Hives are red, itchy, raised welts or spots on the skin.
The medical term for hives is Urticaria.
What is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria?
Why do hives occur?
Cells in your body store histamine, a chemical released by the immune system when it detects a threat.
Histamine affects blood vessels
The histamine released by your body opens your blood vessels to allow better blood flow. This can lead to skin symptoms such as:
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swelling
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Redness
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itching
What triggers hives?
Some common hives triggers include:
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Allergies
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Bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections and strep throat
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Viral infections, including colds and mono
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Certain medicines, including antibiotics and ibuprofen
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Extremely hot or cold temperatures
However, in CSU there are no identifiable triggers and the cause is usually unknown.
CSU and inflammation
CSU is often associated with type 2 inflammation, a harmful inflammation caused by an overactive immune system that goes on attack when there is nothing to fight it off.
What to do against the CSU?
It can be difficult to figure out what exactly triggers CSU, making it difficult to manage.
If your hives don’t go away or keep coming back, you should see an allergist. Allergists are doctors who specialize in treating allergy-related health problems.
How an allergist can help
An allergist will talk to you about your CSU symptoms, give you a physical exam, and possibly do some lab tests to find out what’s causing your hives.
Treatment of the CSU
In addition to helping you identify your triggers, your allergist may also suggest treatments to control your CSU. This includes:
More information
To learn more about CSU, contact your doctor.
This educational resource was created with support from Regeneron and Sanofi.