URTICARIA
Up to 20 % of people will develop urticaria at some time during their life 1
What is Urticaria?
AUrticaria, also known as hives, is a common skin condition that typically presents with pink or red itchy rashes that may appear as blotches or raised red lumps
on the skin. 1
They range from the size of a pinhead to that of a dinner plate and can be mistaken for mosquito bites when they first appear. 1,2 Your urticaria can
be acute or chronic.2Acute urticaria recurs within less than 6 weeks, while chronic urticaria lasts longer than 6 weeks. 2
You experience urticaria and its associated symptoms if you come into contact with an allergen that your immune system responds to. 2
Your immune response
causes your urticaria to appear. 1,2 However, urticaria can also have other causes, such as infection from a virus or an allergic reaction to a medicine.
What are Urticaria Symptoms?
The symptoms of urticaria are broad and can include: 3
Itchy
Skin
Skin
Rash
Swelling
Raised red
patches
Redness
Is it Urticaria or a Bug Bite?
If you’ve had red or skin-coloured bumps that appeared and disappeared quickly, then it’s unlikely that you had simple bug bites. 4 The real cause of your
symptoms could be urticaria, an allergy that can last anywhere from a few minutes to months – or even years if they remain untreated. 4
While their symptoms may seem alike, urticaria symptoms are different from bug bite symptoms in several ways: 4
Urticaria can appear on any area of your body; they may change shape,
move around, disappear and re-appear over short periods.
If you have urticaria, pressing the centre of a red, raised patch will make
it turn white – a process called “blanching.”
The bumps – red or skin-coloured with clear edges – usually appear
suddenly and go away just as quickly
How Can You Manage Urticaria?
Good allergy management is based on your medical history, how severe your symptoms are, and the results of any allergy tests you may have had. 6
Use our allergy broadcast to gain control over your allergies
Learn about antihistamines and how they can be used to help you
gain control over your allergies.