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.