Urticaria

Urticaria — also known as hives, nettle rash, or wheals — can be an acute or chronic condition. Acute urticaria typically results from exposure to an allergen or infection and lasts less than 6 weeks, whereas chronic urticaria lasts longer and seems to be related to autoimmune dysfunction.

Quick Answer

What it is

Urticaria — also known as hives, nettle rash, or wheals — can be an acute or chronic condition. Acute urticaria typically results from exposure to an allergen or infection and lasts less than 6 weeks, whereas chronic urticaria lasts longer and seems to be related to autoimmune dysfunction.

Key findings

No graded findings are available yet.

Safety

No specific caution or interaction language was detected in the current summary/outcome notes.

ℹ️ Quick Facts

Quick Facts: Urticaria

  • Supplements Studied:0
0 supps · 0 outcomes

Evidence-Based Protocol

Supplement stack ranked by research quality

Limited Evidence

Primary Stack (Tier 1)

2000-4000 IU daily

Deficiency linked to chronic urticaria; supports immune modulation

10 studies | 500 participants
10-20 billion CFU daily

May help modulate immune response in chronic urticaria

6 studies | 250 participants

Supporting Stack (Tier 2)

1000-2000mg daily

Natural antihistamine properties; reduces histamine levels

5 studies | 200 participants
500-1000mg daily

Mast cell stabilizer; may reduce histamine release

4 studies | 150 participants
2-3g EPA+DHA daily

Anti-inflammatory; may help with chronic inflammatory conditions

4 studies | 150 participants

How It Works

Urticaria (hives) causes itchy, raised, red welts on the skin. It's caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals from cells in the skin.

TYPES:

Acute urticaria (<6 weeks) - usually allergic or viral
Chronic urticaria (>6 weeks) - often no identifiable cause
Physical urticarias (triggered by cold, heat, pressure, sunlight)
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (most common chronic type)

COMMON TRIGGERS:

Foods (nuts, eggs, shellfish)
Medications (NSAIDs, antibiotics)
Infections
Insect stings
Physical triggers (pressure, cold, heat)
Stress
Often no identifiable trigger

SYMPTOMS:

Itchy welts (wheals)
Red or skin-colored
Vary in size
Come and go
May have angioedema (deeper swelling)

SEEK EMERGENCY CARE IF:

Difficulty breathing
Throat tightness
Swelling of lips/tongue
Dizziness or fainting

TREATMENT:

Antihistamines (first-line)
Avoid triggers if known
Cool compresses
For severe: omalizumab, cyclosporine

* Vitamin D deficiency is common in chronic urticaria.

* Antihistamines remain first-line treatment.

* Identify and avoid triggers when possible.

Expected timeline: Acute urticaria usually resolves within days to weeks. Chronic urticaria may last months to years but often eventually resolves.

Generated from peer-reviewed researchSchema v2.0