Hives or Urticaria

Have you had red patches all over your skin after eating something? If you’ve had this experience, I’m sure you’ve heard people refer to it as allergies or hives.

What Is Hives?

Hives is also known as urticaria, which refers to an outbreak of pale, red swollen bumps, welts, or patches on the skin. Hives or urticaria appears suddenly either as an effect of allergies or for some other reasons.

Hives typically causes itching, but there are rare occurrences where burning sensations or stinging is felt. Hives can appear anywhere in the body, including the face, lips, tongue, throat, and/or ears.

Hives differ in size; the smallest can be as small as a tablet or a pill and the biggest the size of a dinner plate. Hives may join together to form larger areas known as plaques.

They can last for several hours, or up to more than a few days before fading.

What Triggers Hives?

It is important to understand that hives comes out when blood plasma leaks out of small blood vessels in the skin. This occurs when the body reacts to histamine, a chemical released from specialized cells along the skin’s blood vessels. The release of histamine in the body is normally triggered as a reaction to allergens such as those found in foods, in insect stings, in sunlight exposure, or even from medicines.

Common Food Allergens

So What Are These Allergens?

The most frequent foods that cause hives are nuts, chocolate, milk, fish, eggs, tomatoes, and fresh berries. It is also proven that fresh foods cause hives more often than cooked foods.

There are also certain food additives as well as food preservatives that trigger allergies.

Drugs such as aspirin can also cause hives and angioedema. Other drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, high blood pressure drugs (ACE inhibitors), and codeine, a popular painkiller.

Different Types of Hives

There are four types of hives: 1) Acute urticaria, 2) Chronic urticaria and angioedema, 3) Physical urticaria, and 4) Dermatographism.

Allergy Treatment

How is Hives Treated?

The best treatment for hives and angiodema, just like all other allergies, is to remove the allergens or the trigger. Doctors normally prescribe antihistamines as these provide relief from symptoms such as itchiness. Doctors recommend taking antihistamines on a regular schedule as a preventive measure.

For chronic hives, a combination of medications is generally prescribed by a doctor, so it’s best to consult one. When antihistamines don’t provide relief, oral corticosteroids may then be prescribed.

For severe hive or angioedema outbreaks, an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) or a cortisone medication will be required; so its imperative to consult a medical practitioner.

Penicillin

A common question that doctors ask their patients prior to prescribing antibiotics is whether or not the patient has allergies to penicillin. This is because some people are allergic to penicillin.

An allergic attack happens when a patient takes penicillin and the body’s immune system reacts excessively to the antibiotics.

Signs of Allergic Reaction to Penicillin

You will know if a person is allergic to penicillin when, after taking the antibiotic, these symptoms will appear: rashes, hives, itchy eyes, and swollen lips, tongue, or face.

Normally, mild allergic reaction to penicillin may be arrested or easily put under control with antihistamines that can be bought over-the-counter or without a prescription. However, it is still best to consult a doctor when an allergic reaction to penicillin is observed.

In rare cases, the allergic reaction can be fatal. Very rarely, an allergy to penicillin may cause an anaphylactic reaction which can be deadly. This type of reaction usually develops within an hour after the penicillin is taken. These are the symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, hives, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, wheezing, dizziness, rapid or weak pulse, skin turning blue, and loss of consciousness. When these symptoms are observed, do not waste time and seek for immediate medical attention. Go to a hospital or call your emergency hotline. Anaphylactic reaction should be taken seriously and acted upon immediately.

When a person has anaphylactic reaction, the emergency treatment is an epinephrine shot. In severe conditions when symptoms do not go away, the person may need more shots or he may need antihistamines and corticosteroids injected directly into a vein. This is normally done by emergency personnel.

How Will You Know If You Are Allergic to Penicillin?

A skin test done by your doctor is the best way to find out whether you have a penicillin allergy.

There may be times when, after taking an antibiotic, you will feel something unpleasant that you can not explain. Do not panic immediately. Sometimes what you are feeling may only be an adverse reaction or a side effect to the antibiotic you’ve just taken in. However, watch closely for signs of allergy.

Other Drug Allergies

Aside from Penicillin, there are also other antibiotics that may cause drug allergies. Closely related antibiotics to Penicillin that cause allergies include Cephalosporins such as Cephalexin, Cefprozil, and Cefuroxime.

A word of advice to people who have had a previous serious reaction or anaphylactic reaction to penicillin, carrying an allergy kit is a must, and the allergy kit should always have a shot of epinephrine. People who are known to have allergies to Penicillin must be trained on how to inject themselves with epinephrine.

Here’s another important word of caution: never self medicate especially with antibiotics. If you need an antibiotic, see a doctor and he will prescribe the best antibiotic for you.

Lastly, if you are allergic to penicillin, always indicate this is your ID, or always carry with you a marker that says you are. These ID’s may just save your life when you least expect it.

Cosmetics

Do you know that cosmetics can cause allergies?

Maybe not many of us realize this, but in a normal day we use an average of at least six to seven different cosmetic products. Let’s count:

1. Shampoo
2. Soap
3. Hair conditioner
4. Moisturizing lotion
5. Deodorant
6. Sun block
7. Cologne or perfume

Now if you’re a lady, let’s add more:

1. Make-up foundation
2. Pressed powder
3. Blush on
4. Mascara
5. Lip shiner
6. Lipstick
7. Eye shadow
8. Eye liner

Amazed at the number of products you use?

What many of us do not realize is the fact that any of these products can actually cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. This is because there are certain ingredients used in these products that can act as allergens or substances that trigger allergic reaction. Some of those ingredients known to cause allergic reactions are fragrances used in colognes, perfumes, shampoos, bath soaps, moisturizing lotions, deodorants, and even in soft tissues we normally use to remove make up. These products also contain preservatives, which again has the potential of triggering an allergic reaction to anybody who is sensitive to it.

Cosmetics

How Will You Know If You Are Allergic to Cosmetics?

There are actually two (2) reactions that may be experienced after getting in contact with the cosmetic product. One is called Irritant Contact Dermatitis and the second one is called Allergic Contact Dermatitis.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis is the most common and it usually begins as patches of itchy, scaly skin or a red rash. Untreated, it can then develop into blisters that ooze, especially if the skin is further irritated because of scratching. Irritant Contact Dermatitis is normally observed in the eyelids. This is because Irritant Contact Dermatitis affects areas with thin outermost layers. Normal products that cause this type of allergy are eye shadows and eye liners.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis affects the face, lips, eyes, ears, and neck. Symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, and hive-like breakouts. In some sever cases of allergic contact dermatitis; the skin becomes red and raw.

Perfume

Unlike other types of allergic reactions, the symptoms for allergic contact dermatitis takes time before symptoms appear, except for stronger irritants such as perfumes whose reaction occurs within minutes or hours of exposure. For products such as batch soap, it may take days or weeks of continued exposure before symptoms actually appear. In some cases, a person can develop an allergic sensitivity to a product only after years of use.

What’s the Treatment for Cosmetic Allergies?

The first step is to avoid the products once it has been identified as the ones causing the allergies. To control itching and to reduce the redness and swelling, over-the-counter creams and ointments that contain cortisone may be used. However, it’s still best to talk to your doctor for the best medication for your condition. Topical steroids like cortisone can sometimes lead to facial skin discoloration, and you would not want that. So go visit your doctor if you have cosmetic allergy.

Let’s take a look at six of these allergies following the alphabet – from A to F. Let’s get to know some of the basic information about them so you’ll know what type of allergy you have.

Allergic Conjunctivitis is also known as Pink Eye. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious, and is usually caused by any of the following: allergy; bacteria; viruses; irritating substances such as shampoo, smoke and dirt; sexually transmitted diseases or STD’s; and by chlorinated water in swimming pools.

Bee Allergy or allergy from bee stings can be tolerable to some people, but for people who are sensitive to bee stings or for people who has allergy with bee stings, it can be very dangerous. Reactions to bee stings can be as mild as swelling or it can also be worst such as deadly anaphylactic shock. Reactions to bee sting can cause blocking of airways, causing circulatory collapse and, sometimes, death.

Casein Allergy is an allergy to a protein in milk called casein. It happens when the body’s immune system erroneously thinks the protein is destructive and to protect the body, it produces antibodies which trigger the release of body chemicals such as histamine. Symptoms include swelling of the lips, the mouth, the tongue, the face, and/or throat. Visible symptoms also include skin reactions in the forms or rashes; hives; red, itchy skin; sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, coughing, wheezing, or itchy eyes.

Dust Allergies. Dust is made up of many different things. Maybe not very many of us know that a single piece of dust actually contains flakes of dead skin from us – humans, from pet dander, from parts of fabric we have in our homes, from lint, from bits of food that fell on the floors or on tables, as well as living organisms like fungus, bacteria, mold spores, and dust mites.

Egg Allergies

Egg allergies are more common to children than adults, and it’s the white part of the egg that causes the allergy. Allergic reactions to egg white can be mild to severe and involves the skin and gastrointestinal tracts. If you are allergic to egg whites, try to avoid products that use it as an ingredient as allergic reactions can be immediate.

Fish Allergy is the most difficult allergy to live with because if you have it, it is essential that you avoid fish altogether and any product that contains fish as an ingredient. It will also be a very wise decision to avoid sea food and avoid visiting or patronizing sea food restaurants because even if you order a meal with no fish in it, your meal may still be exposed to cooking utensils with fish proteins on them.

Knowing the type of allergy you have can be a great help towards avoiding an allergy attack. Know what causes yours and stay clear away from it at all cost!

As an Allergy Sufferer, I recommend:

Eliminating carpet from your home and switching to hard-surface floors, go with allergy bedding,  choose dust-proof pillow covers, wash pillows and fabrics often and invest in a good air purifier like the Austin air purifier.

What Causes Allergies?

Allergies are caused by a lot of things. It can be caused by food, by medications, by animal dander, by mold, by dust and dust mites, by latex, by insect stings, and by pollen from trees and flowers.

All these things that cause allergies are called allergens.

If you are prone to allergies, and you’re planning to go on vacation someplace, before finally deciding where, find out first as much as you can about the place you want to visit. Why? Because there are places – cities and counties that are not good for people with allergies; places with lots of trees and flowers for example.

What’s with the Trees and Flowers?

When a person is exposed to pollen and he turns out to be allergic with it, the allergic person can actually get hay fever or seasonal allergies. Symptoms of hay fever are easy to recognize; it includes sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and itchy, watery eyes.

People who are allergic to pollen are advised to stay indoors on windy days or when pollen counts are high. They are also advised to close windows, to use air conditioning, and to avoid hanging clothes out to dry during the pollen season.

So if you have pollen allergy and you’re planning your vacation, remember these 10 places because they are considered the 10 worst places to visit if you have pollen allergies, especially on springtime.

1. Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville tops at number 1 among allergy capitals. This eastern Tennessee city is very beautiful with its scenic mountain beauty. This city is ranked as top city for fall allergies and asthma.

2. Louisville, Kentucky

Considered second worst city for spring allergies, Louisville is situated on the Ohio River across from the state of Indiana.

3. Charlotte, N.C.

Charlotte is known and called the “City of Trees” because of its tree-lined boulevards. The trees in the City pollinate in late winter and spring, but grasses pollinate in late spring and summer.

4. Jackson, Missouri

Jackson, Missouri is home to part of the Natchez Trace Parkway with its diverse forests, prairies, and croplands. Pollen abounds in this place.

5. Chattanooga, Tennessee

In Chattanooga or any other city, people actually filter out pollen, outdoor pollutants, and other irritants with the use of HEPA filters at their homes and by making sure that they keep their windows and doors shut.

6. Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is known as the worst city in the state for allergy sufferers. It is situated in a valley which is very rich with a diversity of plant and wildlife.

7. Dayton, Ohio This place is very abundant with allergy-causing pollen, which normally takes flight in the early morning and peaks between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

8. Richmond, Virginia

Pollen is aplenty in this area, and so whether your place is far inland or close to water, pollen can actually drift in and cause allergies to a lot of people.

9. McAllen, Texas

McAllen is a hot and humid place in the springtime. Pollen abounds in this place, making this not a good destination for people with pollen allergies.

10. Madison, Wisconsin

This place tops amongst many other places in the state when it comes to seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Under normal circumstances, people will automatically say that you have food allergies. And so from that moment on, you begin to avoid eating such food or foods to avoid the allergic reaction.

Now here’s the question: are you really sure it’s food allergy?

Some Facts on Food Allergy

• Did you know that only about 5% of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to foods?
• Did you know that in teens and adults, food allergies occur in only about 4% of the total population?

Could this statistic be true? If only 5% of children and only 4% of all the teens and adults have clinically proven allergic reactions, how do we explain the itchiness or the unpleasant reaction people feel after eating something?

Now here’s the explanation: Not all the “unpleasant reaction” to food can be considered allergic reaction. More often than not, they are food intolerances.

What is Food Allergy?

A food allergy or hypersensitivity is an unusual response triggered by the immune system to a food.

The symptoms of both food allergy or hypersensitivity and food intolerance are almost the same, but the latter is not triggered by the immune system.

Let’s take for example milk. Some people refrain from drinking milk because they believe that they have milk allergies. Then there are also those who do not drink milk because they are lactose intolerant. Where’s the difference? Lactose intolerance means a person is unable to digest milk properly, whereas milk allergy is simply that – a hypersensitivity to milk.

What Next?

If you are experiencing “unpleasant reactions” from food, consult your doctor. It is crucial that you know what you have, whether it’s an allergy or a simple food intolerance. Why? Be advised that allergic reaction to food can be, at its worst, life threatening, unlike food intolerance which is generally less serious with symptoms limited to digestive problems.

So when you visit your doctor, prepare to be able to provide him with information that will help him diagnose what you have. You doctor may ask you questions to find out whether you have anybody else in the family experiencing the same ‘unpleasant feelings” right after eating the food. He also would be interested to find out about your family’s allergy history. Then he might as you wow often does this “unpleasant feelings” happen and what kinds of foods trigger this “unpleasant feelings”.

As a sayings goes, knowing is already half way towards solving the problem. Thus, it is highly recommended that you find out if what you have is really an allergy to something or it’s just food intolerance.

She was not happy about the whole thing because she was actually looking forward to the field trip they were having that very day.

I did not know exactly how to respond to her question, but I told her about my sister, her aunt, who also had allergies when she was small. Thinking about it now, I think they have exactly the same type of allergy. I did have allergies too, but it has been sometime now since I last had an allergy attack. Mine though was different; I itched every time I ate shrimps or crabs; and that was when I was still very young; around 12 years old.

I remember very well what we did after the crying incident that morning; we told her to take a bath and to get ready for the field trip. I then called my sister on the phone (she lived in another state) and asked her about her allergies. She told me to go to a pharmacy and ask a pharmacist for the best medicine for allergy. She reminded me to specifically tell the pharmacist that Abby, my daughter, is going to a field trip, and to make sure that the medicine she will be taking will allow her to enjoy the activity; one that will not make her sleepy. I did as I was told and Abby was able to join and enjoy her field trip that day.

Why Do People Have Allergies?

It has something to do with heredity; when someone in the family has allergy, a Mother or a Grandfather or a sibling, chances are that someone else in the family will also have allergies.

Environment also plays a big part why some people have allergies and some do not. If a person with a genetic tendency for allergy is exposed in an environment where allergens are aplenty, then surely an allergy attack is imminent.

What Can Be Done About It?

So if you know somebody in your family who has allergy, then be aware and be prepared. Avoid places that are full of allergens. An example of an allergen is pollen. If you live in an area abundant with trees and flowers, then you are exposed to pollen and you are at risk always of an allergy attack.

What then? Well, the most effective way of treating allergy is called pretreatment. It is very simple: people with allergies take the medicine before the allergy attacks, not after the attack.

For those who are severely exposed to allergens, like people who live in areas with blossoming trees and pollen, doctors advise that they take allergic medication before the allergy season begins.

Having allergies can be a nuisance. However, when treated properly, they cease to be such, and people with allergies can go on with their lives allergy-free.

If you go to any drug store you’ll see an isle designated to over-the-counter allergy relief medications. But, when do you decide it’s time for a stronger prescription drug to tackle those wicked allergy symptoms?

This will obviously be decided when your symptoms are not controlled by the over-the-counter allergy relief medications such as Zyrtec. At this point you need to do a little investigating . . . get to the bottom of you allergy problems.

The first step is to determine if your allergies are seasonal, indoor, or food allergy. The only way to accurately find the answer to this is to see an allergist and get tested.

Once your doctor gets the results of testing, he will most likely advise you as to which prescription medication you should try. This will also depend on your allergy symptoms. Do you sneeze? Do you have a runny nose? Do you have a cough and congestion? Are your eyes dry and itchy? Are you getting rashes? Your doctor will take all your symptoms and test results into consideration before prescribing an allergy medication.

Two Types of Allergy Relief Prescription Medications

There are a number of prescription allergy relief medications on the market. Antihistamines, such as Clainex, Xyzal, and Allegra, work by blocking your raised level of histamine which is a result of your body reacting to an allergen. This particular type of medicine will also help dry up runny noises and congestion.

There are also decongestants that your doctor may prescribe, such as Allegra-D, Claritin-D, and Semprex. Decongestants relieve congestion. They are often prescribed in conjunction with antihistamines for dealing with allergy symptoms. This type of medication is available in nasal spray, eye drop, liquid, or pill form.

Are There Possible Side-Effects to Prescription Allergy Relief Medication?

The answer here is YES. As with any medication, there can be side-effects. Over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines can cause drowsiness. The good news is that there are non-sedating medications that your doctor can prescribe.

Decongestants may raise blood pressure. They may also cause insomnia, irritability and even restrict urinary flow.

Because of these possible side effects, it is very important for you to discuss all your health related issues or problems with you doctor before being prescribed a medication. You may also discuss the differences between certain allergy medications with your pharmacist.

When your body comes in contact with a substance that it considers foreign but not entirely harmful, you may experience a rash appearing on the skin. Rashes are reddish skin bumps that are indicative of the skin being highly irritated. The presence of a rash can often lead to another common allergic reaction: itchiness. Of course, itchiness can occur without the presence of a rash as well.

Itchiness is not limited to the skin. Your eyes can become irritated and itchy. This, in turn, leads to the desire to rub the eyes as a way of relieving the problem. Watery eyes can result from an allergic reaction without the accompanying itchiness. Watery eyes may not seem like a major problem, but such a condition can lead to temporary vision problems which can definitely be a serious problem.

Many people will visit urgent care centers when they have issues related to allergies. Some may assume that such panic is a result of overreacting to the problem. After all, are not all allergies harmless? Well, mostly all allergies are benign but some can be life threatening. That is why it is certainly never a good idea to not take any allergic reaction seriously.

Are you allergic to it? Taking the following quiz can help you arrive at the answer:

Do you experience the feeling of being tired all the time?

Yes? Then you may be suffering from gluten induced fatigue. This allergic reaction could be so severe it can develop into chronic fatigue syndrome.

Are you suffering from constipation?

Gluten can often cause this problem and it will be even more severe depending upon the allergic reaction one experiences.

Have concentration problems developed after eating a product with gluten in it?

Some may find this to be shocking, but a gluten allergy can literally mimic the problems and symptoms similar to ADHD. Those that develop concentration problems and hyperactivity may be suffering from such a problem due to gluten intake.

Are you experiencing mood swings?

Yes, an allergic reaction to gluten can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems, and irritability. It is not out of the question that gluten reactions can lead to increased aggressiveness as a result of the allergic reaction.

Is abdominal pain something you are contending with recently?

When gluten breaks down in the stomach, it can cause a number of issues with the abdominal region. Cramps and bloating are not uncommon reactions. Diarrhea can also develop and, in some instances, the problem could literally expand into the serious condition of Crohn’s Disease.

What are the current readings on your scale? Do they reflect a great deal of weight loss?

There are a number of reasons why gluten allergies can cause weight loss. Cutting back or outright eliminating your gluten intake will certainly eliminate such a problem since there will no longer be the gluten in the system that is causing weight loss.