How to treat chronic urticaria?

Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Chronic urticaria often utilizes antihistamine medications to control symptoms, combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and differential diagnosis and treatment. Treating chronic urticaria generally requires long-term use of antihistamines, sometimes for two or three months, or even up to six months, a year, or more. Typically, treatment involves the combination of two or more types of antihistamines. For cases of chronic urticaria where antihistamines are ineffective, immunosuppressants may be used to adjust the body’s immune state, thus controlling the outbreaks of chronic urticaria. Chronic urticaria is a long-term, slow process that cannot be resolved quickly, so it is important to try to identify the triggering factors of chronic urticaria, or to identify specific allergens. However, finding the allergen is usually challenging because many patients with chronic urticaria have conditions that are also related to their own immune status.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
1min 5sec home-news-image

How to treat chronic urticaria?

Chronic urticaria often utilizes antihistamine medications to control symptoms, combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and differential diagnosis and treatment. Treating chronic urticaria generally requires long-term use of antihistamines, sometimes for two or three months, or even up to six months, a year, or more. Typically, treatment involves the combination of two or more types of antihistamines. For cases of chronic urticaria where antihistamines are ineffective, immunosuppressants may be used to adjust the body’s immune state, thus controlling the outbreaks of chronic urticaria. Chronic urticaria is a long-term, slow process that cannot be resolved quickly, so it is important to try to identify the triggering factors of chronic urticaria, or to identify specific allergens. However, finding the allergen is usually challenging because many patients with chronic urticaria have conditions that are also related to their own immune status.

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Written by Zhang Jing
Dermatology Department
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Is there a difference between measles and urticaria?

Measles and hives are two completely different skin diseases. In terms of etiology, measles is caused by a viral infection, while hives are an allergic skin disease. Clinically, measles presents with diffuse red rash all over the body, accompanied by high fever and mucous membrane catarrhal symptoms, such as red eyes, excessive eye discharge, and so on. On the other hand, hives present with wheal-like skin lesions. Wheals refer to pale red or skin-colored raised lesions that can vary in shape and are usually quite large. They typically develop very rapidly and then subside within a few hours, with most wheals disappearing within 24 hours. Hives are also usually accompanied by severe itching.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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Characteristics of papular urticaria

Papular urticaria is a type of allergic reaction, generally associated with contact with irritants, or bites from mosquitoes and fleas. The likelihood of occurrence increases if small animals are kept at home. Typically, small red papules or red wheals appear on localized areas of the body or extensively, with a transparent blister on top. The itching is quite severe, and the blisters are prone to bursting when scratched. Once symptoms appear, it is crucial to treat them with proper medication, and care should be taken to prevent infection if the blisters are scratched open. To prevent recurrence, it is advisable not to keep small animals at home, to frequently disinfect clothes, sheets, and duvet covers by exposing them to sunlight to eliminate mites or fleas, and to maintain a standard diet and lifestyle habits.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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What medicine is used for urticaria?

Urticaria primarily uses second-generation antihistamines as the first choice, and topical treatments that soothe and relieve itching can be used as appropriate. Traditional Chinese medicine often treats it with herbal decoctions based on syndrome differentiation, and specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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Do children with urticaria fear heat?

Children with urticaria do not typically fear heat, but when the temperature is particularly high, they may experience alternating hot and cold temperatures. For instance, excessive sweating due to high temperatures can potentially irritate the skin, which might lead to a worsening of urticaria. When dealing with urticaria, it is essential to adjust the child's clothing according to the temperature conditions to avoid excessive sweating caused by wearing too much. Also, the alternation of warm and cold temperatures after sweating or exposure to wind can potentially aggravate the urticaria or cause it to recur. In the event of urticaria, depending on whether the child experiences symptoms such as itching, timely medical treatment should be administered, such as antihistamines, vitamin C, and calcium, all of which are viable options. The medication should be adjusted under the guidance of a doctor based on the child's condition.