Many patients don’t know why they have hives. Vertigo symptoms often go unexplained as well. Food allergies should be at least suspected when hives, vertigo, or other type of dizziness is experienced without knowing the cause. There are some foods or food groups that are more likely to cause the combination of symptoms than others so they should be explored first.

Citric Acid And Citrus Fruits Should Be Ruled Out First

Citrus foods often cause allergic reactions but are often one of the last types of foods people think of when looking for a cause of hives. Vertigo is also commonly experienced as a symptom of allergies to citrus. But not just citrus as in oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes. You also need to closely inspect the ingredient labels on the prepared foods you are eating. You will be surprised to find out how many of the prepared foods you purchase contain citric acid. And while it is known that allergic reactions are often the cause of hives, vertigo presence can often quickly help you narrow down that allergy to citrus fruits or citric acid.

Often a Tricky One to Solve

It seems the reason for the vertigo is that unlike most other food allergies, citrus allergy often causes some slight swelling of the inner ear which is responsible for the vertigo. Most other food allergies don’t present this symptom and the reason for it is not really understood.

Many people are told to start eating a healthier diet or decide to do so on their own to try to resolve chronic hives. Vertigo begins to develop and the hives don’t go away and patients become even more concerned. But the decision to eat healthier often means including more fruits in the diet. Just as a matter of preference, some begin including citrus fruits or juices. It doesn’t make sense to them or their doctors when not only the hives get worse but they begin to get dizzy spells of full blown vertigo. So just having the knowledge up front will help you uncover your allergies if these symptoms fit your particular case.

It should be understood that the hives/vertigo relationship is not a common one but the information contained here may help some hives sufferers figure out a solution to their hives problem.

One condition that the hives, tiredness combination could be a result of can fortunately be ruled out with ease. This is what is known as menopausal hives. It is well documented that anxiety is a stressor, or trigger for hives. Tiredness or general fatigue can also be a symptom of stress or unusual anxiety. One condition that the hives/tiredness combination shows up in is menopause.

There is not medical proof that menopause causes hives but a lot of menopausal women do, anecdotally, experience hives. Fatigue is experienced by almost all women going through menopause. But the combination of symptoms while going through menopause should cause you to at least consider the possibility.

Fortunately, menopausal hives are usually a short-term occurrence that doesn’t come back. If it lasts more than a couple weeks, try some stress management techniques that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Sometimes this alone is enough to break the cycle and cause the disappearance of the hives. Fatigue can usually only be beat by getting more rest unless brought on by a disease.

Allergic Reaction Common Cause of Hives

Most everyone knows that allergic reactions to an otherwise harmless substance can cause hives. Tiredness along with it may be just another symptom of the allergic reaction or could be the result of medications used to combat the hives. Antihistamines are commonly given to treat outbreaks of hives. Tiredness, or drowsiness and fatigue are common side effects of many of the antihistamines.

If the antihistamines get rid of the hives and you stop taking the antihistamines, the fatigue should go away by the next day unless it is caused by something else. But fatigue is such a common side effect and symptom for a multitude of conditions and medications, it is just impossible to say and is really just a trial and error thing that each individual must judge on their own.

Mononucleosis Needs To Be Ruled Out

Although it is not a common cause of hives, tiredness is a major symptom of mononucleosis. If both conditions last for longer than a couple weeks and you can’t determine the cause, you should at least rule out mononucleosis. Fortunately, there are tests that can be done for this and your doctor can set you up for one if appropriate.

Pressure urticaria is a relatively common form of hives, muscle aches, or pain being the common symptom other than hives being the key to this diagnosis. Urticaria is the medical condition known more commonly as hives. Muscle aches and pain can be caused by too many things to list here but when hives, muscle aches, and pains appear simultaneously, pressure urticaria is very likely.

What Is Pressure Urticaria?

Pressure urticaria is a pretty common form of hives that comes when the skin in any particular location has been under pressure at the same place for a considerable length of time. This happens a lot on the feet from standing a long time or on the buttocks area from sitting in the same position too long. Naturally, not everyone who does either of these things will break out in hives; muscle aches don’t happen to everyone under these circumstances either. But in some people it actually does result in a painful or sore type of hives. It can also come from tight clothing causing pressure in a certain area. The hives will begin after the pressure is relieved, usually a few hours after.

Why Does It Happen More In Working People?

The condition often happens to people in professions that require a person to wear things like a tool belt, where the belt itself or a tool like a hammer hanging from it causes pressure and that pressure is applied all day as a result of having to work. After taking off the belt, or other working accessory, the person will break out in hives. Muscle aches or outright pain accompanies the hives and they itch more than normal hives. They usually last for anywhere from two to 48 hours and can be accompanied with fever or chills, and sometimes a headache. Other types of work that can cause this are carrying a bag of some sort on a shoulder (think delivery person), using a hand tool the same way all day, or having to walk or stand with safety vests or other unusual work apparel that is heavy and unusual.

Many types of work will cause a person to have to have pressure applied in a way to some body part that is not normal in non-working conditions. Antihistamines usually don’t help this type of hives. Muscle aches can be eased with NSAID drugs, as long as it is not a drug that triggers hives.

If a person experiences persistent hives, nervousness should be at the top of the suspect list if an obvious physical allergen isn’t present. Recent research has shown a pretty clear connection between anxiety and hives.

It is known fact that anxiety does cause a physiological response. The body detects stress or even fear and activates the sympathetic nervous system. This alone can be enough to cause an acute outbreak of hives. Nervousness throws the body into the “fight or flight” mode to some degree or another. This fight or flight manifests in the body by opening up blood vessels almost immediately in a stressful situation. Histamine release in the small blood vessels around the mast cells of the skin causes the blotchy appearance in some people of hives. Nervousness either can cause this or even worse, can kind of snowball on itself where the anxiety causes the hives, nervousness increases and makes the hives worse, which in turn makes the anxiety level kick up even another notch.

Chronic Stress Related Hives Is Even Tougher To Beat

With chronic hives, nervousness can be even more of both a problem and a cause. The stress builds on itself as the person deals with the physical and visible symptoms of the hives. Hardly anyone can avoid being self-conscience when a large part of their body, especially the facial or neck areas are covered with unsightly red splotches that case them to itch. They become aware of the constant itching as well, and how that looks so try to avoid it, which makes them even more anxious. With chronic hives, nervousness and anxiety levels go up almost daily until resolves. Some of the things that add stress to the chronic hives sufferer are:

• Trying to go to sleep at night when the itching is so bad they can’t get comfortable and also worry about disrupting their spouse.
• The lack of sleep makes staying awake during the day a struggle.
• Trying to find clothes that won’t aggravate the condition or possibly that may cover the hives. Nervousness about only having a couple of clothing choices that provide them comfort.
• The real negative emotional toll that the change in lifestyle needed to live with hives causes
• The side effects of antihistamines. Usually making them even more tired
• Worrying that creams and ointments smell offensive to others or are causing damage to their expensive clothing. (creams don’t help much anyway)

If You Can Break The Cycle Of Hives, Nervousness Will Diminish

The real key to long-term success in fighting hives is to get to the cause. Manage your lifestyle, but remember at the root of hives is an immune system response. If you can’t identify a specific cause, do the best you can with natural alternatives to strengthen your immune system.  Eat a healthy diet, which can reduce anxiety, improve sleep and improve the health of youer immune system. Most importantly – don’t give up.