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.

By definition, chronic hives are hives which last more than six weeks or hives that go away, but recur frequently. What causes chronic hives? Most chronic urticaria hives remain chronic idiopathic hives, which means their cause is never found. However, many of them have been found to be related to other underlying disorders. In fact with chronic hives, autoimmune symptoms can often follow. In hives, chronic cases have been linked to the following disorders:

• Chronic infections such as viral hepatitis, sinus infections, and urinary tract infection
• Bacterial infections which cause stomach ulcers
• Low or high thyroid function
• Diseases of the kidney or liver
• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus

Hives has also been linked to certain medications. In fact, Dermatology.about.com states that about 10% of hives cases are caused by medications. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics are the medications known to most often cause hives.

Some medications, such as codeine, morphine, and aspirin, cause a direct release of histamine which sometimes makes the body break out in hives. Although, medications are not among the most common chronic hives causes, your doctor may go ahead and change some of your medications to eliminate any possible causes of chronic hives.

Chronic Hives Treatment

Treatment for chronic hives varies by the severity of the case. For a lot of people, simply taking antihistamines regularly will keep their hives under control. Oral corticosteroids may also be used to lessen swelling, redness, and itching. Many doctors have also found that the use of tricyclic antidepressants, such as doxepin, is very useful in cutting down histamine levels and relieving itch.

According to the Mayoclinic.com, symptoms can usually be treated with over-the-counter or prescription medication. However, if the first medication you try doesn’t work well to relieve your symptoms, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor about trying something else. In cases of chronic hives, it is important to work with your doctor to find the medication, or combination of medications, that work best for you.

Chronic hives in children is often treated with the same types of drugs. Avoidance of potential triggers is a good way to manage chronic hives in children, but it is important to remember that their bodies are still growing. When cutting certain foods from their diet, be sure to add something like it back in so that they get plenty of nutrients. Also, you may want to observe a little before trying to eliminate activities that involve exercise and sunlight. Most importantly, remember that hives can be very miserable for children, so good support, empathy, and sympathy is significant. You can learn more about chronic hives and view chronic hives pictures at Chronichives.com, Webmd.com, and many other great sites.