Hives also known as urticaria, appear as pink, raised and itchy bumps on the skin. They occur due to an allergic reaction, but other factors can also cause hives like- cold, stress, insect bites, drugs, food etc.
Hives can appear anywhere and can stay from hours to weeks. This can make you really uncomfortable because hives tend to itch. Although there are many anti-allergic medications to treat hives, first we are going to tell you about some of the natural methods to get relief from hives at home.
Wet and cold cloth:
Cold compress works wonders in reducing the swelling and redness of hives. You can dip a clean cloth in cold water and apply to the affected area for 10- 15 minutes. You may need to repeat the process every few hours.
Take a bath:
You can take a bath by adding anti-itch natural solutions like oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is specifically marketed as an anti-itch solution for bathing. You can also use 1-2 handfuls of baking soda.
Aloe vera:
Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties. Still, we recommend you do a skin patch test before using it. If you do not experience any irritation within 24 hours of a patch test, you may apply aloe vera gel or cream on hives few times a day.
Stay cool:
Heat can make the hives and itchiness worse. Therefore, wear loose cotton clothes, keep the temperature in your house cool and avoid sitting in the sunlight.
If you don’t get relief from the home remedies, you can opt for over-the- counter medications like:
If you are experiencing hives too frequently and home remedies are not giving you much relief, we recommend you meet our board-certified allergists at “The Allergy Group” to determine exactly what is the causative agent for hives and advice appropriate treatment.
Benadryl: Diphenhydramine or Benadryl is the most commonly used antiallergic drug for relieving hives. You can talk to your Allergist or follow the dosage instructions on the package. The only side-effect of Benadryl is that it causes sleepiness.
Non-drowsy anti-allergic drugs: Zyrtec, Claritin or Allegra are anti-allergic drugs which do not cause drowsiness and provide relief for a longer duration. However, you may need guidance from an Allergist to adjust the dosage of these drugs to effectively treat hives and give you complete relief.