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If You’ve Had Hives for More Than 24 Hours Then it’s Time to Get Relief

If You’ve Had Hives for More Than 24 Hours Then it’s Time to Get Relief

Do you have bumps on your skin? Are they itchy and red? If you do, then you’re more than likely suffering from hives. There are many reasons for hives and they can come in many shapes and sizes. One thing that’s always true of them is that if you’ve had them for more than 24 hours then it’s time to call Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 to get a treatment that will work.

Hives are common and have a wide range of causes

Hives are one of the most common skin conditions and will typically go away on their own. However, it can take days or even weeks to get rid of them completely without treatment. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group, we see no reason that you should suffer and encourage you to reach out to us for help. Additionally, depending on the cause of the hives, you may have an underlying issue to deal with.

The size of a hive can range from just the size of a pinhead to as big as a plate. Most of the time they pop out within moments of trigger exposure, but in some cases it can take hours. Causes can include a wide range of factors include allergies, illnesses, the sun, infections, and even stress.

Diagnosing hives is both simple and complex

To diagnose the fact that you have hives all we have to do is look at your skin. That said, the process of diagnosis doesn’t end there because what we really want is to find the underlying cause of your hives. We can perform a variety of allergy tests, depending on the situation, that can let us know if you’re experiencing hives as the result of an allergic reaction.

Most tests are very simple and we’ll get the results within 15 minutes. They can show us if your hives are caused by various foods, latex, medicine, pollen, insect bites or stings, or animals. If you’ve had the hives for more than a month and a half, then it is officially chronic and could be caused by an autoimmune disorder. In this case, we’d run a blood test and the results would take a little longer to get back.

Treatment options vary based on the cause of the hives

There are many treatments that can be effective against hives, especially if they’re caused by allergies. Taking oral antihistamines can relieve the itching and can help your body to stop releasing histamine, which is the reason hives are forming in the first place. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group, we’ll work closely with you to find the right antihistamines and will adjust your medications as needed.

Folks who have chronic hives that don’t respond to the typical antihistamine treatment can be prescribed a new immunomodulating agent called XOLAIR. No matter the type of hives you’re suffering from, whether chronic or acute, whether big or small, you can count on Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group to help you. Call us right away at 805-658-9500 and we’ll provide you with the diagnostic services you need.