Hives - Conventional Treatment
Conventional treatment for hives is simple enough -- usually. You use an antihistamine and the hives go away.
And heaven knows there are enough on the market today, like Benadryl, that help to reduce the swelling and the itching and let you live your life. And for many individuals that is the sum total of the treatment of hives.
If you feel, however, that your particular case is serious enough to warrant going to your personal health care practitioner, then by all means go! The two of you can discuss your medical history, recent activities and she can help you decide exactly what?s causing your hives. And then she can offer the best possible treatment available.
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Here?s a word of caution. Anytime your hives are serious and are constricting your breathing, you must seek emergency medical attention. This situation can escalate within a very short period of time. This is no ordinary case of the hives.
There are a few medications your doctor can give you, or you can buy over the counter, that will help with moderate to sever hives. Each is a little different, and helps different things.
* Short Acting Type H1 Antihistamines: This includes medications like Benadryl, and are what most people use for mild cases of hives. These are mostly over the counter, inexpensive, and easy to get. Some may cause drowsiness, though, so be careful what you take! * Long Acting H1 Antihistamines: Mostly prescription, these are used to also treat mild to moderate cases of hives. Drugs like Allergra and Zyrtec fall into this category; so does Claritin, though, which is widely available without a prescription now. Most of the time, no sleep disturbance is noted, so you can continue with your life. * Type H2 Antihistamines: While these drugs aren?t approved by the FDA for use against hives, many doctors opt to prescribe them to improve the swelling and rash of hives. There is a fair amount of evidence supporting their use. * Corticosteroids: Taken orally, or through injection, these drugs help relieve symptoms of hives, and reduce the chances of coming back by suppressing the body?s allergic response. While rare, sometimes corticosteroids can be given through an IV or injection.
When you develop a case of chronic hives, you?ll want to treat it much like any acute version. The same antihistamines that others take for a short-lived case of the health problem work perfectly well for the long term situation as well.
