Urticaria in adults and children: treatment, symptoms, photos, causes

Reasons for appearance

The causes of urticaria in children and adults , as a rule, are the consumption of food allergens and certain medications, as well as direct contact with household chemicals (powders, detergents, etc.). In addition, hives can appear due to insect bites, animal hair, and house dust. All these factors are the causes of allergic urticaria .

In the case when the disease is not associated with allergies, it can occur as a result of any chronic diseases. Due to exposure to cold, sun, and mechanical pressure on the skin, this pathology can also develop.

Urticaria in an adult photo

Hives

Gastritis

Thyrotoxicosis

7921 27 July

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and properly prescribe treatment, you should contact your doctor. Urticaria: causes, classification, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods.

Urticaria is a disease of a predominantly allergic nature, the main symptom of which is the appearance of blisters of different colors on the skin (from pale pink to purple), accompanied by skin itching, and in more severe cases, other manifestations of an allergic reaction (bronchospasm, Quincke's edema, allergic conjunctivitis, rhinitis ).

According to statistics from the Russian Society of Dermatologists and Cosmetologists, 25% of people have experienced symptoms of urticaria at least once.

Moreover, 15% suffer from a chronic form of this disease for at least 5 years.

Causes of urticaria

Allergic urticaria can be caused by many reasons:

1. Contact with household chemicals (powders, cleaning products, latex gloves).
2. Food allergens (seafood, citrus fruits).
3. Taking certain medications (most often antibiotics).
4. Cosmetics (masks, shampoos, decorative cosmetics, products used for coloring eyebrows and eyelashes in permanent makeup, hair, nails and eyelash extensions).
5. Contact with plant pollen on the skin, causing allergic reactions (hay fever, allergic conjunctivitis, rhinitis).
6. Physical effects on the skin: cold, contact with water, prolonged compression.

Provoking factors for the development of urticaria include:

1. A history of allergic reactions - seasonal or allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis.
2. Allergic diseases and/or urticaria in close relatives.
3. Worm infestation.
4. Long-term chronic diseases of a non-allergic nature: diabetes, lymphoma, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland.

Classification of the disease
The main classification of allergic urticaria is based on the duration and frequency of exacerbations of skin manifestations.

1. Allergic urticaria is called acute if blisters on the skin after exposure to an irritant (trigger) develop once and persist for at least 24 hours. Usually the cause of such hives is a food or contact allergen.
2. In chronic allergic urticaria, skin blisters appear continuously for at least six weeks, but each new blister lasts no more than a day. Most often develops in the presence of chronic diseases.

Thus, if an allergic reaction with skin manifestations lasts less than six weeks, it is called acute, if more - chronic.
Types of urticaria

1. Papular urticaria is characterized by prolonged blisters on the skin. Women get sick more often.
2. Dermographic urticaria is detected in 2-5% of the population. After mechanical irritation, traces of the impact normally appear on the skin. The addition of a rash and the occurrence of itching to this reaction indicates dermographic urticaria.
3. Solar urticaria is a variant of photodermatosis. After sun exposure, itchy areas with blisters appear on the skin. Women and people with liver diseases or disorders of porphyrin metabolism (a group of genetic diseases in which pigment metabolism - heme biosynthesis) is impaired; symptoms also include changes in the color of urine and disruption of the functioning of internal organs.
4. Cold urticaria develops after exposure of the skin to low temperatures.
5. Urticaria in children has symptoms similar to those in adults, but is characterized by a more violent course.

   Swelling appears not only on the visible mucous membranes of the lips and eyes, but also on the gastrointestinal mucosa, which is accompanied by pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

6. Urticaria due to physical impact develops, according to one theory, due to impaired microcirculation in tissues that are regularly exposed to irritation, and increased sensitivity of the skin in these places to damaging factors.
7. Urticaria that occurs after skin contact with an irritant is called contact urticaria.

Based on the severity, urticaria is classified into mild, moderate and severe.
The severe course of any allergic reaction requires hospitalization in a hospital for medical care, since there is a high risk of developing life-threatening complications.

In cases where the cause (in particular, the allergen) of urticaria is not found, it is called idiopathic.

Symptoms of urticaria

Urticaria is characterized by the appearance of pale pink, pink or purple blisters on the skin, raised above the surface of healthy skin and accompanied by severe itching, with the possible development of pain in the affected area. These processes are mainly associated with the release of a biologically active substance, histamine, into the blood (treatment with antihistamines is based on reducing synthesis or sensitivity to it). In some cases, symptoms of general intoxication may appear: body aches, weakness, and sometimes there is a slight increase in body temperature.

In cases of combination of urticaria with other allergic reactions, symptoms characteristic of a certain pathology may be added. So, with allergic conjunctivitis, the patient is bothered by itching, redness of the eyes, lacrimation, photophobia and swelling of the eyelids. With allergic rhinitis, in addition to copious nasal discharge, nasal congestion, impaired sense of smell and nasal breathing occur. Due to swelling of the Eustachian tubes, hearing changes may occur. An attack of bronchospasm, provoked by exposure to an allergen, is manifested by a feeling of incomplete exhalation, lack of air, and wheezing.

The development of an asthma attack, accompanied by cyanosis of the skin, lips and nasolabial triangle (the latter is especially pronounced in children), severe shortness of breath, lack of effect from using conventional inhalers, or the use of special inhalers more than 8 times a day requires immediate seeking specialized medical care.

Women are more susceptible to papular urticaria. Most often, red-brown lesions are located on the lower extremities. Also, limited areas of hyperpigmentation appear in the folds of the skin, and hyperkeratosis (excessive peeling) develops.

Dermographic urticaria manifests itself as follows: the area of ​​skin that has been subjected to mechanical stress (scratching, rubbing) turns red, slightly swells, and an itchy rash appears on it.

Solar urticaria occurs on exposed areas of the body that are most exposed to the rays. The manifestations are similar to allergic urticaria - itchy, swollen blisters of varying sizes appear on the skin. More often the disease is registered in women.

With cold urticaria, the severity of the disease depends on the severity of skin manifestations: redness of the affected area, itching, swelling with expansion of the affected surface. One of the causes of cold urticaria is the increased formation of cryoglobulins - special plasma proteins that can precipitate at temperatures below 37 ° C.

Urticaria in children is expressed by redness, swelling and itching of the affected area. More often than in adults, the gastrointestinal tract is involved in the process, which is manifested by rapid diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes vomiting.

Due to the immaturity of the immune system in the early years of life, children are characterized by a more pronounced response to allergen exposure.

If, after vibration exposure, itchy blisters appear on the skin, we can talk about vibration urticaria. It is more often encountered by people in certain professions (working jackhammers, asphalt pavers, etc.).

It is easy to recognize contact urticaria - the lesions have clear boundaries at the site of contact with the irritant. For example, if you are allergic to latex, hives will appear on the areas of your hands that come into contact with gloves. Diagnosis of the disease is difficult in cases where urticaria develops in response to respiratory allergens (pollen from trees, flowers, weeds) coming into contact with the skin and mucous membranes.

Diagnostics

The examination begins with a general blood test and counting the number of eosinophils in the blood smear.

Symptoms of urticaria

Symptoms of urticaria are blisters appearing on the body, accompanied by severe itching. They can periodically disappear and appear, affecting more and more new areas of the skin. In this case, the patient may experience an increase in body temperature, redness of the skin, and swelling.

What does hives look like? The blisters that form with urticaria resemble nettle burns and are located in various areas of the body. Hives most often occur on the arms, face and chest.

When and which doctor to contact

Usually a doctor is consulted:

• if the rash spreads over a large area;
• when symptoms increase;
• when signs of general intoxication occur;
• if the urticaria does not go away on its own after eliminating the factor that caused it;
• if the disease becomes chronic or often recurs,

It is advisable not to delay your visit to the doctor and come when the first manifestations of the disease occur. Then it will be easier to establish the cause, and treatment will take less time. In addition, the doctor will recommend what to do to prevent hives.

A therapist or pediatrician, a dermatologist can provide assistance with urticaria, and an allergist is involved in targeted diagnosis and treatment.

How to treat urticaria using traditional methods

The question that concerns all patients who develop urticaria is what to do and how to treat it? Whatever the cause of urticaria, treatment must begin with eliminating the cause of its occurrence. A mild form of the disease can be cured using traditional methods.

Advantages of traditional methods:

• Treatment is carried out at home;
• Natural ingredients are used;
• There is no need for large financial expenses.

Disadvantages of traditional methods of treating urticaria :

• A lot of time is spent on preparing products;
• It is dangerous to treat a severe disease with such drugs.

Types of urticaria

There are several classifications of urticaria.

1. By time:

• acute – lasts up to 6 weeks;
• chronic – more than 6 weeks.

2. By nature:

• allergic (immune) - realized through the development of an immune reaction, often combined with other allergic diseases (bronchial asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, etc.);
• non-allergic - through the direct release of histamine.

3. Due to:

— allergic urticaria

may cause:

• Food;
• taking medications;
• insect allergens (insect allergy);
• pollen allergens.

— non-allergic

form of the disease occurs due to a direct effect on the mast cell:

• physical factors - such as cold, heat, ultraviolet radiation, radiation, vibration, compression;
• chemical (provoking factors are solvents, acids, alkalis and other chemicals);
• certain medicines, such as aspirin;
• infectious agents - viruses (adenoviruses, Epstein-Bar virus, enteroviruses), streptococci, helminths, Helicobacter pylori;
• for systemic and other chronic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus);
• with a sharp increase in the level of histamine and other active substances in the blood due to the large consumption of foods high in them: eggplants, canned food, nuts, bananas, chocolate and others.

Hereditary, psychogenic, and idiopathic urticaria (this is the name for a disease whose cause has not been established) is also possible.

The wide variety of factors and similar developmental mechanisms of individual species make it difficult to find the cause. Most often, this requires the help of a specialist.

Methods of treatment with traditional methods

The following methods will help relieve itching, soothe the skin and speed up the healing of blisters.

Honey and horseradish:

1. Mix honey and horseradish juice in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Take the resulting mixture 1 tsp. 3 times a day.

Mint tincture:

1. Pour 20 grams of boiling water over it. mint, leave for several hours.
2. Strain and take 3 tbsp. l. in a day.

Mint decoction for lotions:

1. Pour 30 gr. fresh nettle leaves 2 tbsp. water.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.
3. Leave for one hour, strain.
4. Soak gauze in the infusion and apply to the sore spot several times a day.

hives in a child photo

Diagnostic procedures for urticaria

Diagnosis of acute urticaria is usually quite simple. An examination and questioning of the patient about his medical history is sufficient. Finding out the reason is not so easy, and for this purpose additional research is carried out:

1. Laboratory tests:

• general blood and urine analysis;
• blood biochemistry (liver tests - ALT, AST, bilirubin, rheumatic tests, blood glucose);
• stool examination (coprogram);
• bacterial cultures from the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa.

2. Instrumental research:

• chest x-ray;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
• endoscopic examinations of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract (gastroscopy, colonoscopy).

3. Allergy tests:

• intradermal tests with allergens;
• cold and heat tests;
• physical stress tests, line drawing, tourniquet application.

4. Immunological methods.

5. Consultations of related specialists:

• gastroenterologist;
• endocrinologist;
• rheumatologist;
• gynecologist and others as necessary.

First of all, it is important for a specialist to establish what nature the urticaria is – allergic or non-allergic. In the allergic form, one can clearly trace the connection between the symptoms and the introduction of the allergen. It is confirmed by skin, allergy and immunological tests.

Treatment of urticaria by a doctor

Depending on the type of urticaria, treatment of the disease can be carried out either by a dermatologist or an allergist. If necessary, a thorough examination of the patient is carried out, including urine, blood and stool tests, and sometimes x-rays. After this, the doctor prescribes the necessary treatment, which, as a rule, consists of taking antihistamines and drugs designed to relieve itching.

In severe cases, special treatment (plamapheresis) may be required, which is carried out in specialized medical centers.

It should be remembered that self-medication of even such a seemingly harmless disease as urticaria can become dangerous. Urticaria at its maximum development can provoke the development of a complication such as Quincke's edema. This is dangerous due to swelling not only of the face, arms and legs, but also of internal organs. Therefore, in this case, the patient should be provided with emergency medical care.

Diagnosis of urticaria

Before starting treatment, it is important to understand what exactly a person has such a strong allergic reaction to.
Only by removing this provoking factor from your usual life can you not be afraid that the symptoms of urticaria will appear again, and this is possible even after proper therapy. Most often, this type of allergy appears to food. It is possible to determine what exactly caused the rash by a blood test: the level of IgE antibodies to a mixture of food allergens is detected. First of all, you need to diagnose the presence of an allergic reaction to:

• nuts;
• vegetables and legumes;
• citrus fruits and fruits;
• seafood;
• cereal and sesame flour;
• fruits and melons;
• baby formula;
• fish;
• meat;
• mushrooms;
• loose leaf tea;
• goat milk.

In addition to food, allergic manifestations can also occur to other substances that surround us almost everywhere in life:

• mold fungi;
• pollen from early flowering trees;
• pollen of late-flowering trees;
• weed pollen;
• epithelium of domestic animals;
• house dust;
• house dust mite;
• poultry feather.

To identify the exact type of allergen, allergy tests are performed on certain foods.
It often happens that rashes appear due to seasonings and herbs used in cooking: paprika, cumin, cloves, basil, ginger, tarragon, thyme, marjoram, dill, bay leaf, black pepper, vanilla. Some types of fish may also be allergenic: cod, halibut, mackerel, and squid meat. But sometimes an allergic reaction in the form of urticaria develops to such familiar products as:

• cucumber;
• apricot;
• cherry;
• tomato;
• plum;
• grape;
• persimmon;
• carrot;
• beet;
• watermelon.

All tests are carried out only by a specialist laboratory technician. You cannot independently determine the presence of an allergy in the form of urticaria to a particular food product or substance. This can be life-threatening, since it is possible to develop not only Quincke's edema, but also anaphylactic shock.

Other types of illness

In children 5 years of age and older, the symptoms of urticaria in the photo may appear more specific, and treatment in this case is also complicated. For example, with solar urticaria, long-term contact with ultraviolet radiation is contraindicated for a child. There is a need to constantly use sunscreen.