Urticaria: Picture, Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

Urticaria - a heterogeneous disease causative factors, the main clinical manifestation of which is the skin rash as a common or limited blisters, an endangered spontaneously or under the influence of appropriate treatment.

The pathology occurs at an average of 20% of the population, 25% of which it is chronic course. Among children, the disease is less common than in adults, and women more often than men. The maximum frequency of cases occur in 20 - 40 years of age.

What it is?

Urticaria - the name of a group of diseases characterized by the emergence of sharp-itchy, inflamed rash on the skin, mucous membranes. According Minzravsotsrazvitiya the Russian Federation, nearly 25% of the population at least once in his life faced with symptoms of urticaria.

Classification

In clinical practice, allergists and dermatologists mainly use two classifications urticaria. According to pathogenetic principle urticaria is divided into:

1. Pseudoallergic (anaphylactoid). It is distinguished by the fact that inflammatory mediators are beginning to stand exposed to the allergen directly, ie in the development of hives immune system is not involved. The causes of pseudo-urticaria are also different, and may be preceded by an allergy borne intoxication, helminth infections, increased sensitivity to several drugs.
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2. Allergic (immune). The basis of this type of hives is a malfunction of the immune system. Allergic urticaria may be a food, drug, Insect (developing after insect bite). It also includes the organism's reaction to the introduction of donor blood cells and immunoglobulins.
3. Physical. This type of urticaria develop as a consequence of exposure to the skin of almost any physical factors. This may be mechanical irritation effect of low or high temperatures, the influence of water, ultraviolet radiation.

In a separate category release cholinergic urticaria. It manifests itself in small rash and mild fever, these symptoms occur against the background of emotional overload and prolonged stress.

How long is the disease? In most clinical classifications in accordance with the duration of the pathological process urticaria following types:

1. Acute, which may last from a few minutes up to 6 weeks. It is more common and is diagnosed on average 75% of all cases of urticaria.
2. Chronic. Its length is more than 6 weeks. The chronic form of relapse occurs in 25%. This form of the disease in the natural course can last, mainly to 10 years (20% of patients).

Among children under 2 years of developing, as a rule, only its acute form, after 2 years of age and under 12 years old - acute and chronic forms, but with a predominance of the first 12 years after the rash is more common with chronic over. Chronic urticaria is most common in people 20 - 40 years of age.

Marked by a pattern - if the chronic process lasts for 3 months, half of these people then suffer not yet less than 3 years, and in the pre-duration more than six months 40% of patients suffer from its symptoms following another 10 years.

Remission in chronic urticaria may occur spontaneously, no matter how to treat this pathology. In half the patients it occurs within the first six months from the onset of the disease, 20% - within 3 years, even 20% - 5 years and 2% - 25 years. In addition, at least 1 relapse occurs in each of the 2nd patient suffering from a chronic course with spontaneous remission.

The causes of urticaria

Identified two categories of factors that cause urticaria:

• external - physical, mechanical, chemical,
• internal - dysfunction of the nervous system, diseases of internal organs.

Provoke an attack of urticaria are a variety of circumstances:

• UV,
• a bite of an insect,
• liver, kidney and other organs,
• infection
• heredity,
• Food,
• medications,
• pollen,
• quenching or overheating,
• toxemia of pregnancy,
• stress and so on. d.

Sometimes identify the cause of urticaria is difficult or even impossible.

Hives during pregnancy

During pregnancy a woman's body there is a development of a large number of female sex hormones (estrogens), which in fact is one of the risk factors for urticaria. Characteristic features of urticaria in pregnancy - pronounced skin itching, the scratching of the skin, insomnia, irritability.

If a rash, it must necessarily show a dermatologist, since pregnant urticaria can be differentiated from dermatitis. It should be noted that in most cases, urticaria in pregnancy is treated the same as treatment for most adults.

The symptoms of urticaria in adults

All the symptoms of urticaria (see. pictures) occur due to the fact that entering the skin allergens or inflammatory mediators increase the permeability of small blood vessels. This leads to the fact that the liquid from the vessel begins to move into the extracellular space, and on the body appear swollen plaques - blisters.

Typical symptoms of hives on the body shown in the photo, but will manifest the disease depends on the activity of an allergic reaction.

Acute urticaria develops exhibits the following symptoms:

1. General weakness and dyspepsia. These symptoms are not specific, but often accompanied by hives with more rash and fever.
2. Rashes on the body. Usually, the first elements appear on the abdomen, buttocks, and then they move on to the hands, chest, back. Increases in size blisters on the neck, around the lips and eyelids are considered a sign of a dangerous, swelling can go on mouth and throat and cause choking, such a state is called angioedema.
3. Itching. Intense itching occurs as throughout the body, and on its separate sites. Itching precedes the appearance of the rash.

Appearance elements of an eruption at a different urticaria. It can be as small in size specks and giant bubbles up to 15-20 cm in diameter. Common signs of blisters hives include:

1. An irregular shape.
2. Their small rise above the body.
3. The presence of a small redness around the main element.
4. The ability to merge. Individual elements can be fused together to form larger areas altered skin.
5. Pinkish and bright red color. Normally, the brightness of the color lasts the first few hours, followed by blisters fade away.

When a large quantity of rashes and eruptions merge together in humans often occurs chills, headache, and increased body temperature.

Angioedema is considered a form of urticaria. Swelling extends to the century, the cheeks, the lips, the most dangerous swelling of the mouth, passing on the throat. In this scenario urticaria first breath worsens, shortness of breath and gradually developing asthma.

Diagnostics

In most cases, physicians prescribe patients with urticaria (usually chronic form of the disease, to identify its cause), the following tests and studies:

1. thyroid function tests. In this case can be found Hyperthyroidism - excessive function or hypothyroidism - insufficient function.
2. stool tests for parasites. Helminths enteric cause allergic reactions, one manifestation of which can be urticaria.
3. General blood analysis. It helps reveal anemia (decreased number of red blood cells and hemoglobin), a change in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which may indicate the presence of inflammation in the body and on the violation of the immune system.
4. Liver function tests. It helps to understand whether there is an abnormality in the body.

Effects

The acute course of the disease can be complicated by a condition dangerous to human life - anaphylactic shock. It is also possible acute laryngeal edema and respiratory failure. Such conditions require emergency resuscitation actions. Hence, already at the first symptoms of urticaria should immediately consult a doctor for appropriate treatment of the disease.

Chronic urticaria is often accompanied by marked decline in the quality and appearance of the patient had various neuropsychiatric disorders. They relate mainly to the exhausting constant feeling of itching elements of hives on the body, as well as the aesthetic aspect of the problem.

How to treat urticaria?

Urticaria Treatment begins with identifying and eliminating the factors that triggered its development, and further cause exacerbation of the disease. Control of the disease also involves the implementation of measures aimed at reducing symptoms and strengthening the patient's immune system.

Hives relevant following treatments:

• reception of pharmacological agents (injections, tablets);
• the use of topical medications (ointments and creams);
• dietetics;
• physiotherapy.

When urticaria used a wide range of drugs that are assigned both in tablet form and in the form of injections. The tablets are typically used in the treatment of chronic urticaria, and also when passed the acute period. Injections of the most commonly prescribed during primary care in the acute phase of the disease.

Preparations hives for rapid treatment

In the subacute phase of the disease medications urticaria most often administered in pill form. Typically, this group of drugs are antihistamines.

Pills, prescribed for hives include:

• tavegil - one tablet orally three times a day;
• Diazolinum - one tablet from two to three times per day (depending on symptom severity);
• Claritin - once, into one tablet per day;
• zirtek - one tablet a day, once;
• Treks - one tablet twice a day.

Injections, prescribed for hives include:

1. Adrenaline - put only as first aid for hives, which is the manifestation of the anaphylactic shock. According to one milliliter intramuscular, it may be repeated after 5 - 10 minutes.
2. Diphenhydramine - also used as a first aid and how prolonged (long) treatment. Appointed by intramuscular injection of one ampoule, usually in the evening hours. It has side effects such as drowsiness, sedation effect on the central nervous system. While that is antihistamine only the first generation, and has a strong anti-allergic effect.
3. Suprastin - appointed, as a rule, in the subacute phase of the disease. The recommended dose is equal to one milliliter intramuscular injection of two to three times a day.
4. Fenkarol - is recommended when urticaria, angioedema and other allergic reactions. It appointed two milliliters twice a day for 5 days.

The main group of drugs that are prescribed for hives are antihistamines which inhibit histamine release. As a result of the use of such drugs symptoms appear weaker and disappear quickly.

Today, there are three generations of antihistamines, which differ from each other in the spectrum of action. The oldest representative of this group of drugs is diphenhydramine. It has a pronounced antiallergic effect, but, unfortunately, provokes greater drowsiness.

First generation:

• diazolin;
• diphenhydramine;
• suprastin;
• tavegil.

The second generation:

• loratadine;
• lomilan;
• Claritin;
• zirtek.

Third generation:

• Treks;
• Telfast.

When hives and other allergic diseases, antibiotics are not assigned. Moreover, antibiotics are often provoke allergic reactions. Most often, hives can cause antibiotics penicillin, namely penicillin and ampicillin. Also cause hives can be sulfa drugs Biseptol and Bactrim.

Food

The main objective of hives - to minimize the body's response to allergens. In this case such products should be present in the diet:

1. Some types of fruit (apples, bananas, plums).
2. Dairy products, if they are normally perceived by the body.
3. Stewed or steamed vegetables. However, preference is given to the fact that green. This is due to the fact that they rarely cause allergic reactions.

But such pickled products and semi-finished products should be excluded from the menu. After the manifestation of urticaria stopped bothering, you can return to the usual diet. But this should be done gradually. Ideal to enter into the menu of one of the banned product for a few days. But here's allergy is to give all, that there was no recurrence and severe complications.

Dairy products should consume at least, because they help to strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

How long is urticaria?

The rash may disappear one day, but that does not mean that the body is fully conquered disease. The rash can reappear in other areas of the skin.

Sometimes the rash may be accompanied by angioedema, in which very quickly and dramatically develops swelling of the skin and subcutaneous fat. Swelling of the larynx can lead to a fatal turn of events, and the appearance of hives on the eye may cause blurred vision. In such cases, it is not necessary to self-medicate, should urgently contact a specialist, who will tell how to treat hives - allergist.

prevention

Special measures to help prevent the development of hives, does not exist. But you can reduce the risk of skin reactions, if you follow some tips:

1. Apply cool, wet compresses. They will help to soothe the skin.
2. Keep a food diary. If you suspect that you have hives is food, but do not know what exactly, begin to keep a food diary in which you write down everything you eat, and all of its symptoms.
3. Avoid contact with potential triggers. Try to understand what factors cause you skin reaction. This may be some medicines, foods, household chemicals, high or low temperatures.
4. Take a cool bath. It is possible to add the baking soda, wet or colloidal oatmeal. This will help deal with the itch.
5. Wear loose-fitting clothing made of cotton. Avoid wearing rough, dense, prickly clothing, especially wool. This will help prevent skin irritation.

Keep a antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec). They will help to quickly relieve symptoms, relieve itching.