Allergic urticaria on the skin: symptoms in the photo, how to treat, diet or what you can eat? Allergic urticaria - symptoms and treatment, folk remedies, diet

is a skin pathology of an allergic nature, which can be acute or (less often) chronic. Its symptoms are skin itching, the appearance of erythematous elements rising above the skin, similar to rashes remaining after a nettle burn - hence the name of the pathology. Diagnosis is made based on an examination of the patient, a blood test, and determination of the level of immunoglobulin E; It is possible to conduct immunological studies - allergy tests to identify the allergen. Treatment of allergic urticaria is carried out using antihistamines, a hypoallergenic diet, and immunomodulatory drugs.

ICD-10

L50.0

General information

Allergic urticaria can affect a person at any age, but in the age distribution of patients there is a predominance of children. This is due to the immaturity of many immunological processes, which is why allergies to various factors easily occur. The chronic type of allergic urticaria most often develops in adult females - in this case, it is often not possible to identify the cause of the disease, so it is often also called idiopathic urticaria. In itself, this pathology does not pose a threat to human life, but it can be complicated by angioedema or anaphylactic shock. These conditions require emergency medical care to save the patient's life.

Causes

The causes that cause skin manifestations differ among different forms of allergic urticaria. Usually this is a reagin type of hypersensitivity (type 1 allergy), mediated by type E immunoglobulins. Allergens for this type of allergic urticaria are food components, pollen, household dust, some medications and other factors. In this case, skin manifestations are just one of the symptoms of a food or other allergy. In some cases, type 2 allergies can also cause such skin disorders - this mainly happens with blood transfusions. Intravenous administration of certain drugs with the development of an immunocomplex intolerance reaction can also cause allergic urticaria.

It has been noted that some infectious diseases, endocrine disorders, and psycho-emotional disorders increase the likelihood of developing allergic urticaria. This is especially true in relation to idiopathic or chronic forms of pathology. The pathogenesis of the development of skin disorders in this case has been poorly studied; both immune and non-immune mechanisms of activation of tissue basophils of the skin are assumed. Therefore, in the presence of allergic urticaria of unspecified etiology, a complete examination of the patient’s body is performed in order to identify hidden and chronic diseases and disorders.

Pathogenesis

The main cause of skin disorders in allergic urticaria is massive degranulation of tissue basophils (mast cells). The granules of these cells contain histamine, heparin, leukotrienes and a number of other biologically active compounds that can significantly change metabolic processes in tissues. Basically, they lead to dilation of blood vessels, increase the permeability of their walls, cause the accumulation of tissue fluid, stimulate pain receptors in the skin, which leads to itching. In most cases, such reactions in allergic urticaria are local in nature and affect only a certain area of ​​the skin or, less commonly, the entire surface of the body. However, sometimes such a massive release of active compounds can lead to general reactions such as anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema.

In pseudoallergic urticaria, the pathogenesis is largely similar - massive activation of skin tissue basophils occurs with the release of biologically active compounds. However, the reasons and mechanisms of this process are somewhat different - it may be congenital or acquired instability of mast cell membranes, their abnormal response to various physical or humoral factors. In addition, in some cases of pseudoallergic urticaria, the patient exhibits increased sensitivity of skin tissue to histamine and other components of basophil granules. Therefore, even a slight release of these substances can lead to the clinical picture of urticaria.

Classification

As mentioned above, all forms of allergic urticaria are divided into two types - acute and chronic. The boundary between them is quite arbitrary - it is believed that in the acute form, rashes and itching persist for no more than 6 weeks, while if they bother the patient longer, a diagnosis of chronic allergic urticaria is made.

In addition, it is important to differentiate true allergic urticaria from pseudoallergy, in which activation of mast cells occurs without the participation of immune mechanisms. There are many varieties of this condition - for example, mechanical types of pseudo-allergies include the following:

• Dermographic urticaria(urticarial dermographism) - provoked by simple physical pressure on the skin (seams of clothing, for example). Non-immune mechanisms of mast cell activation most often play a role in the pathogenesis of dermographic urticaria.
• Cold urticaria– this type of temperature urticaria has become more common in recent years. It was found that in patients with this pathology, during cooling, the level of certain platelet factors increases and the stability of the mast cell membrane decreases. Against the background of increased sensitivity of skin tissue to histamine, this can lead to the development of erythematous rashes and itching, both with local exposure to cold and with the consumption of cold foods and drinks.
• Heat urticaria– is a rather rare variant of urticaria. Just as in the case of urticarial dermographism, the main role in the development of this type of disease is played by non-immune mechanisms of activation of mast cells - their degranulation occurs with increasing temperature.
• Solar urticaria(photoallergy) - the provoking factor in this case is sunlight. Patients with this type of urticaria have an increased sensitivity of the skin to histamine, so the degranulation of even a small number of mast cells leads to noticeable disturbances.
• Vibration urticaria– is a fairly rare form, often has signs of an occupational disease (in construction workers, in production). In this case, degranulation of basophils occurs due to mechanical shock of the tissues.
• Aquagenic urticaria– previously did not belong to the mechanical varieties of urticaria, but in recent years there have been indications that the provoking factor in this case is the physical impact of water jets. Activation of skin mast cells occurs through a non-immune mechanism and is quite weak, but with increased tissue sensitivity to histamine, this leads to the development of erythema and itching.

In addition to mechanical factors, an imbalance of the cholinergic autonomic nervous system can provoke the development of urticaria. This causes the development of the so-called cholinergic urticaria. In addition to the erythematous rashes and skin itching typical for this pathology, in this case there are also disturbances in sweating and regulation of skin temperature. This type of urticaria is often provoked by a person’s emotional experiences. In addition, urticaria pigmentosa, which is an autoimmune pathology, is close to this skin disease. With it, an increased number of basophils accumulate in the skin tissues, which can be easily activated by various factors.

Symptoms of allergic urticaria

Despite the huge variety of types of urticaria and the factors that can provoke it, the symptoms of the disease are quite uniform and differ only in their severity. One of the first manifestations is the development of skin itching and redness of the skin. Such phenomena can be both local and widespread, located symmetrically (with the cholinergic type of pseudoallergic urticaria) or, much more often, asymmetrically. Very quickly (from several minutes to several hours) blisters of various sizes (0.2-5 cm) appear at the site of redness, which can merge with each other. An important diagnostic sign of allergic urticaria is the painlessness of the blisters.

In most cases, these skin manifestations resolve within 24 hours, leaving no traces behind, provided there is no repeated exposure to the provoking factor. Sometimes, with severe forms of allergic urticaria, the increase in symptoms occurs so rapidly that the skin rash develops into angioedema. The persistence of skin manifestations and the development of new rashes indicates the continued action of the provoking factor, which, in this case, may be of an endogenous nature (as in idiopathic urticaria).

Diagnostics

In clinical dermatology, the definition of this disease is made using a significant number of diagnostic techniques due to the large number of forms of pathology. Upon examination, painless erythematous rashes protrude above the surface of the skin, having different sizes and localization, are revealed. Diagnosis of the acute form of allergic urticaria, especially if it accompanies any allergy, is made on the basis of the patient’s allergic history and determination of the level of immunoglobulin E in the blood. The number of eosinophils in the blood is not a strict diagnostic criterion for this condition, especially its acute or sporadic form, but with In long-lasting rashes, slight eosinophilia is observed. Through allergy tests, the source of the allergy can be identified and the patient’s diet can be adjusted to prevent further attacks of the disease.

In cases where the rash does not disappear within 24 hours against the background of a hypoallergenic diet and the exclusion of provoking physical factors, it is necessary to examine the lymph nodes, prescribe a general and biochemical blood test, and conduct a urine test. All this will allow us to identify a pathology that may have become a trigger for the development of allergic urticaria or to promptly recognize the pseudo-allergic form of this condition. The same should be done if the patient has a fever - urticaria itself does not cause hyperthermia, but some infectious diseases can cause both symptoms.

Each type of pseudoallergic urticaria (dermographic, cold, solar, etc.) is diagnosed by dosed exposure to the provoking factor. To do this, use a dermographometer, an ice cube, ultraviolet radiation with different wavelengths and other tools. The results are assessed, depending on the type of urticaria, the severity of symptoms and other factors, after a few minutes or hours, a maximum period of 48 hours. A positive result of the test will be the development of erythematous rashes and skin itching in the area of ​​the study.

Treatment of allergic urticaria

The main link in therapy is to reduce the effect of histamine on skin tissue - this can significantly reduce swelling and itching. To do this, it is necessary to block H1-histamine receptors, this is achieved by using antihistamines. Currently, preference is given to second-generation (loratadine, cetirizine) and third-generation (levocetirizine) antihistamines. These drugs are very effective in acute forms of allergic urticaria, as well as dermographic and solar pseudo-allergies. However, in chronic forms of urticaria and those with delayed onset of symptoms (some types of pressure rashes), the effectiveness of antihistamines is greatly reduced.

For the treatment of chronic forms of pathology, as well as for the prevention of exacerbations in the recurrent nature of allergic urticaria, drugs that stabilize basophil membranes (ketotifen fumarate) and calcium antagonists (nifedipine) are used. They significantly increase the threshold for mast cell activation, thereby making it more difficult for skin manifestations to develop. If there is a suspicion that the development of the disease is due to a decrease in immune activity, then immunomodulatory drugs are additionally prescribed. When a systemic pathology is identified, which is accompanied by allergic urticaria, a treatment regimen is developed.

In addition to prescribing medications, a hypoallergenic diet plays a significant role in the treatment of this condition to reduce the load on the human immune system. In addition, after determining the provoking factor (food or physical nature for pseudo-allergy), it is necessary to take measures to exclude it from the patient’s life or minimize its impact on the body. In cases where allergic urticaria is rapid and leads to angioedema or anaphylactic shock, urgent life-saving measures are necessary (injections of adrenaline and steroids, hospitalization).

Prognosis and prevention

The prognosis of acute urticaria in most cases is favorable - the rash disappears within 24 hours, leaving no marks on the skin. In the absence of repeated exposure to the provoking factor, the disease often never bothers the person again. However, in the case of chronic forms of allergic urticaria, the prognosis largely depends on its type, severity, compliance by the patient with all the requirements of the dermatologist or allergist and the correctness of the prescribed treatment. Such persons must always adhere to a hypoallergenic diet (exclude eggs, chocolate, seafood and a number of other products from the diet). It is essential to identify the cause of the skin disorder to minimize its impact. If urticaria was caused by another disease, the prognosis largely depends on the success of its treatment.

The cause of this type of urticaria is allergens - certain substances that the body perceives as dangerous to it and reacts to them in a special, and to some extent overly strong, way. This is manifested by a characteristic skin reaction in the form of short-term redness, itching and typical rashes.

Causes

Allergies can occur in both adults and children. However, it is believed that children are most susceptible to developing rashes on the surface of the skin under the influence of various irritants. The reasons for the formation of a rash can be different.

The main factor in the occurrence of urticaria is contact with an allergen. They release substances that most often negatively affect the body of adults and children. The list includes:

• medications (antibacterial agents, vitamins, oral contraceptives);
• aeroallergens (plant pollen, animal hair, household dust);
• food (fish, nuts, seafood, eggs, honey, chocolate, berries and fruits);
• additives used in food preparation (flavors, dyes, emulsifiers);
• viruses (, Epstein-Barr).

The causes of allergic urticaria lie in the influence of physical factors. Among them are:

• water;
• Sun;
• warm;
• cold;
• vibration.

When determining the cause of the formation of a skin rash, one should not exclude the negative consequences of various chronic diseases. In adults and children, allergic urticaria may appear in the presence of:

• toxicosis;
• dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;
• respiratory and urogenital lesions by fungi and viruses;
• autoimmune and systemic diseases;
• pathologies of the liver and kidneys;
• endocrine disorders (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism);
• tumors of various types.

If you find signs of urticaria, which can be seen in the photo, you must consult a doctor to find out the cause of the allergic disease.

Stages of urticaria

There are three main stages in the development of the disease:

Acute urticaria

In this case, the symptoms of urticaria appear suddenly, it may be accompanied by general weakness, fever, and stomach upset. The rash in acute urticaria is localized on the torso, arms, legs, and buttocks. After some time, the rash may disappear and then appear again. This pattern can repeat itself over several days.

In most cases, the cause of acute urticaria is an allergy to a specific food or plant, as well as medications, shots and vaccines.

Chronic recurrent urticaria

The chronic form differs from the acute form by a less pronounced rash and paroxysmal recurrent course. Attacks can be accompanied by headaches, fever, joint pain, nausea, and can also lead to the development of a neurotic disorder and insomnia due to constant itching.

In the chronic form of urticaria, the rash persists for a long time or occurs periodically over several weeks or months. Allergies are rarely the cause of chronic urticaria (in 1% of cases). Usually it is based on some chronic pathological process developing in the body.

Symptoms

There are characteristic signs that indicate nettle fever (see photo). Allergy symptoms of hives can vary in severity. These include:

1. Swelling and redness of tissues;
2. Temperature increase. Occurs if the rash occupies a large area;
3. Joint pain;
4. Convulsions, asphyxia, dizziness;
5. Itching. Determines the severity of the disease. The most severe is painful itching, as a result of which insomnia and neurotic disorders develop;
6. Rash. For different forms of the disease, the rash may differ. It can be small or large and consist of scarlet blisters with a bright red or white border, which is characteristic of acute urticaria. Sometimes they merge, forming large spots. With giant nettle fever, the blisters can reach enormous sizes, and with papular fever they can be supplemented with papules.

What does allergic urticaria look like: photo

The photo below shows how the disease manifests itself in humans.

Treatment of allergic urticaria

If allergic urticaria occurs, treatment is carried out according to the principles of therapy for any allergic disease.

• The ideal option when treating urticaria is to avoid contact with factors that cause the development of urticaria. The easiest way to do this is for drug-induced urticaria or food allergies. Then you can avoid consuming a significant allergen.
• If urticaria is caused by many factors or contact with a significant factor cannot be excluded, then it is necessary to take antihistamines (Claritin, Diazolin, Telfast). For particularly severe forms of urticaria, glucocorticoid drugs are used for a short period of time.

Locally, ointments based on zinc oxide (zinc paste, cindol) are used to reduce itching and rash; in more severe cases, the doctor may prescribe ointments and creams containing corticosteroids, for example, Advantan, Elokom.

How to relieve severe itching

In order to relieve severe itching, hormonal ointments are used for contact nettle fever:

• Sinaflan;
• Prednisolone;
• Hydrocortisone.

They are used if the area of ​​skin affected is small.

Non-hormonal ointments that relieve itching include:

• Psilo-balm;
• Fenistil;
• You can use herbal baths or cold compresses.
• Talkers with the addition of menthol are effective.
• Antihistamines are used internally.

Nutrition

The diet for this disease is not much different from the diet for other manifestations of allergies. It is imperative to exclude a product that provokes allergic reactions from the diet of an adult or child.

In addition, it is necessary to follow a hypoallergenic diet. Replace dairy products with fermented milk. Eliminate bright exotic fruits from your diet. You should not eat foods that you have not tried before. Very often, seafood causes allergies, so it is better to avoid them. You cannot eat nuts, raisins and prunes.

It is better to eat meat boiled or stewed. It shouldn't be too greasy. Vegetables are best consumed fresh or boiled. Fried foods should be avoided. Give preference to buckwheat and rice porridge, as well as boiled potatoes. Do not use hot spices or large amounts of salt when cooking.

Prevention

It is impossible to protect yourself from all allergens, but if a person knows that he is prone to allergies, then to ensure his own health he must avoid unnecessary provocations from the external environment.

Following a hypoallergenic diet, eliminating contact with aggressive household chemicals, using gloves when working with them, gauze bandages if it is necessary to work in dusty rooms, and most importantly, knowledge of products and medications that can cause allergies is an important part of prevention.

Women during pregnancy and lactation should also take precautions so as not to provoke the development of allergies in the child.

Forecast

The prognosis of acute urticaria in most cases is favorable - the rash disappears within 24 hours, leaving no marks on the skin. In the absence of repeated exposure to the provoking factor, the disease often never bothers the person again.

However, in the case of chronic forms of allergic urticaria, the prognosis largely depends on its type, severity, compliance by the patient with all the requirements of the dermatologist or allergist and the correctness of the prescribed treatment. Such persons must always adhere to a hypoallergenic diet (exclude eggs, chocolate, seafood and a number of other products from the diet).

It is essential to identify the cause of the skin disorder to minimize its impact. If urticaria was caused by another disease, the prognosis largely depends on the success of its treatment.

Allergic urticaria– this is a common manifestation of the human body’s increased sensitivity to a certain factor. Often reactions to allergens are expressed, and urticaria manifests itself in the same form. This disease received its name due to the similarity of the main symptoms with those that appear after a nettle burn on the human body.

Medicine also includes severe angioedema, in which edema quickly appears and grows in the patient. Lack of timely assistance for this disease can lead to death.

However, the appearance of angioedema in itself is not a cause for great concern, since such a condition develops quite rarely, and the level of care provided by medical institutions allows it to be dealt with. The main thing is to consult a doctor without delay.

Most often, urticaria affects women aged 20-60 years. According to statistics, up to 30% of the population sees manifestations of this disease on the skin throughout their lives, but only in a small proportion they are so pronounced that they are the reason for turning to specialists.

ICD 10 code– L50.

Allergic urticaria can have varying degrees of severity and appear under different circumstances. On this basis, doctors have identified several types of the disease:

1) Acute form urticaria occurs literally a few minutes after the human body interacts with the allergen. Acute allergies are severe, but stop after a short time. Stopping the intake of the allergen, as well as taking antihistamines, prevents a further increase in symptoms, so that after a few hours you may not see any manifestations on the patient’s body. Sometimes it can take up to several days for the rash to clear up.

2) manifestations of allergies bother the patient for a long time. This disease is not so pronounced, and sometimes patients do not notice them immediately, which delays the time of medical examination. Therefore, a person’s attentive attitude to his body and health is another necessary component that allows him to cope with any ailment.

Predisposing factors for exacerbation of a chronic condition may be cold air, sunlight, or others. For example, the use of cosmetics simultaneously with exposure to the sun for a long time will lead to itching and rash, but each component separately will not.

3) Quincke's edema– this is the most common type of urticaria, it can pose a threat to the patient’s life. Due to the increased permeability of the vascular walls, pronounced edema appears. It is most noticeable in places where favorable conditions have been created for the accumulation of fluid and there is a large volume of adipose tissue under the skin.

Etiology of the disease

At first glance, it may seem that allergic urticaria appears only upon contact with an allergen, but this is not the case.

This disease has the following etiology:

1. Allergens, inhaled into the body with air, ingested with food, and also which simply come into contact with the skin. Such allergens can trigger a cascade of reactions that result in the manifestation of all symptoms. Any substance can act as an allergen, but more often than others, dairy products, exotic fruits, cereals cause a reaction of the immune system.
2. Atopy(an innate feature of the human body) acts as the basis for the development of pathological manifestations. During the collection of anamnesis, it is often discovered that the patient’s closest relatives also have allergic diseases.
3. . In fact, they are chemical compounds that provoke a rather aggressive reaction in the human body. Among the allergens in this group, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics should be distinguished, since they are the ones that most often cause allergic reactions. The appearance of symptoms in a patient can be observed either immediately after taking the drug or after an entire course of therapy.
4. are also one of the options for foreign proteins entering the human body. These substances often act as a strong irritant, causing a violent response of the skin up to and including Quincke's edema.
5. Pregnancy can change a woman’s body, so a substance or product that she previously tolerated completely normally can cause allergic urticaria.

Diagnostics

The doctor makes the diagnosis visually, the conclusion is based on the presence of blisters - a characteristic primary element of urticaria. A confirmatory criterion is urticarial bright dermographism in the affected area.

The diagnostic program is always formed individually after collecting anamnesis and drawing up a clinical picture. The “gold standard” when urticaria is suspected is to perform skin testing for specific allergens.

So, if the appearance of contact, aquagenic, and thermal urticaria is suspected, the doctor makes tests with provoking factors.

Symptoms of the disease

Urticaria is accompanied by specific symptoms that allow a reliable and quick diagnosis to be made in order to begin treatment measures in a timely manner.

So, the disease has the following symptoms:

• With urticaria, the allergic rash is represented by blisters - this is the result of intercellular edema. You should also immediately clarify what such a blister looks like: this element is the same as after a nettle burn. They are often confused with blisters and vesicles - formations with a fluid-filled cavity.
• Blisters can come in different shapes and sizes, cover the entire surface of the body or appear only in a certain place. They are surrounded in a circle by a pink border and rise above the skin.
• It is possible that large lesions may grow to such a size that they begin to merge. In this case, the patient’s condition is somewhat more severe; there is an increase in body temperature and chills. This condition is called nettle fever.
• Allergic urticaria is accompanied by itchy skin, sometimes so pronounced that patients scratch the rash until it bleeds.
• The attack starts quickly, the patient can see an increase in symptoms in just a few minutes.

If you take all measures in a timely manner, you can eliminate the skin symptoms of the disease in just a few hours. The liquid is absorbed into the vascular bed, the blisters disappear. Along with them, the itching also disappears.

Manifestations of Quincke's edema

As a rule, this disease is separated from urticaria, but angioedema is one of its varieties. And it is important to be able to detect it in order to take the necessary measures to maintain health.

Thus, Quincke's edema has the following manifestations:

• The skin is pale and cold to the touch.
• If in normal urticaria small swellings develop (each wheal represents intercellular edema), this is not the case. In places where the skin does not adhere tightly to the tissues, fluid accumulates and pronounced swelling is observed - this applies to the lips, eyelids, and external genitalia.
• The most dangerous complication is swelling of the larynx, since in this condition breathing becomes difficult due to a decrease in the lumen. In the most severe cases, the air supply may be cut off and the patient’s life may be threatened.

How to treat?

The effectiveness of treating urticaria will be maximum if you use an integrated approach and influence all stages of the development of the disease.

It is advisable to begin therapy only after the cause has been reliably established. Typically treatment is carried out in 2 areas: elimination(elimination) of the etiological factor, as well as the appointment pharmacotherapy.

Elimination includes:

• Doctor prescribes a hypoallergenic diet.
• Drink plenty of fluids to speed up the removal of allergens from the body.
• Reducing or eliminating external influences that provoke the appearance of blisters in cold, contact, aquagenic, thermal or other types of urticaria.
• Limiting medication intake in case of drug-induced urticaria.
• Avoiding stressful situations, observing temperature conditions, limiting physical activity for adrenergic and cholinergic urticaria.

In most situations, it is not possible to identify the causative factor, so the doctor prescribes drug treatment based on taking antihistamines.

The following treatment methods are also used:

• Vitamin therapy– improves metabolism, which will always be useful.
• Desensitization is an interesting technique in which the doctor introduces a minimal amount of allergen into the patient’s body. In response, a small dose of inflammatory mediators is released, which do not cause any symptoms. Thus, the entire supply of these substances is gradually depleted and the body becomes accustomed to the allergen.

Drug therapy

Antihistamines are effective when the manifestations of urticaria are associated with disturbances in vascular permeability and with other consequences of the action of histamine, such as irritation of the nerve fibers responsible for the presence of itching in a person.

Drowsiness, as a result of the antiserotonergic and anticholinergic effects of such drugs acting on the central nervous system, is the most significant side effect of antihistamines. This explains the high popularity of non-sedating antihistamines, since they poorly penetrate the blood-brain barrier and have weak or no antiserotonergic and anticholinergic effects.

DrugsII generation, such as Zyrtec, Cetrin, Erius, Claritin, Zodak, do not have sedative properties and are the preferred choice for the treatment of allergic urticaria in both chronic and acute forms.

If antihistamines are ineffective, a short course of glucocorticoid drugs (Celeston, Dispropane, Prednisolone) or is prescribed. If the immune response becomes generalized and is also complicated by life-threatening conditions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Quincke's edema or anaphylaxis, it is advisable to prescribe epinephrine.

In addition to corticosteroids and antihistamines, the following is indicated for the treatment of allergic urticaria:

• Diuretics and laxatives as prescribed by your doctor.
• Enterosorbents – Polysorb, Enerosgel, activated carbon, Filtrum STI, Polyphepan.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods have been successfully used to treat urticaria since ancient times, so the most effective among them have been time-tested. However, people with hay fever and patients who have an allergic reaction to certain medicinal plants need to be careful when using the proposed methods or completely abandon them in case of individual intolerance.

So, the following remedies can be used to treat allergies:

1. Dill juice– fresh juice is extracted from pre-washed dill, then using a clean napkin it is applied to the affected area for half an hour. This method is effective in relieving unbearable skin itching.
2. Similar applications are possible using juice from grass and red clover flowers. To obtain it, the raw material is first passed through a meat grinder, then squeezed out and applied to the rash for half an hour.
3. In the absence of an allergic reaction to nettle, it is possible to ingest an infusion of its flowers.. It cleanses the blood and also accelerates the elimination of pathogens from the body. The procedure for preparing the water infusion is described on the packaging of the herbal product. You should drink the product in 3-4 doses of 2 glasses.
4. To speed up the healing of the skin and reduce the intensity of itching, 20-minute baths with an infusion of wild rosemary herb can help. One liter of ready-made infusion is enough for one bath.

Diet

Diet rules:

• The main thing is to exclude from the menu the product that provokes symptoms, but this alone may not be enough, so it is recommended to follow a hypoallergenic diet.
• You should not eat exotic fruits that are brightly colored. It is better to give up experimenting for a certain time and not try foods that you have not eaten before.
• Remove dairy products from the menu (fermented milk is allowed).
• Seafood is often the cause of allergies, so it is better to avoid it for a while.
• Nuts, dried fruits and honey are undesirable for a person with hives.
• Meat should be consumed lean; it is better to boil or stew it.
• Vegetables are also best served fresh, boiled or stewed, but not fried. It is not advisable to eat brightly colored vegetables.
• Buckwheat and rice porridge and boiled potatoes are suitable as a side dish.
• When cooking, it is recommended to use a minimum amount of spices and exclusively vegetable oils.

Despite the apparent harmlessness of allergic urticaria, if you suspect the presence of this disease, you should immediately consult a doctor.

As a rule, urticaria is more of a symptom than an independent disease. For example, it may be a skin manifestation of allergic shock, bronchial asthma, or some kind of autoimmune disease. It is extremely rare for urticaria to be an independent allergic reaction, without accompanying symptoms.
According to statistics, every third person on the planet has suffered at least one episode of urticaria, and more than 15 percent of people have suffered this episode twice. The peak incidence occurs between the ages of 20 and 40 years, and predominantly females suffer from this disease.

Causes of urticaria

Conditions that alter the balance of hormones include:

• taking oral contraceptives.

There are the following causes of chronic urticaria:

• infectious diseases;
• immune system disorders;
• Food;
• physical factors;
• dermatitis;

Infections

Immune system disorders ( autoimmune urticaria)

Food ( allergic urticaria)

Physical factors ( sun, cold)

There are the following physical factors that can cause hives:

• Sun. In some patients ( most often women) due to exposure to sunlight, blisters characteristic of this pathology appear on the skin. The rash appears on those parts of the body that are not covered by clothing ( shoulders, face). Solar urticaria develops a few minutes after exposure to sunlight.
• Cold. In this case, cold water or air can trigger hives. Some people show signs of the disease when they eat food that is too cold. Blisters with cold urticaria do not appear on cooled areas of the skin, but around them.
• Water. The body's reaction to contact with water, resulting in an itchy rash on the skin, is called aquagenic urticaria. In some cases, the rash is absent or almost invisible, and the only symptoms are itching.
• Vibrations. In this case, the rash appears as a result of vibration exposure. Vibration urticaria most often affects people whose work involves the use of certain equipment ( for example, a jackhammer).
• Allergens. Dust, pollen, animal dander and other traditional allergens get on the skin and cause a rash. Symptoms of contact urticaria disappear after interrupting contact with the allergen.
• A sharp increase in body temperature. Body temperature may change due to excessive emotional or physical stress, eating too hot and/or spicy food, or visiting a steam room. Experts call this type of disease cholinergic urticaria. This form of the disease is characterized by the appearance of small, pale blisters that are located on the upper part of the body.
• Mechanical irritation. The most common skin irritants are tight clothing, a too-tight belt, or digging buttons. For symptoms to appear, as a rule, prolonged exposure to a mechanical factor is necessary. This disease is called dermographic urticaria. Blisters with this disease have a linear shape and appear on the skin not together with itching, but after some time.

Urticaria and dermatitis

Urticaria and diabetes mellitus

Against the background of reduced immunity and low resistance ( sustainability) the skin often develops dermatitis, less commonly urticaria. The favorite place for rashes in diabetes mellitus is the feet, ankle joints, and palms. This is explained by the fact that these parts of the body are the most distal, that is, located on the periphery. They have the worst blood circulation, which is the basis for the development of a rash. The manifestation of urticaria in diabetes mellitus, as in other diseases, is a small, blistering rash.

Urticaria and hepatitis

Urticaria and gastritis

Hives and herpes

Urticaria and leukemia

What does hives look like on the face, arms, legs, back and other parts of the body?

Symptoms of acute urticaria in adults

Rash due to hives

The peculiarity of urticaria in adults is that it appears quickly and suddenly and disappears just as quickly.

Itching with hives

Quincke's edema and other manifestations of urticaria

As the severity of the disease worsens, giant urticaria, called Quincke's edema, may develop. This condition is characterized by severe swelling, which involves not only the skin, but also the subcutaneous tissue and mucous tissues. Quincke's edema ( also called angioedema) is one of the most dangerous manifestations of urticaria, since in the absence of timely medical intervention it can cause death.

The first sign that indicates angioedema is rapid swelling of the skin, causing the affected part of the body to increase in size. The shade of the skin remains natural, and the itching is replaced by pain and severe burning. Most often, Quincke's edema develops in the area of ​​the cheeks, lips, mouth, genitals and other places rich in subcutaneous tissue. The most dangerous is edema, which affects the mucous tissues of the respiratory tract, as this creates an obstacle to normal breathing.

The following signs of Quincke's edema of the respiratory tract are distinguished:

• hoarse voice;
• wheezing difficulty breathing;
• bluish tint to the skin around the lips and nose;
• bouts of severe coughing that resembles barking;
• the skin on the face turns red and then quickly becomes pale.

Is hives contagious?

Is it possible to swim if you have hives?

The following rules of water procedures for urticaria are distinguished:

• The water temperature should not exceed 35 degrees. Higher temperature water increases the permeability of blood vessels, as a result of which the rash may increase in size after a bath or shower.
• Do not use hard sponges, detergents with abrasive particles, or any other devices that may injure the skin. The best option is soft foam sponges.
• During water procedures, you should not use products that are brightly colored and/or have a strong aroma, as they contain fragrances and other chemicals that irritate the skin. It is best to use special hypoallergenic products for hives.
• The duration of any water procedure should not exceed 15 minutes. For acute urticaria, bathing time should be reduced to 5 minutes.
• After hygiene procedures, you should blot the moisture from the skin with a soft natural towel, and then apply a medicinal ointment or other external product used by the patient.
• If there are manifestations of a secondary bacterial infection on the skin ( ulcers) taking a bath is prohibited. In this case, the patient should take a quick shower, trying not to touch areas with ulcers.

How long does hives last?

In adult patients, the acute form of urticaria, as a rule, has a longer course, and skin changes can last up to one and a half months. The fact is that in adults it is quite difficult to identify the cause of the pathology and therefore difficulties arise in eliminating the factor that provokes the disease.
If the symptoms of the disease do not go away after a month and a half, the disease is defined as chronic, which can last from several months to 5 ( and sometimes more) years. The duration of the chronic form depends on the state of the patient's immune function, the lifestyle he leads and other general factors.

Complications and consequences of urticaria

There are the following consequences that urticaria can lead to:

• Quincke's edema. The most dangerous consequence of this pathology is Quincke's edema, which affects the larynx, since in this case there is an obstacle to the respiratory process. In the absence of timely medical attention, swelling can cause death.
• Bacterial infection. A common consequence of hives is a bacterial infection that develops in the rash-affected areas of the skin. Most often, this complication develops in acute forms of the disease, when pronounced large blisters appear on the patient’s body. Due to the addition of a bacterial process, ulcers and boils appear on the patient’s skin, which can be painful.
• Depression. Emotional disturbances occur in approximately 15 percent of adult patients who suffer from chronic urticaria. The cause of depression is poor sleep, as severe night itching prevents the patient from getting enough sleep. In addition, blisters are a cosmetic defect, which negatively affects the patient’s self-esteem and entails emotional distress.

Urticaria in children

As a rule, acute urticaria is observed in children with atopy ( predisposition to allergic reactions). Studies have shown that one in five children admitted to hospital with acute urticaria also suffers from atopic dermatitis. More than half of hospitalized children have other allergic reactions.

Symptoms of urticaria in children

Features of skin changes in urticaria
Skin rashes in children with urticaria occur suddenly and are not accompanied by any preliminary symptoms. Blisters appear on the child’s body, rising above the skin, which can be of a distinct pink or red hue. Most often, rash elements appear in skin folds or areas where the skin comes into contact with clothing. Blisters may also appear on the buttocks, inside the elbows and knees, and on other parts of the body. With gentle pressure, a dense white nodule appears in the center of the blister. A characteristic feature of urticaria rashes is severe itching, which causes the child to scratch the skin. This leads to the fact that the blisters begin to increase in size, and red crusts form on their surface.

There are the following distinctive signs of urticaria rash in children:

• a skin rash appears suddenly and also disappears abruptly;
• on a specific area of ​​the body, blisters last no more than 2 hours ( in rare cases up to 2 days), after which they may appear in another place;
• with strong scratching, the elements of the rash can merge, forming large continuous blisters;
• the swellings have an irregular shape, but their edges are clearly defined;
• after the rash disappears, there are no scars, pigmentation or any other marks left on the skin.

Urticaria in infants

Causes of urticaria in infants
In most cases, the appearance of a rash characteristic of urticaria in children is associated with exposure to a food allergen, which is the food included in the diet of a child or a nursing mother. A common concomitant factor is various infectious diseases, which occur in approximately 60 percent of infants suffering from urticaria. There are other reasons that can trigger this disease in children under one year of age.

The following causes of urticaria in infants are distinguished:

• physical factors (heat or cold, dry air, synthetic fabrics, friction from the diaper);
• chemical substances (cosmetics and baby skin care products, washing powders and fabric softeners);
• medicines (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins);
• air components (dust, pollen, tobacco smoke, fluff);
• insect bites (mosquitoes, bedbugs, bees).

In addition to skin changes and itching, urticaria in infants may be accompanied by other symptoms. Children lose their appetite, their skin becomes dry, and they may develop diarrhea or vomiting. Due to itching, the child becomes restless and whiny, sleeps poorly, looks apathetic and lethargic.

Treatment of urticaria in infants
Urticaria in infants rarely becomes chronic and usually goes away within 2 to 3 days. Treatment of this pathology involves eliminating the factor that initiates the appearance of the rash. Medications may also be prescribed to reduce itching and strengthen the child’s general condition.

Therapy for urticaria in infants includes the following:

• Eliminating the allergen. If any food product is the causative agent of the disease, it must be excluded from the diet of the child and mother ( if she is breastfeeding). You should also remove foods that may cause cross-allergy. If the cause of urticaria is a non-food allergen, the child must be provided with conditions that will prevent contact with this substance/factor.
• Cleansing the body. Sometimes, in cases where hives are the result of a food allergy, the child is prescribed a cleansing enema. This is necessary in order to speed up the process of removing the disease provocateur from the body.
• Use of medications. For urticaria, non-hormonal ointments are indicated that reduce itching, soften and nourish children's skin. For severe rashes, which are characteristic of a severe form of the disease, antihistamines may be prescribed ( usually taken before bed to help ensure your baby has a comfortable night's rest). Some children are advised to take sorbents and/or drugs intended to normalize intestinal function.
• Dieting. A special diet is indicated for all children with urticaria ( and mothers, if their child is breastfed) regardless of what factor is the cause of the disease. The diet allows you to reduce the amount of histamine released in the body, as a result of which the symptoms of the disease appear less intense.

Types of urticaria

Types of urticaria include:

• solar urticaria;
• cold urticaria;
• aquagenic urticaria;
• food urticaria;
• dermographic urticaria;
• urticaria due to stress;
• cholinergic urticaria.

Solar urticaria

Symptoms of solar urticaria
Signs of urticaria appear after a person prone to this disease has been exposed to sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes. With less prolonged exposure, as a rule, a rash does not occur. The longer the patient was exposed to the sun, the more pronounced the symptoms. The blisters characteristic of solar urticaria are small in size and, most often, do not exceed a few millimeters in diameter. In rare cases, when the patient has been under the sun for a long time, individual elements of the rash can increase up to 1 - 2 centimeters.

The blisters in solar urticaria are pink in color and outlined with a red line at the edges. As with other forms of this disease, the rash is accompanied by severe itching. These elements appear on the skin a few minutes after exposure to the sun and disappear a few hours after stopping contact with the sun's rays. The localization zone of the rash is those areas of the body that are not protected by clothing. Also, skin symptoms of solar urticaria may appear on those areas of the skin that are covered with thin fabrics such as chiffon.
In addition to the rash, this pathology may be accompanied by other symptoms, which do not develop as often.

The following symptoms of solar urticaria are distinguished:

• temperature increase;
• feeling of lack of air;
• nausea, vomiting;
• general malaise.

External factors include various chemical components present in cosmetic, medicinal and care products that are applied to the skin. These can be anti-sweat deodorants, creams with a moisturizing or nourishing effect, products for problem skin. Some types of perfume products can also cause solar urticaria ( especially those containing lavender, vanilla or sandalwood essential oil). The difference between a rash that occurs due to external factors is its clear outline.

Internal causes of solar urticaria include toxic substances that are formed in the body due to dysfunction of certain organs. This pathology can be caused by diseases of such organs as the kidneys, liver, and thyroid gland. Another category of internal causes of solar urticaria are medications.

There are the following medications that can cause solar urticaria:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• tetracycline antibiotics;
• oral contraceptives;

Cold urticaria

Symptoms of cold urticaria
The key symptom of cold urticaria is an itchy rash. Depending on the time of appearance of skin changes, immediate and delayed forms of cold urticaria are distinguished. In immediate urticaria, the rash appears almost immediately after exposure to cold. In the delayed type of the disease, blisters appear 9 to 10 hours after exposure to the cold factor.

The sizes of the formations can vary - from small flat blisters to solid spots covering large areas of the skin. Just as with other forms of urticaria, skin changes are accompanied by severe itching. Elements of a rash appear on those areas of the skin that come into contact with a cold irritant ( cheeks, arms, neck). In addition, blisters can appear under the knees, on the inner thighs, and on the calves. If large areas of skin are exposed to cold or contact with cold is prolonged, other symptoms may appear in addition to the rash.

Causes of cold urticaria
Modern medicine currently does not have specific facts regarding the causes of cold urticaria. One of the most common versions is the assumption that the disease develops due to a hereditary abnormality in the structure of proteins in the human body. Due to a defect, under the influence of cold, the protein forms a certain structure, which the immune system begins to perceive as a foreign body. Cold urticaria develops as a result of the immune system's response.

Aquagenic urticaria

Causes of aquagenic urticaria
Aquagenic urticaria is caused by various forms of moisture that enter the human skin or mucous membranes. It should be noted that the pathological reaction is provoked not by water, but by the chemical compounds present in it. Rashes may appear after contact with tap or sea water, rain, or snow. There are cases where the cause of aquagenic urticaria was the patient's own sweat. The disease can be provoked by either a single type of liquid or any form of water, which significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life. At the moment, experts have identified several factors that may be the cause of the body’s inadequate reaction to water.

There are the following causes of aquagenic urticaria:

• weakened immune system ( most often due to medications that suppress immune function);
• chronic liver and/or kidney diseases;
• Deficiency of class E immunoglobulin in the body.

Food urticaria

Symptoms of food urticaria
In children, food-borne urticaria appears as small, bright red blisters that are very itchy. Food-borne urticaria, more often than all other forms of this disease, is accompanied by angioedema, which in most cases develops in adult patients. As a rule, the patient's lips, larynx, and cheeks swell.
A common manifestation of food-borne urticaria is dysfunction of the digestive tract, which is equally common in both children and adults. Patients complain of discomfort in the abdomen ( sometimes severe pain), diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea may occur.

Causes of food urticaria
In modern medical practice, there are a number of food products that belong to the group of obligate ( traditional) allergens, that is, those products that most often provoke food urticaria. A patient may have an allergic reaction to one specific food or several different foods.

The following traditional food allergens are distinguished:

• whole cow's milk;
• chicken eggs;
• honey and beekeeping products;
• nuts;
• citrus;
• berries, fruits, red vegetables ( strawberries, apples, tomatoes, bell peppers).

Dermographic urticaria

Symptoms of dermographic urticaria
The main sign of dermographism is linear blisters that appear after any mechanical impact has been applied to the patient’s skin. The role of irritant most often is the elements of the wardrobe ( a tight shirt collar, a tightly tightened belt buckle). Depending on the time of appearance of blisters, immediate and delayed dermographism are distinguished. In the first type of urticaria, blisters appear immediately after pressure is applied to the skin. In delayed dermographism, skin symptoms occur only after prolonged skin irritation.

The blisters that occur with dermographic urticaria are light in color, and the color of the surrounding skin can vary from pink to dark red. There is also a form of dermographism that appears exclusively as white lines on the skin, with no signs of redness. Linear blisters swell and therefore rise significantly above the surface of the skin.

A consistent symptom for all forms of dermographic urticaria is severe itching, which intensifies as night falls. In most cases, with an increase in body or environmental temperature, itching and other symptoms of dermographic urticaria appear more intensely. Deterioration of the general condition and symptoms from other organs with this dermographism are extremely rare.

Causes of dermographic urticaria
At the moment, there are no specific factors that can be indicated as causes of dermographic urticaria. At the same time, experts note that there are a number of circumstances that increase the likelihood of developing this pathology.

The following factors contribute to dermographism:

• heredity;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• ulcerative lesions of the digestive tract;
• emotional and/or physical exhaustion.

Urticaria due to stress

Symptoms of neurogenic urticaria
Psychogenic urticaria is characterized by large blisters that merge with each other, covering large areas of the body. Individual elements of the rash have an oval or round shape, but when they are combined, the formations acquire smooth polygonal outlines. The color of the blisters can vary from white to pink, and in some cases the blisters can be two colors ( white in the center and pink around the edges). A mandatory symptom of neurogenic urticaria is intense itching.

In some cases, some time after the appearance of the rash, patients develop angioedema, which most often affects the larynx or the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. When the larynx is swollen, the patient experiences pain in the throat, it is difficult for him to breathe, speak and swallow food. If the swelling spreads to the organs of the digestive tract, the patient experiences vomiting, nausea, and pain in the navel and lateral abdomen. Stool disorders in the form of diarrhea may also be present.

Causes of psychogenic urticaria
When a person is in a state of stress, the body begins to distortly perceive the impulses that the nervous system produces. Under the influence of irritating factors, blood vessels dilate, and the permeability of their walls increases and a lot of fluid begins to flow into the tissue. All this leads to the formation of blisters on the skin, which are accompanied by severe itching.
Most often, neurogenic urticaria is diagnosed in women and adolescent patients.

People who are prone to this pathology have some common character traits. Thus, such patients are distinguished by irritability and hot temper, emotional instability and are often in a state of nervous exhaustion. The appearance of symptoms of psychogenic urticaria is facilitated by such external factors as excessive physical or mental stress, conflicts in the family or at work, intrapersonal problems ( especially typical for teenagers). The high-risk group includes people who have impaired functionality of the digestive tract, genital organs, and cardiovascular system.
In the treatment of neurogenic urticaria, an important role is played by the elimination of factors that act as provocateurs of stress. In the absence of competent medical care, this disease becomes chronic ( most often in adult patients).

Cholinergic urticaria

The development of this urticaria is based on the body’s increased sensitivity to acetylcholine ( hence the name of urticaria - cholinergic). Acetylcholine is the main transmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, which takes part in neuromuscular transmission. A sudden release of a large amount of acetylcholine into the blood leads to the appearance of itchy spots and blisters on the skin, which is a manifestation of cholinergic urticaria. A synonym for chronic urticaria is the term pruritic dermatosis.

Cases where there is increased production of acetylcholine include:

• stress;
• emotional stress ( fright, fear);
• prolonged stay in a sauna, steam room or in the sun.

Manifestations of cholinergic urticaria
The main symptom of this type of urticaria is a skin rash. As a rule, it is represented by small itchy blisters that appear 5 to 10 minutes after exposure to a traumatic factor. The rash primarily appears on the neck, upper chest and arms. The duration of the rash is very variable - it may last only a few minutes and quickly disappear. But it can also persist for several hours. Sometimes the rash may not appear at all or may be so small that the patient may not notice it. In this case, the main symptom is severe itching that appears after taking a hot shower or after visiting a sauna.

Cholinergic urticaria is typical for people with a predisposition to allergies. It also often accompanies diseases such as gastritis, hepatitis and other pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. In these diseases, there is an increased sensitivity to acetylcholine, which determines the pathogenesis ( formation mechanism) urticaria.

Chronic ( idiopathic) urticaria

Depending on the regularity of the rash, a distinction is made between permanent and recurrent forms of chronic urticaria. With a permanent type of disease, blisters practically do not disappear from the skin, while for a recurrent type of disease, periods of remission are characteristic ( time for the rash to completely disappear).

Symptoms of chronic urticaria

The following features of the rash in chronic urticaria are distinguished:

• chronic urticaria is characterized by a rash that is not as profuse as in the acute form of the disease;
• blisters rise above the surface of the skin, have a flat shape and clearly defined edges;
• visually, the elements of the rash resemble marks from insect bites, and their diameter can vary from a millimeter to several centimeters;
• At first, the blisters are pink or red in color, but become lighter over time;
• the skin rashes are itchy and can form large solid formations;
• the rash appears spontaneously, without obvious reasons;
• in some cases, the appearance of blisters is preceded by factors such as climate change, various colds, and exposure to stress.

Urticaria during pregnancy, after childbirth and during lactation

Manifestations of urticaria during pregnancy or after childbirth

Many women are interested in whether urticaria during pregnancy poses any danger to the fetus. This pathology does not pose a direct threat to the child. Disorders of the nervous system can negatively affect the development of the embryo ( nervousness, irritability) that accompany urticaria.

Treatment of urticaria during pregnancy and after childbirth

Allergic urticaria is one of the manifestations of the body's reaction to the penetration of irritating substances. It is expressed in the form of rashes on the surface of the skin. In this case, the rash resembles a nettle burn, which can be seen in numerous photographs of the disease.

Allergic urticaria appears as a rash on the surface of the skin.

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) has assigned the code ICD-10 to allergic urticaria. This coding contains 21 sections, which include allergic reactions (atopic dermatitis, food allergies, etc.). In this case, urticaria is included in code 10, but belongs to section number 12. In addition, the disease has its own number in ICD-10 - L50.0. This division was created exclusively for doctors, who must maintain statistics and regulate therapy taking into account disease coding number 10. For patients, this information is not necessary.

Why does the disease occur?

Allergic urticaria can occur in both adults and children. However, it is believed that children are most susceptible to developing rashes on the surface of the skin under the influence of various irritants. The reasons for the formation of a rash can be different.

The main factor in the occurrence of urticaria is contact with an allergen. They release substances that most often negatively affect the body of adults and children. The list includes:

food (fish, nuts, seafood, eggs, honey, chocolate, berries and fruits);

additives used in food preparation (flavors, dyes, emulsifiers);

medications (antibacterial agents, vitamins, oral contraceptives);

aeroallergens (plant pollen, animal hair, household dust);

viruses (hepatitis B, Epstein-Barr).

The causes of allergic urticaria lie in the influence of physical factors. Among them are:

• vibration.

When determining the cause of the formation of a skin rash, one should not exclude the negative consequences of various chronic diseases. In adults and children, allergic urticaria may appear in the presence of:

pathologies of the liver and kidneys;

dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;

respiratory and urogenital lesions by fungi and viruses;

endocrine disorders (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism);

toxicosis;

autoimmune and systemic diseases;

tumors of various types.

If you find signs of urticaria, which can be seen in the photo, you must consult a doctor to find out the cause of the allergic disease.

Symptoms of the disease

Having seen the symptoms of allergic urticaria on the skin, a person immediately begins to compare them with the photo. To determine the disease, he needs to focus on characteristic signs.

Symptoms of allergic urticaria can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent depending on the strength of the irritant on the body.

Skin rashes appear as individual flat blisters that are pale pink or red in color.

The size of the formation can range from several millimeters to several centimeters. In the latter case, they resemble a nettle burn or a regular burn. The number of bubbles may also vary.

Blisters in allergic urticaria are characterized by clear boundaries. If you press on them, the blisters can merge with the skin and disappear. When the pressure weakens, they appear again.

Symptoms of the disease are expressed in the form of severe itching.

If the surface of the skin is scratched, the bubbles can merge and form plaques.

In addition to the skin rash, other symptoms of the disease may appear. They are expressed in the form of nausea and vomiting. This process is caused by damage to the mucous membranes of the esophagus by the allergen.

Types of urticaria

In pictures on the Internet you can see rashes of various types, which are called urticaria. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of the disease may vary depending on the nature and type of disease.

Urticaria in children and adults can be acute or chronic. In the case of an acute form, the reaction appears immediately after exposure to the allergen. However, it can disappear as quickly as it appeared. In this case, pink-red blisters, round or shapeless, appear on the skin, as can be seen in the photo.

The chronic form is characterized by persistent symptoms that can persist for several months. It can be mild, as in the photo, or intensify with each passing month. In severe cases of the disease, blisters (Quincke's edema) may appear. In this case, the skin turns pink or white.

Chronic urticaria of an allergic nature can be:

recurrent, which is characterized by long time intervals between the onset of symptoms, fever, sweating, weakening of the body, vomiting, diarrhea;

persistent, in which infiltrate accumulates in the tissues, which is combined with edema, and when scratched, crusts, scars, and spots form.

Also in the photo you can often see types of urticaria that are caused by various exposure factors. In this case, the disease may be:

papular, when it is caused by an insect bite;

thermal, in case of contact with a heated object;

cold, when the allergen is a cold object;

aquagenic, manifested upon contact with water;

solar, which occurs under the influence of ultraviolet radiation;

pigmented, when red-brown spots appear on the skin;

foodborne, arising under the influence of irritating substances in food.

All types of urticaria in adults and children differ in the way they occur. However, it is not always possible to determine from a photo what type of disease a person has. To do this, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics in a medical institution.

Diagnosis of the disease

Sometimes allergic urticaria in children and adults can be diagnosed independently. Many parents compare the characteristic signs of the disease with photos presented on the Internet. However, such a diagnosis is not always correct.

If rashes occur, you should definitely consult a doctor. His main task during the consultation is to collect anamnesis. He finds out from the patient what factors could influence the occurrence of skin lesions. It is important for the patient to remember what preceded the development of an allergic reaction.

If negative changes were observed after eating food or taking medications, the doctor may prescribe prick tests. In this case, a reaction is provoked in the body under the influence of irritants.

This method allows you to identify a dangerous substance, as well as eliminate other potential irritants. This helps reduce the likelihood of anaphylactic shock in the patient.

If the patient suffers from chronic urticaria, then a more serious examination will be required. Adults and children are prescribed:

general blood analysis;

general urine analysis;

liver tests;

analysis for the presence of an inflammatory process;

determination of the presence of helminths and dysbacteriosis.

The patient also needs to undergo fluorography, chest x-ray, and tests for hepatitis B and Epstein-Barr viruses.
These studies are an important step in identifying the underlying diseases that provoke the development of urticaria.

After this, the doctor prescribes treatment with drugs of various groups, which are selected taking into account the symptoms of the disease.

Treatment of the disease

Allergic urticaria in adults and children must be treated comprehensively. This will avoid recurrence of the disease and reduce the risk of complications.

Treatment should begin with eliminating contact with the allergen. If a reaction occurs to a drug, you should stop taking it. If you have a food allergy, you should exclude the irritating substance from your diet.

Important attention is paid to maintaining cleanliness in the room. It is necessary to constantly carry out wet cleaning so that there is no dust or animal hair in the apartment. To limit exposure to pollen, keep windows closed or install special screens on them.

The disease must be treated by following a special hypoallergenic diet. It is important to eliminate the impact of strong food irritants on the body of adults and children. During the period of urticaria, the immune system is in a weakened state, and therefore is most susceptible to the effects of allergenic substances. During the diet, it is necessary to exclude the use of:

• Advantana;

  Fluorocort;

  Sinaflana.

In case of insomnia and nervous tension, the patient may be prescribed sedatives and sleeping pills.

Treatment of allergic urticaria is successful in most cases. It is only important to prevent the disease from becoming chronic.