#39 - Urticaria: what causes hives?

Urticaria, also known as hives can be triggered by many things. From the heat to water, to the spontaneous hive, these can be a burden for many patients. Knowing what triggers urticaria can help manage hives and lessen their impact on the quality of life. Hives may feel mysterious, but they don’t have to be.

Today Dr Patel, a double board-certified Allergist/Immunologist, joins us to discuss the causes of urticaria, how urticaria is diagnosed and how it is treated. 

What we cover:

• What is urticaria, more commonly known as hives. 
• What does urticaria look like? How do you know they are hives?
• Who typically gets urticaria?
• What are the causes of urticaria?
• What is a rash? A hive is a kind of rash.
• Chronic versus acute hives. 
• Types of urticaria:
• Idiopathic urticaria (spontaneous urticaria) 
• Physical urticarias: 
  • Dermatographic
  • Pressure urticaria
  • Vibration urticaria
  • Aquagenic urticaria
  • Cholinergic urticaria (exercise)
  • Cold urticaria
  • Heat urticaria
  • Solar urticaria 
• How stress impacts hives and allergic responses. 
• How is urticaria diagnosed?
• Why you want to see an allergist about urticaria.
• Ways to treat urticaria: Antihistamines, Xolair (omalizumab), Immunosuppressants, Topic medication, Oral steroids
• Are urticaria and eczema linked?
• Impact of having hives on daily life. 

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