Hives & Angioedema

Overview:

Hives & angioedema are two types of skin problems that one in five people will experience, sooner or later. Hives are itchy, red, raised welts that come and go, and angioedema causes similar welts that may be deeper in the skin, normally seen near the lips or eyes. Hereditary angioedema or HAE is a more serious condition, that is inherited, and can bring about a sudden, rapid and severe swelling of your airway, digestive tract, genitalia, feet, hands, legs, arms or face.

Chronic hives & angioedema are more common in young adults, but they can occur at any age. HAE, the more serious type, affects only one person in every 150,000.

In the majority of cases, hives & angioedema are not harmful, and they don’t leave any lasting marks. The most common treatments used are medications.

Acute hives can last from less than 24 hours to more than five weeks, while chronic hives may occur for months or years at a time. In many cases, hives & angioedema occur at the same time.

Symptoms:

Symptoms and signs of hives include various sizes of itchy, red, raised welts that come and go. They may occur in groups. Symptoms of angioedema will include swelling or large welts on the skin, most commonly near your lips and eyes, but also found on feet, hands and inside your throat. Symptoms and signs of the more serious form of angioedema, HAE, include severe and sudden swelling in your airway, digestive tract, genitalia, feet, hands, arms and face. You may also experience cramping in your abdomen if your digestive tract is swollen, and difficulty breathing if your airway is swollen.

Causes/Triggers:

Hives & angioedema are caused when mast cells, which line your skin’s blood vessels, release histamine and related chemicals into your skin and bloodstream. If you have an allergic reaction to a food or medication, it can also cause angioedema or hives. Some of the allergens that can trigger this include milk, eggs, nuts, fish or shellfish, some medications such as “cillins” and ibuprofen, and other allergens like latex or animal dander.

Other triggers or causes include exercise, emotional stress, skin pressure, water, sunlight, cold and heat. Another trigger is dermatographism, which can cause raised, scratched lines on your skin.

Hives & angioedema can also occur when your body responds to its antibody production. Some examples of when this can occur include the common cold, hepatitis A or B, thyroid infections, cancer, lupus, immune system disorders or blood transfusions.

You can inherit the tendency to suffer from angioedema, which results in abnormal functioning or low levels of certain proteins in the blood. You may have more risk of contracting hives or angioedema if you have a family history of these disorders, or if you have experienced them already, or experienced other allergic reactions.

Mild forms of hives & angioedema aren’t generally life-threatening, and you can usually treat them at home. But get immediate medical attention if the severity worsens or if you experience difficulty breathing, or light-headedness, or if you experience less serious symptoms for more than two or three days.

It may not be possible to determine why you have hives & angioedema. Your physician will ask about your medical history, including any irritants you have recently been exposed to. Be sure to let your doctor know all of the medications you have taken, whether they are prescription or over-the-counter. Your physician may also wish to conduct skin tests for allergies.

Treatments:

If your doctor thinks you may have HAE, he or she might order blood tests to check your blood proteins. If it is suspected that you suffered a reaction to an allergen, your physician may order blood tests or skin tests.

You may not need to treat mild hives & angioedema, or you can use an antihistamine. For the severe attacks, like HAE, you may require emergency administration of adrenaline.

You can lower your likelihood of developing angioedema or hives by avoiding foods or medications that you know will trigger an allergic response for you.