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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Hives
Signs and symptoms of hives include:
- Raised red or white welts (wheals, or swellings) of various sizes that can cover large areas of skin
- Welts that resolve while new welts erupt, making it seem as if the condition "moves"
- Itching, which may be severe
- Rarely, burning or stinging in the affected area
Hives can be either acute or chronic. Acute hives last from less than one day up to six weeks. Chronic hives last more than six weeks — sometimes for months to years.
Angioedema
Angioedema is a reaction similar to hives that affects deeper layers of your skin, the tissues underneath your skin, and the lining of your throat and intestines. Angioedema often appears around your eyes, cheeks or lips, but can also develop on your hands or feet, or genitals, or inside your throat or bowel. Angioedema and hives can occur separately or at the same time.
Signs and symptoms of angioedema include:
- Large, thick, firm welts
- Swelling of the skin
- Pain or warmth in the affected areas
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing, in severe cases
Hereditary angioedema is a rare but more serious inherited (genetic) condition that can cause sudden, severe and rapid swelling of your face, arms, legs, hands, feet, genitalia, digestive tract and airway. Signs and symptoms of hereditary angioedema include:
- Sudden and severe swelling of the face, arms, legs, hands, feet, genitalia, digestive tract and airway
- Abdominal cramping as a result of digestive tract swelling
- Difficulty breathing due to swelling that obstructs your airway
Hereditary angioedema is not usually accompanied by hives.
When to see a doctor
Mild hives and angioedema usually aren't life-threatening. You can usually treat mild cases at home.
See your doctor if:
- Your hives or angioedema doesn't respond to treatment
- You have severe discomfort
- Your symptoms continue for more than a few days
Seek emergency care if:
- You feel lightheaded
- You have severe chest tightness or trouble breathing
- You feel your throat is swelling
- Kaplan AP. Urticaria and angioedema. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2958607. Accessed Sept. 13, 2010.
- MacNeal RJ. Urticaria. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec10/ch109/ch109e.html?qt=urticaria&alt=sh#sec10-ch109-ch109e-101c. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Bingham CO. New onset urticaria: Diagnosis and Treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Atkinson JP. Diagnosis of hereditary angioedema. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Bingham CO. New onset urticaria: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and etiology. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Urticaria and angioedema. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y. The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5187962. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Initial evaluation of all patients with urticaria. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, Scotland. Mosby/Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0180&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0180&uniqId=220753099-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0180. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- Treatment of urticaria. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, Scotland. Mosby/Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0290&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0290&uniqId=220753099-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0290. Accessed Sept. 13, 2010.
- Acute urticaria: Evaluation and management. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, Scotland. Mosby/Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0185&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0185&uniqId=220753099-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00015-8--s0185. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- Bingham CO. An overview of angioedema: Clinical features, diagnosis and management. http://www.uptodate.com/index/home.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- Delves PJ. Angioedema. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec13/ch165/ch165b.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- FDA licenses for marketing new drug for rare genetic disease. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm161477.htm. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- Cinryze. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/ApprovedProducts/LicensedProductsBLAs/FractionatedPlasmaProducts/ucm150480.htm. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- Nolte H, et al. Overview of skin testing for allergic disease. http://www.uptodate.com/index/home.html. Accessed Oct. 2, 2010.
- Berinert. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/ApprovedProducts/LicensedProductsBLAs/FractionatedPlasmaProducts/ucm186264.htm. Accessed Oct. 15, 2010.
- Kalbitor. Drugs @FDA. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 15, 2010.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 13, 2010.
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