Hives also known as urticaria, in this condition skin rash triggered by a reaction to food, medicine or other irritants. The skin rash could be hives, and the itching from hives range from mild to severe. This condition also known as urticaria. Hives can go away quickly it is acute hives, or last a long time it is chronic hives. Allergic reaction occurs when your immune system comes in contact with an allergen. Allergens are proteins that are harmless to many people but cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people. There is a difference between hives and rash.
Rash is a skin condition that involves something out of the ordinary like spots, swelling, redness or itchiness and hives is an example of a rash but not all rashes are hives.
Types of hives
Acute urticaria refers to hives that don’t last very long. Chronic urticarial happens at least twice a week for more than six weeks. There is also a condition called physical urticaria or inducible urticarial. Physical hives usually appear within an hour after exposure, this type of hives can also be chronic.
What causes hives?
The welts that come with hives are caused by the release of immune system chemicals, such as histamine, into your bloodstream. The skin reaction may be triggered by –
- Sunlight
- Heat or cold
- Pressure on the skin as from a tight waistband
- Vibration such as caused by jogging
- Medical conditions such as infection, thyroid disease, allergy and cancer
Causes of acute hives-
- Acute hives are often an allergic reaction to something you put into your body, like drink or food, medication or something that you touch. The skin has immune cells called mast cells. When these cells go into action, they release chemicals including called histamine. Histamine is the reason that hives form. Some of reasons include having infection, stress or physical pressure on your skin.
Causes of Chronic hives
Chronic hives are not usually caused by allergies. They caused by infections from bacteria or viruses, or other medical conditions like lupus. Chronic hives last for long periods of time but usually are not permanent. They can be uncomfortable, but they are not life threatening.
Symptoms
- Welts that might be purple, red or skin colored, depending on your skin color
- Itchiness which can be intense
- Batches of welts that can rise anywhere on the body
- Welts that vary in size, change shape and appear and fade repeatedly
- Painful swelling around the cheeks, eyes or lips
- Symptoms that persist for more than six weeks and recur often and anytime, sometimes for months or years
- Flares triggered by exercise, heat or stress
Complications of Hives
- Severe acute allergic reaction could have life threatening swelling of the airways- your throat and lungs, this condition is known as anaphylaxis.
- Anaphylaxis is triggered by a severe allergic reaction to a certain food like peanuts or to a bee sting.
- Symptoms of anaphylaxis include trouble in breathing, dizziness, swelling of the lips, tongue, mouth or throat.
Prevention of Hives
- Avoid known triggers- if you know what has triggered your hives try to avoid that substance.
- Cut certain food products out of your diet
- Switch to detergents and soaps without scents or dyes
- Reduce exposure to airborne allergens
- Avoid extreme changes in temperature
- Relax and take a break when you are stressed or overworked.
- Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing
- If pollen or animal contact has triggered your hives in the past, take a bath or shower and change your clothes if you are exposed to pollen or animals.
Management of Urticaria according to Ayurveda-
In ayurveda urticaria is classified as a Sheetapitta. Sheetapitta is comprised of two words – sheeta and pitta. This condition occurs due to the dominance of cold over pitta dosha.
In ayurveda sheetpitta is caused due to the following reasons such as-
- Overconsumption of sour gruels
- Sleeping during the day
- Contact with cold substances
- Exposure to cold wind
- Improper emesis
- Insect bite
- Coming in contact with poisonous bugs and insects
- Excess intake of pungent and salty food
- Effect of seasonal changes on the body
Due to these factors Kapha and Vata doshas become aggravated and inevitably combine with pitta dosha, these spread all over the body and produce rashes on the surface of your skin.
Ayurvedic treatment for sheetapitta / urticarial involves body purification therapy like samshodhana . Abhyanga, svedana, vaman and virechen are very effective in treating Urticaria.
Pathya –
- Consume old grains
- Mudga green gram
- Aamalaki
- Karela
- Drink warm water
Apathya-
- Excess spicy, sour food
- Avoid heavy to digest food
- Cold water
- Wrong food combinations ( virudha aahar)
Lifestyle Improvement in Urticaria as per Ayurveda-
- Avoid exposure to cold breeze
- Don’t suppress natural urges
- Daily exercise, meditation and yoga
- Avoid day time sleep after lunch
- Sleep on time after dinner
- Follow ritucharya and deencharya as per ayurveda
- Hot water bath daily
- Use chemical free products
Yoga and Asanas – with the help of yoga asanas reduces stress that promotes relaxation by deep breathing. Yoga and asanas are helpful in urticarial are as following-
- Halasana
- Surya namaskar
- Brashtrika pranayama
- Matsyasana
- Bhujangasana
- External therapies for Urticaria-
- Lepa with durva and nishi
- Abhyanga with kshara, lavana , taila
- Parisheka with ushnambu
Purificatory thearpies for urticaria-
- Vamana
- Virechana
Herbs used in Ayurveda for urticaria-
- Nimba
- Haridra
- Amrita
- Nishotah
- Triphala
- Katuki
Chronic Urticaria Kit
1) Aloe Vera Gulab Gel –
Aloe Vera Gulab Gel is formed with the pure extract of herb Aloe Vera and the mixture of rose petals. Thus this wonderful composition provides a cooling effect on the skin that relieves from burning sensation, itchiness, etc. The gel helps in maintaining healthy skin and repairing skin damage.
Recommended Dosage – Gently apply over the affected area of the skin.
2) Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu –
The tablets are very beneficial in curing skin diseases as it contains the Pitta pacifying ingredients such as Shuddh guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Amrita (Tinospora cordifolia), Gajapippali (Piper chaba), Shunthi (Zingiber officinalis), etc. The tablet is Tridoshahara, thus is very effective in maintaining the hormonal level in the body.
Recommended Dosage – Take 2 tablets twice daily with normal water.
3) Skin care tablet –
Skin care tablet is a pure ayurvedic formulation. It helps to maintain the texture of your skin depending on the type of skin you have. It contains various herbs like Haridra khand, Panchnimb churna, Khadir chahal, Chirayta, Mulethi, Chopchini, Gandhak, Ajmoda that work very effectively on all skin types. Skin care is a blood purifying tablet. It cools and detoxifies the blood, increase blood circulation of the skin. It minimizes the blemishes, lighten sun tan, delay ageing of skin and heal skin problems. These tablets also act as a skin moisturizer, Improves blood circulatio, reduce itching and burning sensation of skin, Prevent acne and pimples.
Recommended Dosage: Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.
4) Neem Capsules –
NEEM capsules 100% Safe and purely Ayurvedic preparation. CAC NEEM CAPSULES is natural and herbal product prepared from the standard extract of herb Neem (Azadirachta indica). Neem herb is widely used to cure acute to chronic Skin problems such as Pimples, Itching, Dryness, Blemishes, Dark spots, Pigmentation, Scars etc. Neem leaves are rich in Vitamin-E, Fatty acids & emollients.
Recommended Dosage: Take 1 capsules twice daily with normal water.
5) Detox Premium Powder:
This is a herbo-mineral preparation that contains ingredients like Parwal Pishti, Giloy satv, Shukta Pishti, Kamdudha Ras, Gandhak Rasayan, etc.
Parwal Pishti: This Pishti reduces inflammation, flaking, itching of the skin. The Pishti is composed of natural coral calcium processed with rose water.
Shukta Pishti: It helps to balance the Pitta dosha in the body. All signs and symptoms related to Psoriasis patients are managed with this article.
Giloy Satv: This satv is prepared from the herb Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia). The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties of this herb deal with psoriasis easily.
Kamdudha Ras: This herbal-mineral classical preparation balances Pitta dosha in the body.
Gandhak Rasayana: This herbal preparation is used since ancient times for all types of skin disorders.
Tal Sindoor: It contains ingredients like Shuddh parad, Aloe vera, Gandhak, etc that relieve redness in psoriasis patients.
Akik Pishti: This Pishti reduces all types of Pitta related disorder hence it gives good results in psoriasis.
Recommended Dosage: Take 1 sachet twice daily with plain water.
6) Itch Care Tablet
It is pure herbal combination which is purely natural. Skin primarily protect our body from toxins present in environment. Itching is related to various skin problems like dermatitis or irritates such as nickel in jewelry, infected cut. Chronic skin condition like psoriasis, acne and due to internal conditions like blood, lungs, and liver. Mainly toxins in skin arises due to excess rakta dhatu and rasa or plasma nourishes the skin.
Recommended Dosage: Take 1 tablet twice daily with plain water.
