Overview
Hives are raised, intensely itchy welts that appear suddenly anywhere on the body, often as an allergic-type reaction to food, medicines, insect bites or infections — each welt typically fades within a day, though new ones may keep appearing. Most attacks settle quickly; the danger sign is swelling of the lips, tongue or throat.
Symptoms
- Raised, itchy welts of varying sizes
- Welts that move location over hours
- Skin swelling, sometimes of lips or eyelids
- Itching or burning
- Each individual welt fading within 24 hours
Causes & risk factors
- Allergic reactions to foods, medicines or insect stings
- Infections, including viral illnesses and malaria
- Heat, pressure or sunlight in sensitive people
- Stress; often no cause is found in chronic cases
Treatment & self-care
Antihistamine tablets recommended by a pharmacist or doctor relieve most attacks; cool baths and loose cotton clothing soothe the skin. Identify and avoid any suspected food or drug trigger, and report drug-related hives to your doctor so the medicine can be changed. Hives recurring beyond six weeks deserve medical review.
See a doctor urgently if
- Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or any difficulty breathing — emergency
- Hives with dizziness, vomiting or collapse
- Hives after starting a new medicine
- Welts recurring for more than six weeks