Solar urticaria, or hives, is one of the physical hives. This means there is a physical trigger for the hives, sunlight in this case. About one fourth of chronic hives cases are due to a physical cause.

With cases of solar urticaria, the physical trigger for the hives, sunlight, can be a difficult trigger to avoid which makes it unusually annoying. The hives cause the same typical symptoms as any of the hives types, which include redness, itchy spots, and slightly raised areas. But the difference is that in this form of hives, sunlight exposed areas are the only areas where the spots occur. And it can happen in a matter of minutes from exposure on areas not typically exposed like under your shirt or shorts. Don’t confuse it with sunburn, as it will usually go away just as fast after exposure is stopped.

How Does It Happen?

Patients with solar urticaria make their own allergic antibodies against certain proteins in their own skin. The structure of these proteins changes with sunlight exposure, which allows the allergic reaction to occur, causing hives. Sunlight exposure long enough in a person that develops these proteins can even cause anaphylaxis, a much more serious problem.

How Does Solar Urticaria Get Diagnosed?

A diagnosis is typically arrived at when the skin gets exposed to various light sources that are capable of producing different light spectrums, or wavelengths. A dermatologist will usually have this type of equipment to perform this test, whereas your family doctor will probably not. With some chronic solar hives, sunlight of the natural kind will be the only way to make a conclusive diagnosis.

How Is Solar Urticaria Treated

As you might suspect, there is one easy way to stop solar hives, sunlight avoidance. This isn’t very practical for most people and not necessarily healthy either. Everyone can benefit from moderate sunlight exposure.

Antihistamines will sometimes be helpful to ease the symptoms but is only a temporary fix, as are some of the topical steroid creams like hydrocortisone. Prednisone is used in really severe cases but all medicines should be avoided if possible.

A dermatologist can help you in a natural way with solar hives; sunlight desensitization is possible with controlled exposure periods. But you should not try this on your own as you may make the condition worse.

When people get hives, kidney disease is probably not the first thing that comes to mind as a cause. And while most people think of allergies as the most common cause of hives, a viral infection is at least as likely if not more so to be at the cause, especially for children with hives. Kidney disease or liver disease is certainly not rare though.

First Rule Out A Few Other Possible Causes Before Jumping To One Of The Metabolic Diseases

As a cause for hives, kidney disease should not be the first thing you look into. You should rule out some of these more common causes before you investigate a metabolic disease as the source of your hives outbreaks:

• As stated above, rule out viral infections first. Especially in children, be sure there is no recent illness like a urinary tract infection, strep throat, or even something as seemingly unrelated as athlete’s foot.
• Make sure there are not unusually high stress levels or chronic anxiety or depression problems. And don’t immediately rule it out. Most people’s hectic lives add more stress than they think. Stress is a common cause of both acute and chronic hives.
• Allergic reactions. Although only about five or ten percent of chronic hives are caused by allergies. And when they are, pet dander is a likely culprit.
• Chronic infections like hepatitis, bladder infections or stomach ulcers caused by bacteria can cause hives.

Metabolic Diseases Can In Fact Cause Hives, Kidney Disease and Liver Disease Chief among Them

A lot of patients worry that kidney or liver disease may be causing their hives. This is possible. Metabolic diseases are in fact a root cause of some cases of chronic hives. Thyroid function should also be checked.

But usually when a metabolic disease is suspected, it is eventually found to be an autoimmune disease instead. Autoimmune diseases or disorders happen when the immune system attacks a healthy organ or tissue thinking that it is foreign and unwelcome. There are over 75 different autoimmune disorders and if you have or suspect you have one of them you have likely found the cause of your chronic hives.

Many patients experience unexplained hives. Numbness and pain along with the hives is a combination commonly seen in a condition known as fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is often diagnosed by excluding other conditions but look at some of the other symptoms of fibromyalgia and if you experience a few more along with hives, numbness and pain, you may ask to be treated for “fibro” to see if the symptoms subside.

Besides Hives, Numbness And Pain, What Are Other Symptoms?

Pain is the most common symptom experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers. Many of the other symptoms just come and go often enough that the person never has a day where they feel good.

The pain is musculoskeletal pain and is often accompanied by fatigue. It can come and go, or be migratory as can the hives. Numbness or tingling sensations come and go in different areas as well as opposed to always being in the same place when caused by a pinched nerve or spinal condition.

Other symptoms may be grinding the teeth at night, tight or clenching jaw, headaches, sore throat that comes and goes, heart murmur, digestive problems, heartburn, reflux, and others. Not everyone experiences all of these nor do any of them mean fibromyalgia is the cause. But the one constant is the pain.  It is not unusual to have recurrent hives, numbness, and tingling.  But always the pain in one or many manifestations.

Why Is Pain Such a Constant with Fibromyalgia?

One popular theory is something referred to as Substance P. People with fibromyalgia have triple the amount of Substance P as normal people. This substance carries the pain stimuli to the brain. The brain can interpret pain incorrectly and therefore it responds incorrectly. What one person feels as an itch or tickle, the fibro patient will feel as pain. And to make matter worse, fibromyalgics often have more pain receptors in the brain which only magnifies this pain.

Due to a lack of stage 4 sleep, sometimes fibro patients don’t get enough natural muscle repairs that occur during this sleep stage. So the little muscle traumas that we all experienced are not repaired during sleep. This adds up over time and causes stiffness and pain. Obviously, exercise will usually aggravate pain in these patients so the normal advice of getting more exercise will not help much.

Why the Hives, Numbness Combination

Often an allergic reaction to a pain medication like codeine will cause hives, numbness being unrelated. There are many medicines that cause hives.

But it is not uncommon for fibromyalgia patients to get hives. Numbness, On the other hand is a very common symptom, second only to pain. So be sure to mention it to your doctor so he or she can factor it in to your diagnosis.

For a person treating hives, weight loss may become a real concern. Especially if you already have a weight problem or are obese, extra precautions should be taken be sure you start a hives weight loss program and not just a hives elimination program. Many of the medications used to treat hives will cause weight gain. And with hives, weight loss is even more important because packing on those extra pounds can actually decrease the chances for successfully treating the hives condition.

What Makes Hives Weight Loss So Difficult?

With hives, weight loss is made more difficult for the some of the following reasons:

• Most prescriptions given to treat hives will cause weight gain
• Stress and anxiety, which are common causes of hives, are also known to cause weight gain in many people.
• Some people with chronic hives become so self conscious about their hives and what other may think about it that they stay indoors and “hide”. Inactivity and boredom often lead to overeating.
• Most people with hives are too uncomfortable to exercise. The itchy condition tends to keep people from exercise.

What Can Make Hives Weight Loss Easy?

Conversely, some people with hives end up losing weight. They find out that their hives are a result of a reaction to a certain food so in an effort to get rid of the hives they stop eating almost everything. While this may be good for the hives, weight loss because of not eating is not very healthy. So beware of this opposite weight effect when dealing with your hives condition.

Be Careful How You Try To Lose Weight

A final word about the relationship between hives, weight loss, and weight gain. It can become a confusing vicious cycle of sorts. Some patients develop hives and begin to treat it. They find that they are putting on weight as a result of the treatment and decide to go on a diet. The diet turns into fasting or into only a raw food to get the stubborn pounds off faster. The hives get worse and they end up unhealthy and still with hives.

It has been documented that fasting can be a cause of hives. And any prolonged diet that consists of less than 1000 calories a day can also result in hives. It is not advisable under any case to fast or starve yourself in an attempt to rid yourself of hives. Look for another alternative way to treat the hives condition.

The relationship between hives, weight loss or gain, and diet is a complex and confusing one. It is one that should be explored with the help of a professional with a track record of results in treating hives.

Some individuals that have hives and constipation and hives at the same time assume it is a symptom of a particular illness. While that certainly could be the case, constipation and hives are both common symptoms of many different conditions on their own and the combination will most likely be an indication that a certain medication is giving you problems.

Hives and Constipation Together Is a Common Occurrence for Those Taking Trazodone

All medications have side effects. Hives, constipation, dry mouth, and headaches are common side effects in a lot of drugs. But in some cases certain side effect combinations can indicate an allergic reaction instead of being a side effect.  Be sure to read the specific warnings on the drug to be sure. A common anti depressant, Trazodone, would be one of these. And since it is such a commonly prescribed medication, it is worth mentioning because the combination of constipation and hives can indicate a serious allergic reaction that requires medical attention. Many patients suffering from chronic hives end up dealing with depression because of the hives.

If you are on trazodone and have constipation that suddenly is accompanied by hives, you need to get medical attention without delay. And of course do not take any more of it without consulting your prescribing physician.

What Else Could Cause Constipation and Hives at the Same Time?

A condition left untreated that will cause constipation and hives, along with dizziness is Candida. Other symptoms that are not as common are stomach pain and tinnitus. That is pretty much it for the symptoms so if this describes you treatment for Candida would be a good idea, or at least something to be considered.

It is not talked about much and some people never heard of it but according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that up to 75% of women will experience this yeast overgrowth at least once in the form of a vaginal yeast infection. And along with constipation and hives, the other symptoms are headache, fatigue, and digestive problems.

Some other conditions that could cause the constipation and hives combination are

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Adverse reaction to artificial sweetener known as Truvia
• Helicobacter pylori infection

But these are not at all common and the most likely culprit will be a reaction to a drug, either an allergic reaction or just side effects from its use. And although there may be some people claiming it, there is really no such condition known as constipation hives. The two symptoms may occur at the same time as discussed here, but hives are not caused by constipation.

The relationship between hives and depression is a complex, ironic one. In fact hives, known medically as urticaria, and depression may be directly related or a side effect of each other.

Let’s start off with the simplest relationship between the two. Hives is a common skin disorder experienced at least once by about 20 percent of the population. But there is an unfortunate minority of patients that develop chronic urticaria, and depression for those patients is an all too familiar companion. Not only are the hives bothersome in the way they constantly itch and interfere with daily activities, but the unsightly appearance of them makes people self-conscience to the point that they will start to isolate themselves to avoid being seen. With chronic hives, depression is fairly common as the patient sees no light at the end of the tunnel and can think of nothing else but their condition. There have been some cases where people have suffered for years with hives and depression becomes so severe that they become suicidal.

Urticaria and Depression May Be Related To Medication

There are many depression medications that cause hives in some patients as a side effect. So the relationship between hives and depression is sort of secondary, but emotionally destructive. The patient is already depressed so they begin a medication to help them overcome the depression.  Hives appear as a side effect of the drug. Urticaria and depression in these instances can become a vicious cycle unless the patient realizes the relationship and stops or changes the medication immediately. Needless to say any positive effect the drug may have on the depression will be wiped out by the emotional toll caused by the hives. And depression will only feed on itself in these cases so recognition of the relationship is key to stopping this cycle of urticaria and depression making each condition worse.

Other Relationships between Hives and Depression

The cause of hives in over half the cases is never determined. Sometimes depression or emotional state can bring on an acute case of hives, or even chronic hives. But anxiety is a more common emotional trigger for urticaria and depression is pretty far down the list of causes.

More commonly, there are many medications that have hives and depression in their list of side effects. And these are not only anti-depressant drugs. Many drugs prescribed for all different conditions will trigger both hives and depression. The depression will not manifest right away, however, so take a look at the prescription insert patient information on any drug taken for more than a couple weeks to see if these symptoms appear as side effects.

If hives is causing the depression, the best way to break the cycle is to get to the root cause of the hives. In chronic cases, it will usually be related to an immune system problem of some sort.

If you are having problems with urticaria, hair loss is probably not related directly to the urticaria. Hair loss can be attributed to many things but there is no medical research to indicate a direct relationship to hives. Hair loss can be attributed to many conditions and you should see if any of them also have hives as a symptom or side effect as well.  Some possible causes of hair loss include:

• Stress
• Drug side effects
• Iron deficiency
• Menopause
• Genetics
• Aging
• Allergic reaction to something put into the hair
• Hair style

Look For a Link to Both Urticaria, Hair Loss

If you look at the general list above, it is known that stress, drug side effects, and allergic reactions can cause hives. Hair loss occurs with all of these so it seems a logical place to start would be with the most common condition that causes hives, hair loss, or both and that would be anxiety or stress.

Stress is so prevalent in modern society that hardly anybody is immune from it. It is also one of the most common triggers of hives. Hair loss to be concerned with is difficult to define and is relative. 50 to 100 hairs lost in a day is not all that unusual. Control your stress and see if the problem with hives disappears. If it does, you should be relieved and, quite frankly, quit worrying about your hair loss.

Have You Changed Your Hair Style or Color Lately?

Allergic reactions to hair dyes, permanent solutions, or any of the other myriad of hair care products available is very common. And one of those reactions is hives. Hair loss can also be caused by some solutions put into the hair, but it will be temporary.

Sometimes a new hair style that pulls the hair tightly in any one place could cause what is known as pressure urticaria. Hair loss from tight buns or pony tails is not unusual either so this is another possible cause.

Have You Started Taking a New Medication?

Cancer fighting drugs are known to cause urticaria, hair loss, vomiting, nausea, and many other side effects. But if you are fighting cancer, hair loss and hives are, frankly, the least of your concerns.

Some anti-acne drugs like Isotretinoin, can cause hives, hair loss and other unwelcome rashes.

You should know that the two conditions – hives, hair loss, are not directly related. So a little detective work is in order if these two problems are causing you concern.  Look for common causes. The good news is that hives are very difficult to find a cause for and if you can correlate hives with hair loss you may have narrowed down the list of possible causes for your particular type of hives.  Hair loss, if it continues over many years, is more likely age-related or genetic and there is not much to be done for it.

Cases of hives often go undiagnosed as to the cause, but hives and swollen joints in combination should lead you to investigate the possibility of Serum sickness as a cause. Serum sickness is not a well known response but could explain hives and swollen joints occurring at the same time. While a number of other allergic reactions could also explain the hives, swollen joints is kind of a wild card that can help you narrow it down.

What is Serum Sickness?

Serum sickness is an allergic-like reaction to injected proteins used to treat immune conditions. The injected proteins, or antiserum, are the liquid part of the blood that has antibodies in it to help protect against infections or even poisons.

The clear fluid portion of the blood is called plasma. It doesn’t contain any blood cells, but does contain proteins including antibodies. Antiserum is produced from this plasma and there are many types of antiserums produced for different reasons. Well known antiserum injections are those given for exposure to tetanus and rabies. But that is far from a complete list.

Serum sickness is defined as a false immune system response to the proteins in this plasma. The immune system attacks the antiserum and causes hives and swollen joints, inflammation, and other symptoms. The immune system is indeed a complex and marvelous system but when it goes “rogue” it can cause real problems – some severe. In essence, it attacks the body from within.

Can Other Types of Medication Cause Serum Sickness?

Some medications can cause similar reactions, like fever, rash, hives, and swollen joints.  But it is not exactly the same. These medications will trigger a response in fairly short order.  On the other hand, serum sickness usually develops one to three weeks after the first injection. Medications that mimic serum sickness symptoms include penicillin, cefaclor, and sulfa.

Some injected proteins like antithymocyte globulin and rituximab which are used to combat transplant rejection and immune disorders can also cause the hives and swollen joints associated with serum sickness.

Finally, some blood products can cause serum sickness as well.

How is it Diagnosed?

Diagnosis will depend mostly on seeing blood and proteins in the urine and immune complexes in the blood. Blood vessel inflammation and enlarged lymph nodes are also common.

In over half of all cases of hives, the description idiopathic is used. The term is used to mean that the cause is undetermined. With most hives tingling, burning, itching, slight swelling and discoloration of the skin are common symptoms. But the commonality of the symptoms only makes determining the cause more difficult.

Many people think they know what is bringing on the hives, but the fact is the cause is never found in the majority of the cases.

Is There Any One Condition That Causes Hives, Tingling Sensations As A Constant Symptom?

The short answer is yes, but it is rare. Lupus will consistently cause hives, tingling of a persistent nature in the arms and legs, and other symptoms. If you have chronic hives, tingling in the arms and legs that won’t go away, and don’t know the cause, it is worthwhile to eliminate Lupus as a cause so you can go on to discover the real culprit. And of course if Lupus is the cause you will want to begin treating it as soon as you can. It should be emphasized again here that it is rare but it is the only condition that presents the two symptoms of hives, tingling in the arms and legs as a consistent combination.

What Are The Other Symptoms Of Lupus?

No two cases of Lupus are the same, but the most common are listed below:

• Joint pain
• Joint stiffness and swelling
• A butterfly-shaped rash on the face covering the bridge of the nose and both cheeks
• Fever and fatigue
• Skin lesions that get worse with exposure to the sun
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Dry eyes
• Memory loss, confusion, headaches
• Persistent hives, tingling in the arms and legs

What Other Conditions Could Be The Cause Of Both Hives And Tingling?

Many cases of hives will itch and tingle and the cause will never be found. Some allergic reactions will result in both, but chronic hives is generally a function of something gone wrong with the immune system.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that will cause numbness, burning, dry skin, itching, hives, tingling, and most bothersome of all fatigue and pain. The pain is all over the body and the fatigue is much generalized. Fibromyalgia is as difficult to diagnose as chronic hives but could be the cause of both the hives and the tingling.  It is usually diagnosed by excluding almost everything else.

In the meantime, until and unless you find the cause of the hives, tingling, and burning, all you can really do is treat the symptoms which are typically done with an antihistamine like Benadryl. Topical creams or ointments may help with the hives but will not help at all with the tingling. You may just have to let time pass.  Hives bother some people for years with the cause never being found. There are some alternative medicine regimens that have been effective that target the health of the immune system. Some research into some of these could prove beneficial.

Hives, or urticaria, is a very bothersome condition. Many people suffer with it for years. Scarring seldom occurs with hives. Hives marks, or scars, don’t happen because the condition doesn’t produce any wound to the skin to repair.

Why Don’t Hives Marks or Scars Occur?

In order for the skin to exhibit any type of scar tissue, or permanent discoloration, there has to be some damage to the skin for the body to repair. Scarring occurs when there is some type of break in the skin. This could be anything from the simple rupturing of a pimple, which breaks the skin, to a cut in the skin from a sharp object that causes bleeding.

None of these things happen with hives. Marks or scarring isn’t left because hives doesn’t cause a break in the skin. Without a skin break, the skin doesn’t produce collagen to repair the wound (there is no wound). It is this collagen production that creates scar tissue. So as worrisome and life-changing as chronic hives can be, hives marks is one thing sufferers really don’t have to concern themselves with.

What About the Discoloration?

Sometimes hives results in a condition classified by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is sometimes confused with hives marks or scarring but it is not the same thing. It is a long, frightening sounding name, as medical terms tend to be, but is really just another name for slight discoloration that eventually fades away on its own.

Due to the slight swelling, or raised areas that are evident during the actual attack of hives, marks of discoloration are sometimes left  because excess melanin accumulates and changes the skin’s color in that area ever so slightly. You can consult a dermatologist about the best way to treat these but they usually go away on their own.

How Can These Discolored Areas Be Rid Of Faster

A normal treatment course to get rid of these discolored hives marks would go something like this:

• A prescription is obtained for a topical corticosteroid. This is applied directly to the area of discoloration
• The medication will stop any residual swelling that may be still in process and also halts any further melanin production.
• The hives marks of discoloration will eventually fade away. This doesn’t happen overnight but may take weeks
• Topical hydroquinone may also be used. It is a skin bleaching agent that comes in prescription or OTC strength. This agent breaks up melanin clusters caused by the swelling and the hives marks eventually fade away

You should wait until the outbreak of hives has come and gone before applying any of these topical solutions.