How to Cure Hives

Hives are those annoying little itchy bumps that rise in clusters on your skin when you've been around something you're allergic to.  They are a pain, and are kind of gross as well.  There's a number of reasons one can get hives, but usually, the short terms hives are the result of some exposure to an allergen.  Allergens are usually some mild substance which, for whatever reason, trigger a rapid release of the chemical histamine in your body, which induces inflammation.

In most of these cases, there isn't a ton you really need to do to cure hives.  If you have a mild allergy, it will help to take an anti-histamine, distance yourself from the allergen (if you know what the allergen is) and wait.  The key to this is, of course, to identify the allergen.  Generally, you want to figure out your allergies as early in life as possible, so that you can keep this in your mind whenever you're doing anything that may involve that allergen. There's no single way for how to cure hives, but there are a number of approaches you can take, always keeping in mind that taking any medication should be kept to a minimum.

How to Cure Hives

For short-term hives (hives lasting less than six weeks), do the following:

• Distance yourself from the cause.  If you don't know the cause, try to identify some activity that brought on the hives and stop doing that activity.
• Take an antihistamine.  These can be drowsy or non-drowsy, so take it accordingly.  Keep in mind that there are anti-inflammatory medications that can, paradoxically, cause inflammation.  It depends on your bodies reaction to said medication.  Keep a close eye on any negative responses to the medication, and don't ever take any more than instructed to on the bottle.
• Wait.  Don't scratch.  Scratching doesn't help.  We know it itches, but the more you leave it, the better you'll feel. If you wait for long enough, it'll go away.  If the hives stick around for a couple days, go see a doctor to determine if they were caused by something other than a simple allergic reaction.

There are a number of other causes of hives, however, all relating back to the release of the histamine chemical, but not all are completely understood.  If this is the case, it's probably in your best interest to go see an allergist or general practice doctor.  They will probably treat you with a specialized antihistamine or some other medication which they will decide for you.  In these cases, it likely won't be over the counter drugs, which is why you need to see the doctor. 

Other Causes of Hives

Hives can be caused by a large number of other things, sometimes just by the exposure or chafing of a piece of skin.  The hives themselves are caused by the release of histamine from capillaries near the surface of the skin, which then cause swelling on the skin in small clumps.  So the best thing to do is to not touch these areas of the skin with anything.  If, say, you got the hives while swimming in a river or lake, the best thing to do is dry the area where the hives are, and avoid putting clothes on top of those areas.  If this is not something you can help, then put on dry, light clothing that won't rub up against it too much.

The key in most hive cases is, if it's short-term and not severe, once you've identified the cause, don't worry about it.  If, however, they are chronic and long-lasting, you want to have a professional tell you what is likely causing them, and then take the steps they prescribe to stop them.  They may end up being caused by stress, a virus, physical stimuli, drugs, or pretty much anything else that could have any effect on the skin.

If you have any related symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, swelling, etc., anything that might indicate a severe allergic reaction, drop what you're doing and see the doctor immediately.