Hives can be triggered by a number of factors, including infections, physical stimuli, food and medication. In some cases it is appropriate to refer to hives as immune hives: Immune system changes make the body more prone to developing urticaria. Immune system disorders or diseases have also been implicated in triggering hives.

It is theorized that approximately half of all cases of chronic idiopathic hives are triggered by an overactive immune system. Hives of this kind are, thus, associated with immune system attacks on the body’s own cells. That the immune system is overactive can be confirmed by testing for autoantibodies. One might refer to the associated hives as autoimmune hives.  Some speculate that this form of hives is a primary autoimmune disorder all its own, distinct from those hives that are triggered by autoimmune diseases like thyroid disease and lupus.

That autoimmune hives have an immune system trigger is also supported by the additional symptoms or conditions that may be exhibited by the patient: vitiligo, swelling in the joints and specific abnormalities in the blood. Some might dismiss the existence of a connection between the hives and these other symptoms, describing it as nothing more than a coincidence. However, in doing so they would be dismissing the bigger picture: No organ or organ system functions in complete isolation from the others. Even if one were able to demonstrate that there was no direct link between the hives and the other autoimmune symptoms, there would likely be some indirect but significant connection.

Hives and Immune System Disorders

The relationship between hives and immune system dysfunction can be further investigated by devoting some attention to known autoimmune diseases and their association with urticaria. Immune system diseases such as Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s disease were shown to be significantly associated with hives in at least one medical study: The patients had chronic hives and also tested positively for thyroid autoantibodies. The association between hives and the presence of thyroid autoantibodies was statistically significant, suggesting that autoimmune thyroid disease had played a role in triggering the hives.

Immune system diseases like multiple sclerosis and lupus have been linked to chronic hives as indicated earlier in this article. It is worth noting that chronic idiopathic hives have some striking parallels to a number of autoimmune diseases: A lot remains unknown about their causes and about the mechanisms by which they develop. In addition, the medications taken to treat them are geared more towards managing the symptoms than towards curing the condition.