Urticaria is a type of skin rash that develops as an allergic reaction to a substance called an allergen in the environment. Although the etiology of this disorder is not always known, it is often the body's response to the release of histamines that occurs when there is an allergy to some food, medicine or other element. Histamine is also a chemical mediator that the body produces when there are infections, stress, when exposed to sunlight or changes in temperature. Urticaria usually presents with red, swollen, itchy areas of the skin that are either localized or spread in clusters. If left untreated, this disorder will go away on its own within a few hours, but it could reappear in other parts of the body. If you want to cure hives at home, there are several natural remedies you can try.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Avoid Allergens
Step 1. Learn about the causes of the allergy
It is a disorder that can affect anyone; about 20% of the population suffers from it sooner or later. During an allergic reaction, some skin cells, such as mast cells which contain histamine and other chemical mediators such as cytokines, are stimulated to release their contents. This increases the leakage of fluid from the small blood vessels of the skin and the skin swells, itches and shows all the typical signs of a hives.
Step 2. Stay away from allergens
The first step in treating hives is to avoid contact with the source of the allergic reaction. If you know allergens, which is quite likely, then immediately eliminate them from your skin and your environment. The easiest common allergens to spot are ivy and poison oak, insect bites, wool clothes, cats and dogs. Stay as far away as possible from these or other elements you know you are sensitive to.
- In some cases of chronic urticaria you need to do some "detective" work to figure out what is the substance that triggers the reaction.
- Other common causes of allergy are food, medications, chemicals such as acetone, polymers such as latex, viral, fungal or bacterial infections, animal hair or dandruff, plants and physical stimuli such as pressure, temperature or sun exposure.
Step 3. Protect yourself from pollen
There are some cases where hives are triggered by environmental agents. If you are sensitive to pollen, avoid going outside in the morning and evening, when the levels of this element are highest. Keep the windows closed during these times and do not hang out the laundry outside. Change your clothes immediately when you get home and immediately wash the clothes you wore outdoors.
- It can also be helpful to use a humidifier at home.
- You should also work to avoid other common airborne irritants, such as spray insecticides, tobacco smoke, wood smoke, the smell of fresh tar or paint.
Part 2 of 5: Topical Remedies
Step 1. Make cold packs
Since skin irritation may be the main symptom of hives, you should treat your skin to find some relief. Take a clean cotton cloth and dip it in cold water. Squeeze it to remove excess liquid and place it on the painful areas. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then immerse it again to keep it cool, in order to lower the temperature of the skin.
- You can use this type of cold pack for as long as it takes to find some relief.
- Avoid water that is too cold because, in some cases, it could make the situation worse.
Step 2. Make a homemade oatmeal bath
This cereal is one of the best natural products for the care of the irritated and itchy skin typical of urticaria. Get a cup of natural oats and grind them in a food processor or coffee grinder. Pulse the appliance until you get an impalpable powder. When the oats are reduced to a very fine substance, pour two cups into the tub filled with cold or lukewarm water, which will turn white and thicken. Soak in the bath for as long as you like and repeat as needed.
- Do not use very hot or very cold water, as this could irritate the skin even more.
- If you want to enhance the calming action of the bath, add four cups of milk.
Step 3. Make a pineapple wrap
Bromelain is an enzyme found in this fruit and is capable of reducing the swelling that accompanies hives. Crush some pineapple slices, both fresh and canned, and place them in a cotton cloth. Join the four corners of the cloth and tie them together with an elastic; place the pineapple "bundle" on the skin affected by the rash.
- When not in use, place the pineapple compress in a closed container inside the refrigerator. You can apply it as many times as you want, but change the content every 24 hours.
- You can also place a slice of pineapple directly on the skin.
- Bromelain is also available as a supplement and can help fight hives.
Step 4. Make a baking soda paste
This product provides relief from itching. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Start with a few drops of liquid and mix, adding more water only as needed. Use your fingers or a soft spatula to smear the mixture on the hives. You can use this method as often as you feel the need, at the end just rinse the area with cold water.
You can also use cream of tartar, if you have any. Make a paste just like baking soda and apply it as needed
Step 5. Give the vinegar a try
It is a product rich in many nutrients. Take a teaspoon of the type of vinegar you prefer, dilute it with as much water and mix. Apply the mixture to the affected areas with a cotton ball or a cotton handkerchief. You should experience some relief from itching.
Step 6. Try nettle
It has always been used to treat hives because it is a natural antihistamine. You can make an herbal tea, eat the leaves or take a supplement. To prepare a cup of nettle herbal tea, put a teaspoon of dried leaves in boiling water, leave to infuse and wait for it to cool. Moisten a cotton cloth with the herbal tea, squeeze it to remove excess liquid and dab it on the itchy areas of the body. You can resort to this remedy as often as you feel the need.
- If you prefer to take a supplement, you can take up to six 400 mg tablets per day. To eat the plant, steam it instead.
- You can store unused herbal tea in a closed container in the refrigerator. Make a new tea every 24 hours.
Step 7. Apply calamine lotion
It is a mixture of zinc oxide and carbonate. You can apply it to your rashes as often as you like to find relief from itching. When the itchy sensation subsides or before applying a new layer of ointment, rinse the skin with cold water.
On urticaria you can also use milk of magnesia or Pepto-Bismol. They are both alkaline products that provide relief from itching
Part 3 of 5: Supplements
Step 1. Try rutin supplements
There are numerous herbs and supplements that perform a natural anti-inflammatory activity. Rutin is a bioflavonoid found in citrus fruits and buckwheat; it is able to limit inflammation and edema by reducing the loss of fluids from blood vessels.
The recommended dosage is 250 mg every 12 hours
Step 2. Take Quercetin
This element is also effective in reducing inflammation and swelling. It is a flavonoid that the body produces from rutin. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables such as apples, citrus fruits, onions, sage, parsley, grapes, blackthorn fruits and blueberries to increase your quercetin intake. You can also drink tea and red wine, or use more olive oil in preparing dishes. Quercetin is also available as a food supplement.
- This element is more effective than some prescription drugs, such as sodium cromoglycate, in blocking the release of histamine and thereby helping you with hives.
- If you have decided to use the supplement, ask your doctor what dosage is best for your type of urticaria, as it can vary from case to case.
Step 3. Take coleus forskohlii
This plant, native to Southeast Asia, is used in Ayurvedic medicine. Studies have shown that it reduces mast cell production of histamine and leukotrienes in cases of urticaria.
It is generally recommended to take a dose between 100 and 250 mg per day, although there are no precise guidelines. Ask your doctor what dosage is best for you
Part 4 of 5: Reduce Stress
Step 1. Relax
Although it is not clear how stress and hives are related, it seems that individuals who live under constant pressure are at greater risk of suffering from it. You can reduce the incidence of this factor by trying to relax: Take the time each day to do relaxing activities, such as a leisurely stroll, reading a book, gardening, or watching a movie.
The concept of a relaxing activity is very subjective. Find a hobby or something that makes you happy and comfortable and practice it every day
Step 2. Try deep breathing techniques
This practice has been shown to reduce stress. To start, lie on your back with a pillow under your knees and neck for comfort. Place both hands on your stomach, palms facing down, just below the rib cage. Interlace your fingers so that you feel them move apart when you do the exercise correctly. Inhale long, deeply and slowly by dilating the belly, just like babies do, that is, with the diaphragm. You should feel the fingers moving away from each other.
Be careful to use the diaphragm and not the chest, because the suction action of the muscle is able to expand the lungs more, which therefore take in more air than what happens with chest breathing
Step 3. Test the positive affirmations
These are phrases you can say to reduce stress and lift your mood. When pronouncing them, use the present tense and repeat them as often as possible. Here are some examples:
- "I can do it".
- "I am a successful person".
- "I'm in good health."
- "I feel better every day".
- Some people write these positive affirmations on sticky notes and post them in different places where they can see and relax every day.
Part 5 of 5: Learn about Hives
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms
The symptoms and the manifestation of this disorder can last very little, even just a few minutes, or last for some time. In some cases, hives can last for months or years. It can also affect any area of the body even if, in general, red and raised wheals are generated right where the contact with the allergen occurred.
It usually looks like round pimples, although these can "merge" with each other and appear as a single irregular swelling
Step 2. Get a diagnosis
It is usually not difficult to recognize hives and often simple observation is enough. If you can't find out which allergen triggered it, your doctor may run a series of tests to find the cause. The allergy test involves analyzing the reaction of the skin to exposure to different substances.
If this method doesn't work, then you may be undergoing a blood test and skin biopsy; the sample will be examined under a microscope
Step 3. Take medication
In mild or moderate cases, antihistamines are often used. These drugs are available without a prescription, but stronger ones must be prescribed. Among the main ones we mention:
- Sedative antihistamines such as brompheniramine, chlorphenamine and diphenhydramine.
- Non-sedating antihistamines such as cetirizine, clemastine, fexofenadine and loratadine.
- Nasal sprays with corticosteroids or cortisone drugs such as prednisone, prednisolone, cortisol and methylprednisolone.
- Mast cell stabilizers such as sodium cromoglycate.
- Leukotriene inhibitors such as montelukast.
- Topical immunomodulating substances such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus.
Step 4. Go to the doctor
In rare cases, hives can cause swelling of the throat, creating an emergency situation that requires the use of epinephrine. This drug is also used in the form of an EpiPen by people who have a severe allergy to a specific substance and need quick intervention to avoid anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can occur with or without hives. Symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction include:
- Skin rashes: hives, red or pale skin and itching.
- Feeling of heat.
- Sensation of a lump in the throat.
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing.
- Swollen tongue or throat.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
- Dizziness and fainting.
Advice
- As a precaution, always apply a topical remedy to a small area of the skin to make sure it doesn't cause any reactions. If after 10 minutes there are no adverse signs, you can spread it all over the urticaria according to your needs.
- Do not use these treatments on children under five years of age, unless under the supervision of a pediatrician.
- If urticaria becomes chronic or becomes a long-term problem, you should ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist. An allergist will test you to determine, if possible, the cause of your allergic reaction. These tests take into account various foods, plants, chemicals, insects and their bites.
