Hurticaria is a symptom, not a disease. It is also called as hives or night burn in the society. Urticaria is itchy, raised skin, faded with pressure, can be in different shapes and sizes, with clear borders and reddening around it. The rashes usually last no more than a day and go away on their own within hours without a trace. While the rash disappears in one place, it may reappear in another part of the body. Urticaria can be widespread throughout the body, sometimes it can merge and appear as plaques, and sometimes it can cause swelling in the lips, around the eyes, genital area, hands and feet, which we call angioedema. While urticaria and angioedema occur together in approximately half of the patients, only urticaria occurs in 40% and angioedema alone occurs in 10%. It can be seen in all age groups. One out of every four people has had urticaria at least once in their lifetime.
Urticaria is divided into two groups as acute and chronic according to the duration of the disease. If it lasts less than 6 weeks, it is defined as acute if it lasts longer than 6 weeks, it is defined as chronic urticaria. While acute urticaria is more common in childhood, especially in atopic and young children, chronic urticaria is often seen in young adults and is 2-4 times more common in women than in men.
The most common causes of acute urticaria are; infections, food allergies, and drugs. However, no cause can be found in half of the patients. Especially in children, viral or bacterial upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections and parasites can cause urticaria. In acute urticaria developed against food, the food alone or the spices and additives added to the food may be the cause. Frequently, milk and dairy products, nuts such as eggs, peanuts, hazelnuts, and foods such as fish can cause urticaria. Usually, urticaria develops within minutes, but urticaria may occur later, after the food is digested. Rarely, there are foods that cause urticaria when exercised immediately after ingestion. Examples of these foods are wheat, nuts and shellfish. Bee stings, insect bites, vaccines, blood products are also among the triggers for acute urticaria. In acute urticaria that occurs against drugs, the symptoms usually disappear after the drug is taken. then seen within 36 hours.
Acute urticaria usually goes away on its own within 2-3 weeks.
Triggering causes in chronic urticaria should definitely be investigated. These triggers are;
-
medications (such as antibiotics, pain relievers, antihypertensives),
-
foods and nutritional additives (tartrazine, such as azo sizes, sodium benzoate),
-
infections caused by parasites, hydatid cyst, helicobacter pylori,
-
viral infections,
-
tooth abscesses,
-
urinary infections,
-
gallbladder infections,
-
sinusitis,
-
inhaled allergens (grass grass pollen, mold spores, animal dander, house dust mites) ),
-
chemical irritants,
-
systemic diseases (lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, thyroid diseases, cancers),
-
implants (metals placed in the thigh bone, metal dental prostheses, materials used in dental fillings,
-
psychological causes (depression and anxiety disorders) ,
-
physical stimuli (pressure, heat, cold, water, sun rays).
In 25% of chronic urticaria patients, complaints develop due to physical reasons. In physical urticaria, the skin is directly affected. Physical urticaria may occur due to many reasons such as exposure to extreme heat or cold, sun, pressure and sweating. Symptoms begin to appear approximately one hour after exposure to the agent. In addition, the type of physical urticaria called dermographism occurs as a result of hard and tight itching of the skin and the formation of scratches on the skin. Laboratory examinations are performed to investigate possible underlying causes. The main purpose of urticaria treatment; treatment for the cause or prevention of contact with the causative factors (food, medicine). For example, stopping the intake of the drug or food used, or if there is an infection, treatment is done. is taken. Urticaria may not resolve immediately, but may recur at intervals. Antihistamine drugs can prevent itching and recurrence of urticaria by blocking the action of histamine. Sometimes, short-term steroid therapy may be required. If the signs of chronic urticaria are not under control, anti-IgE treatment may be recommended. Chronic urticaria can progress with long-term and recurrent attacks. Long-term use of drugs may be required in treatment.
Read: 0
