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Hives: Maddening and Mysterious

By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 18, 2006

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They itch. They're red. They come and go and can drive you nuts. Hives are a patient's and a doctor's worst nightmare.

Hives develop when the allergy cells in your skin called mast cells go haywire. They spill chemicals into your bloodstream which cause redness, itching and swelling intermittently.

The most famous chemical is histamine, which is why doctors treat hives with antihistamines.

Trying to figure out what causes hives is tough. Most folks think their it's their diet or something they put on their skin. Usually they're wrong.

About 85 percent of hives are "we don't know hives" -- they have no easy explanation. Occasionally, a food, medicine, serious illness or physical agent like heat or cold can cause hives, but these causes are rare.

So, if you develop hives, see your doctor. Ask about an evaluation with skin and blood tests but don't expect much. They usually don't tell us much. Thankfully, we can treat hives with oral steroids and antihistamines that don't put you to sleep.

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