How long Do Hives Stay?

Hives are skin allergy that causes red raised areas and sometimes itchy bumps on the skin surface. They are caused due to allergic and non allergic reactions. They involve rings or large patches of different shapes and sizes on the skin. The size of hives varies from few millimeters to several inches in diameter. They can strike anywhere on the body like ears, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms and legs.

The hives keep on changing their size rapidly to move around, disappearing from one place and reappearing on other places in matter of hour is very common with hives. Hives can last for a few minute, a few hours or even a day. In case of acute hives, the rash lasts for less than six weeks. On the other hand, in chronic cases rash are last for more than six weeks.

Hives can be caused due to several reasons such as hereditary factors, sweating, wearing tight clothes and jewellery, stress, anxiety, viral hepatitis, sinus infections and urinary tract infections, liver disease, kidney disease, allergy to medications, nuts, eggs, berries, insect bites, jelly fish etc. Exposure to extreme weather, animal dander, pollen, latex and insect bites can also be the reason for hives.

Your physician can tell you if you have hives by looking at your skin. If you have a history of an allergy, then the diagnosis must be required. At time, skin or blood tests are performed to confirm hives and to test for the substances that caused the hives.

Mild hives doesn't require any treatment as they disappear on their own. To reduce itching and swelling you should avoid tight fitting clothes on affected area and hot baths. If the allergy responsible for the hives cannot be discovered, the symptoms of hives will need to be treated. Antihistamines are the main medications for treating hives. It helps to control the hives and relieve the itchiness. Antihistamine such as Atarax, Benedryl, Seldane and Tagamet are commonly used for treating the hives. Doctors usually suggest corticosteroids in more severe cases. In life threatening cases, injections of epinephrine is suggested.

Hives often can be prevented by avoiding the exposure to substances that give you allergic reactions, if those causes are known. Reducing emotional and physical stress can also help to prevent hives. In some cases, doctors recommend patients to take the hives medications for longer periods to keep them from recurring.

Duration of hives can be few minutes, hours or a day. Consult doctor if hives are severe, uncomfortable and taking long time to disappear.