Hives.

BoozyBabe

Anyone any ideas what causes hives?

I was lying on my bed studying last night when I realised my leg was itchy.
So I scratched it, to reaslise it was itchy all over (from the middle of my calf, down)
When I looked there were about 20 hives on that leg.

Then I realised the other leg was also itchy & again, from the calf down there was about 10 hives on it.

They're still made itchy today.

The washing powder for my clothes hasn't changed, I wasn't just after showering, but anyway, the shower gels, shampoos etc have stayed the same.
I didn't eat anything differently than I normally do.
It's not fleas etc.

(I know people say new potatoes or strawberries. I've had neither)

Can anyone think what else may have caused it?

(NOTE:- I bought a packet of Lidl type Salted Pringles on Monday. Have been eating some of them each day. That's the only different thing I can think of, but why could I eat them for 4 days before I'd get a reaction? Or does excess salt cause hives?)

Not a major issue I know, its just it's weird, as I wouldn't have sensitive skin or anything & rarely get hives.

Splendour

Well for me at this time of the year it's tomatoes...

Acid_Violet

I've been getting them fairly frequently this past while, first from my legs and now a few on my back and they left some scars

Go to the doctor to see if the problem persists, that's what I want to do. Use calamine lotion (a good one) on them, maybe some sudo-creme (I've found this gradually gets rid of the scarring) and maybe some lavender if you got some.

folkface

Urticaria or hives is a relatively common form of allergic reaction that causes raised red skin welts. Urticaria is also known as nettle rash or uredo. These welts can appear anywhere on the body including the face, lips, tongue, throat, or ears. Welts may vary in size from about 5 mm (0.2 inches) in diameter or more (as large as a dinner plate), itch severely, sting, or burn, and often have a pale border. Urticaria is generally caused by direct contact with an allergenic substance, or an immune response to food or some other allergen, or for other reasons.

Acute urticaria usually show up a few minutes after contact with the allergen and can last a few hours to several weeks. Food allergic reactions typically fit in this category. Common causes of reaction include consumption of shell fish, nuts, eggs, fish, acid derivatives, dye, or a combination of these.

NeMiSiS

Odd but.. if you mix baking powder with water.. and put it on them it will stop the itching..
TK

Duggy747

Recently my two fingers developed all sorts of hard, itchy spots (not warts) and I had no idea where they came from. They lasted for about 2-3 days and then *poof* they vanished again one morning I hadn't a clue what caused them but they sure as were wierd looking.

matt-dublin

its quite possible you developed an allergic reaction to something.

Make sure you're not taking in too much suger.

Things like sweet fruits, strawberries and rasberries are quite common for causing hives.

Or possibly you may have developed an allergic reaction to washing powder/detergant/softner but that would mean you should have hive all over you....
Did you buy new socks recently etc?

Or is it possible that you walked through long grass? could it be bot fly bites? fleas? bed bugs etc?

Leave for 3-4 days, if they don't clear up go and visit your GP.

To ease the itching apply calomine lotion, it can be bought in a chemist for like €4.50 for a small bottle.

Mr. Incognito

Sounds like bed bugs. you can't see them they are so small. I'd get a flea power and douce the mattress and pick up some body lotion just to be sure. it's very common.

UnReg123

i suffer from this too, but mostly on my wrists. Personally i think its an allergic reaction to something i eat - still haven't found out what it is!

NeMiSiS

UnReg123 wrote:

i suffer from this too, but mostly on my wrists. Personally i think its an allergic reaction to something i eat - still haven't found out what it is!

Could be Nickel if you wear .. cheap jewellery.. or rings

x Purple Pawprints x

People say that you get hives from eating too many eggs... that's what I've always been told. It could be just the humidity either.

MooseJam

antihistamines work well for hives or so I have found

Mewzel

as others have said, fruit is often the culprit. i get them from eating plums, and i know a lot of people who get them if they've been eating more fruit than usual!

Victor

Get thee to a pharmacy. And if they don't improve to a doctor.

How are your stress levels?

http://www2.vhi.ie/topic/hives
http://www2.vhi.ie/topic/hivestreatment

UnReg123

NeMiSiS wrote:

Could be Nickel if you wear .. cheap jewellery.. or rings

Na, only wear sterling silver, and don't wear it too often either, its def something i'm eating

joseph brand

I have about 20 hives on my body now.

About 5 are on my right hand. A friend in work says he gets loads if he eats strawberries.

I hope it's not bed bugs. They look scary when magnified. Almost Alien.

I am itchy now after reading this thread. /Scratches leg.

carryboy

If you'd been lying on the same bed and hasn't developed the hives it could probably come from food. Antihistamines will work.

eigrod

Eating crisps give me hives.......but i love 'em so much I suffer on

Bernard Hopkins

its one of 2 things,........
(1) bedbugs
(2) mozzie's.

that sounds just like the type of bite you get, and especially if you feel them when waking up in the morning.

Mozzie's,.... always go for more moist areas, the feet/ankles especially.
this is just the perfect climate/time of year for them too. warm humid nights.
they also bring up raised red areas the size of a 2 cent coin.

only the mozzie bites take almost a day to surface after the bite has occured.

Zzippy

Bernard Hopkins wrote:

its one of 2 things,........
(1) bedbugs
(2) mozzie's.

that sounds just like the type of bite you get, and especially if you feel them when waking up in the morning.

Mozzie's,.... always go for more moist areas, the feet/ankles especially.
this is just the perfect climate/time of year for them too. warm humid nights.
they also bring up raised red areas the size of a 2 cent coin.

only the mozzie bites take almost a day to surface after the bite has occured.

Could also be midges - much more common in Ireland than mosquitos, and a real pain in the neck in certain areas.
Another possibility is tick bites - especially if as the OP described the bites were on the lower legs - if the OP was out walking through long grass/bracken anywhere in the countryside she could quite easily get a lot of tick bites

milkerman

Agree with the galway guy.
Earlier this year we were getting really nasty bites all over (still have the marks months later).
Source of the problem was the washing line! way too close to a leylandii hedge, the little bast*rds were alighting on our laundry and getting into the house that way.
Lesson learned - ALWAYS IRON YOUR JOCKS!

Victor

Insects bites are not hives. On-topic or the ban stick comes out. Feel free to start another thread if you have a real problem.

G&T

Insect bites will have a small pin sized hole in them,
hives are smooth on the surface.

Nevyn

Check with your gp if they are persistent.

joseph brand

Only one person mentioned the humidity.

I only get these itchy spots around this time of year. None from October onwards. And it is very warm and sticky these days.

My GF just got 4 on her waist and 2 on her shoulder last night??

Hope it was not from me.

Jumpy

Hives can be caused by pretty much anything, my ex used to get them from stress.

Jumpy

joseph brand wrote:

Only one person mentioned the humidity.

I only get these itchy spots around this time of year. None from October onwards. And it is very warm and sticky these days.

My GF just got 4 on her waist and 2 on her shoulder last night??

Hope it was not from me.

When my ex got them they always appeared under places of pressure. Ie waistband etc.

patrickolee

Is no-one else reading this and thinking scabies?

missmatty

No, I've had scabies and it's awful. You'd be scratching to death but as far as I remember you don't get hives as those insects tunnel along under your skin.

I've got two or three hives the last few days as well. I've noticed that as while i used to have tons of them as a kid, I haven't had any in ages.

Hope to God it's not bed bugs :eek: :eek:

patrickolee

When you say scratching to death, do you mean scratching every few hours, few minutes, or do you mean constantly? I thought I had them years ago, treated them for months! Doctor told me I was mad, never had them!

Shinners23

I'm defo thinking scabies. I remember when I was in college I started itching all over and I thought it was an allergy. Went to chemist and he informed me it was scabies - the most awful thing...

missmatty

Yes itching constantly, almost everywhere. Easily treated though. My cousin came to stay, slept in my double bed and gave them to me. That's one way of getting it.

txt_mess

You can get allergy tests at the doctor fairly easy these days as it's more common.

As for the rash / hives go to your chemist they be able to give you something to stop the itching and bring them down a bit.