Consult the medical resource doctors trust
UpToDate is one of the most respected medical information resources in the world, used by over 400,000 doctors and thousands of patients to find answers to medical questions.
- Content written by a faculty of over 4,000 physicians from leading medical institutions
- Unbiased: free of advertising or pharmaceutical funding
- Evidence-based treatment recommendations
- Continuously updated to incorporate new medical findings
Related articles
 | Preview Available (subscription required for full access) |
- Patient information: Hives (urticaria)
- An overview of angioedema: Pathogenesis and causes
- Bee, yellowjacket, wasp, and other Hymenoptera stings: Reaction types and acute management
- Chronic urticaria: Standard management and patient education
- Clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of hereditary angioedema
- Cold urticaria
- Diagnosis of hereditary angioedema
- Drug eruptions
- New onset urticaria: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and etiologies
- Physical urticarias
- Prevention of attacks in hereditary angioedema
- Treatment of acute attacks in hereditary angioedema
Patient information: A guide to hives
Contents of this article
HIVES OVERVIEW
Hives, also known as "urticaria," is a condition that causes itchy, red skin welts. Hives can be triggered by an insect sting, food allergies, infections, taking a drug, or after touching something (eg, plants, latex, foods). Hives can also be triggered by cold temperatures, sweating, vibration, pressure on the skin, or even exercise.
Hives are usually raised, red welts on the top of the skin. The skin is usually very itchy, which may even keep you from sleeping. Most people have groups of welts, and the groups may join together to form a large raised area.
In some people with hives, the deeper layers of the skin can swell; this is called angioedema. Angioedema can cause puffiness in the face, eyelids, ears, mouth, hands, feet, or genitals.
Hives can develop suddenly and resolve without treatment, or can occur daily and last for years. In most people, hives will disappear over days to weeks. If hives do not go away, you may be given a drug to ease the itching.
UPTODATE HIVES AND ANGIOEDEMA RESOURCES
Patient information — UpToDate has articles for family members and patients with hives. These articles are available on the internet at www.uptodate.com/patients.
(see "Patient information: Hives (urticaria)")
Premium subscription information — More detailed information is also available by subscription.
Hives (urticaria)
(see "New onset urticaria: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and etiologies")
(see "Physical urticarias")
(see "Chronic urticaria: Standard management and patient education")
(see "Bee, yellowjacket, wasp, and other Hymenoptera stings: Reaction types and acute management")
(see "Cold urticaria")
(see "Drug eruptions")
Angioedema
(see "An overview of angioedema: Pathogenesis and causes")
(see "Clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of hereditary angioedema")
(see "Diagnosis of hereditary angioedema")
