmune diseases remain mysterious. Thus, the exact relationship between chronic hives and autoimmunity can be understood in different ways.

 

About Autoimmune Hives

 

As far as autoimmunity is concerned, one could speculate that there are two forms of urticaria: hives that are themselves autoimmune, and hives that manifest as symptoms of another autoimmune disorder. The former constitute a primary autoimmune disorder and have consequently been christened “autoimmune hives”. Autoimmune hives are thought to result from an overactive immune system. The ASST (autologous serum skin test) is used in their diagnosis. To carry it out, a sample of the patient’s blood is taken. Using a centrifuge, the serum is separated from the rest of the blood’s components. If the subsequent injection of the serum back into the patient’s arm triggers hives, then it is safe to say that the patient has tested positive for an autoimmune disease: hives of the autoimmune variety.

Determining who is likely to develop autoimmune hives (or any autoimmune disease for that matter) is sometimes possible. One high risk group includes people with a family history of diseases that are considered autoimmune, and hives can certainly be placed into that category, alongside rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions. People who have had some physical trauma within the previous six months are also at high risk. A traumatic event like an accident, infection or surgery can also push the immune system over the edge, rendering it overactive.


What is hives disease and are there relations to other diseases?

What is hives disease situation that you need to concern yourself with? You should only be concerned if your hives become chronic – meaning they last for longer than six weeks. Most cases of hives disease go unidentifiable as to the cause but there are many possibilities. The more relevant question is what is hives disease caused by, and could my hives and autoimmune disease be a factor.

 

Hives autoimmune disease commonalities

 

What is hives disease test you can have to narrow things down? You should ask for an autologous serum skin test (ASST). This is a painless test where blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge to separate the serum, and the serum is re-injected to see if you develop the wheals that identify hives. A positive result will not only answer your questions like what is hives and is it autoimmune disease and hives together, but a negative result will allow you to rule out autoimmune disease hives and pursue other alternatives.

 

Chances are that chronic hives skin disease is autoimmune and acute hives is not

 

What autoimmune disease causes hives? Some possibilities are listed here:

  • Autoimmune angioedema
  • Autoimmune thyroid disease
  • Chrohn’s disease
  • Graves disease
  • Thyroid disease
  • Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ulcerative colitis

 

This is only a partial list of conditions that might indicate autoimmune disease and hives.

 

What is hives disease if I have Thyroid disease as well?

 

Hives disease is often seen in patients with thyroid disease. It is not the hives disease that causes the thyroid problems but it is interesting that patients that suffer with chronic hives (or urticaria) often cannot get an explanation for the hives outbreaks but respond well when given thyroid treatment. This is true for almost all the autoimmune treatments. Chrohn’s disease hives and Hashimoto’s disease and hives have a similar relationship. A patient will have chronic unexplained hives for years and will respond well when treated in conventional ways for these diseases. This is true even if they do not have a current diagnosis of these autoimmune diseases.

Perhaps even more curious is that they will often be diagnose up to ten years later for the same autoimmune disease who’s treatment rid them of the hives. This may suggest that hives is somewhat of a precursor to these autoimmune diseases, although it is impossible currently to establish that relationship at the time the hives are remedied. It may be a long time, if ever before a concrete relationship is established, but there is no doubt some relation in some cases of hives and certain autoimmune diseases.


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