While hives are almost always extremely itchy and irritating, they are not usually dangerous to your health (with the exception of serious bee and other insect stings which can end up becoming medical emergencies). Normally, you can treat hives with relative ease if you can determine what caused them to appear on your body. Hives usually last anywhere from several minutes to several days and are described as white and red welts on the skin’s surface.

The body releases histamines to battle substances it considers dangerous to its health. When excessive histamines build up in a certain area of the body, hives will begin developing on part of your skin. Each person is different in regards to what substances will trigger their body to release histamines, though among the most popular irritants are animal dander, insect bites, pollen from plants and flowers, penicillin, aspirin, and foods like shellfish and nuts.

The known symptoms of hives consist of a high density of red and/or white bumps in one area of the body causing the skin to feel hot and itchy. The hives can appear or disappear without warning whether mild or severe.

Hives are rarely serious enough to seek medical treatment, though a case lasting a significant period of time would warrant a trip to the clinic. A doctor will review your medical history for any indication of possible allergies and will likely ask what types of irritants you have been exposed to in recent days. The ability to narrow down the possible causes will generally lead to the prescription of a medicine (like an antihistamine) to help treat the hives. In many cases, the details are so obscure in relation to the number of possible triggers that it is impossible to find and prevent what has caused the breakout.

In the event that you experience shortness of breath, abdominal cramping, fever or nausea along with hives, you must seek medical attention immediately as you could be experiencing anaphylactic shock.

Natural Ways To Treat Hives

Natural aromatherapy oils are one way to relieve the itching associated with hives. A drop of German chamomile oil massaged into the skin is a popular aromatherapy method for treating hives.

Ayurvedic practitioners claim hives are developed as a result of excessive heat within the body. They recommend consuming foods that cool the body such as watermelon, coriander milk, and cilantro.

You may also want to consider a homeopathic remedy to treat your hives such as all-natural OxyHives. Click here to learn more about this easy to use treatment.