Hives, also known as urticaria, are red, itchy, raised welts on the skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. Hives usually start as an itchy patch of skin that turns into swollen red welts. The itching can range from mild to severe.   Scratching, alcoholic beverages, exercise, and emotional stress may worsen the itching. Hives may affect up to 20% of people at some time during their lives and can be triggered by many substances or situations such as:

• Foods (especially peanuts, eggs, nuts and shellfish)
• Medications, such as antibiotics (especially penicillin and sulfa), aspirin and ibuprofen
• Insect stings or bites
• Physical stimuli, such as pressure, cold, heat, exercise or sun exposure
• Latex
• Blood transfusions
• Bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections and strep throat
• Viral infections, including the common cold, infectious mononucleosis and hepatitis
• Pet dander
• Pollen
• Plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac

Avoiding known triggers is crucial, and we can help you determine what those possible triggers are. We can also prescribe you medications to relieve the itching as the rash resolves.