Hives Treatment

Medicinal Treatment for Hives


Hives Treatment » Medicinal Treatment for Hives

Medicinal Treatment For Hives

Hives are common skin conditions that affect people from all age group, sex, and region. In medical terms hives are known as Urticaria. When hives occur you can see red bumps on your skin that can also cause itching and inflammation. There are several medicinal treatments for hives.

One can get confused between mosquito bite and hives. But hives are slightly more swollen and red in color. Hives mainly occur in hands, feet, arms, back, face, lips, or mouth. They can come and go any time due to various reasons like food allergy, secondary infection of some other disease, certain weather conditions, or physical conditions.

The most common discomfort caused due to hives is itchiness and inflammation of the skin. In many cases hives only appear as red swollen welts and do not cause any discomfort except spoiling the appearance. Hives can be chronic as well as short lived. In most of the cases hives disappear within a week. But if it extends beyond a week they are known as chronic hives. Such hives need medical attention.

People generally leave the hives untreated as they generally disappear on their own. In case the hives are chronic, or the affected person is experiencing lot of discomfort like itchiness or inflammation, medical help should be sought. Although hives are not fatal, they can cause life threatening conditions if left untreated for long.

Chronic or prolonged hives can lead to certain situations where medical intervention becomes necessary. So approach your doctor for medicinal treatment of hives if any of the following situations occur along with hives:

  • You are facing difficulty in breathing
  • There is pain in your abdomen
  • You are experiencing wheezing or heavy breathing
  • You are feeling giddy or have a heavy head
  • Extreme diarrhea or vomiting
  • If there is swelling in face or tongue
  • Hive rashes are increasing
  • Hives are not subsiding even after medication

The most common allopathic treatment for hives is medicines containing antihistamine. Low sedating forms of antihistamines are available in market both as OTC and as Prescribed Medicine. The most popular antihistamine that can be taken OTC is cetrizine (Zyrtec).

Diphenhydramine is also an allopathic cure for treating hives. Benadryl is a good example for effectively treating hives. However, it causes sleepiness and thus should be taken with care.

Topical creams like Calamine lotion is one of the best way of treating hives. They contain antihistamine and stop the spread of hives. They offer cooling relief to the itchiness and inflammation caused due to hives. However, the topical creams are only good for hives occurring on external parts of the body. They cannot help hives on throats or tongue, or inner lips.

Cortisone pills or injections are used to cure severe cases of hives where the patient starts suffering from Anaphylaxis or breathing difficulty. This medicine is strictly taken under doctor's supervision and in emergency conditions. The above described are some medicinal treatments for hives and can be resorted to if other remedies fail.