Physical urticaria comes in many forms. It is a condition caused by cold situations or contact with water. In both instances, it leads to the development of itchy bumps on the person suffering from it. These bumps are irritating and while some stay for a short while of ten minutes to two hours, the rest persist for years. The itchy bumps appear as patches the size of a coin, which are red in color. Chronic urticaria is the result when the patches persist for a long period. The cause, signs, treatment and prevention of this condition is the essence of this article.
Causes of Chronic Urticaria
Chronic urticaria is a result of several factors such as a poor immune system. People with chronic infections in the body such as some cancers, fungal, persistent bacterial infections, hepatis, worm infestations and viral infections are some of the causes of a poor immune system. The other contributing factor is environmental such as the exposure to certain elements such as water, extreme temperatures and pollen dust. Some allergies related to foodstuff could also cause chronic urticaria as well as some drugs. These could be anti-inflammatory medicines or vaccines. Contraceptives and any other drugs interfering with the hormones could also cause this urticaria.
Once one has been exposed to the above factors, the result is itchy bumps, which are red in color. The bumps last on the body for more than six weeks. Most of the time the bumps keep shifting base from one part of the body to the next. The bumps or hives are believed to be a product of the expulsion of histamine and other substances by the body mast cells. The hives are usually the size of bug bites or larger than the size of a coin. The hives form irregular shapes when they come together or may just scatter from one point of the body to the next. The swellings that result from the itchiness may sometimes prevent breathing. In addition, the swellings may occur around the eyes, at the lips and in the genital areas. The itchiness and swellings vary from one person to the other and may flare up depending on some circumstances. If you experience stress at any one point or exposure to too much heat, this will make the itchiness severe and unbearable.
Chronic Urticaria Treatment
The treatment of chronic urticaria like all other forms of urticaria is not definite. Most doctors prescribe antihistamines, which aid in the reduction of histamine expulsion by the mast cells. As usual, this may not work for all people. This is because while it may relieve the condition on some, it does nothing on others. For people suffering from this condition, it is advised that they visit the hospital for the doctors to administer comprehensive tests, which determine the actual cause of the rash. Such tests include blood and urine tests. This enables the doctors to know the underlying problems, which they can help, eradicate before administering oral antihistamines. Menthol creams on the other hand may help soothe the itchiness when applied on the affected areas. The patient may also take a lukewarm bath or shower that may help relieve the itchiness before bedtime.
While the treatment for chronic urticaria is not exact, prevention is the best. You can avoid having the itchy bumps by keeping away from inducing environments such as cold weather or hot weather conditions. If you are allergic to some foods when you consume them in large quantities, it is important that you eat in reasonable amounts. People who develop the hives due to the presence of other infections should seek treatment immediately while using drugs that would help reduce the physical reactions.
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