Depending on the circumstances surrounding the development of hives, they can manifest as anything from a mild condition to a severe one. Coping with hives in its severe manifestations is a grueling experience.
The symptoms of hives cause discomfort in their mildest form, and, in their most severe, complicated form, they can result in death. Coping with hives in these different manifestations would entail seeking relief from them and their complications. This could be as simple as using a topical cream for the itching or as complex as getting a tracheotomy after developing upper airway obstruction.
The Prophylactic Approach to Coping with Hives
Perhaps the most productive approach to coping with hives is prophylaxis. Prophylaxis involves preventing the development of hives in the first place rather than responding to them only after the characteristic symptoms manifest. One way to do this is to first determine what the trigger is.
Hives can be triggered by a variety of factors, including bacterial and viral infections, allergens, physical stimuli and stress. If the hives are triggered by an allergen, then avoiding the allergen is a critical part of preventing their development in the future. If the hives are triggered by physical stimuli as unavoidable as sunlight or sweat, then preventing them is more of a challenge, perhaps even impossible.
Faced with this kind of challenge, one can opt to think outside the box. Hives are a reflection of an individual’s overall well-being. Thus, attention to the commonsense factors that contribute to health and well-being could help alleviate the worst symptoms of hives. Such factors include getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water on a regular basis, and eating balanced meals that include fresh fruits and vegetables. If a patient has demonstrated nutritional deficiencies, the appropriate nutritional supplements taken under medical supervision can make a significant difference.
Dealing with emotional stress is part and parcel of this strategy. Chronic stress results in the elevated secretion of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can ultimately trigger mast cells to release histamine and provoke the appearance of the wheals associated with hives. Alleviating the stress would necessitate the adoption of stress management practices like meditation, breathing exercises and yoga.
If the stress comes from deep-seated psychological issues, then counseling can help to relieve it too. Interestingly enough, even in instances where hives is triggered by factors other than stress, adopting one or more of these stress management techniques is useful for coping with hives’ worst symptoms and the inconveniences they can cause.
