Urticaria is a redness of the skin, most often composed of multiple red or pink plates, embossed with perfectly defined and smooth surface contours. The lesions migrate from one place to another. This redness is accompanied by fierce itching altering the quality of life of patients. Sometimes it is associated with swelling of the face, lips and eyelids and may even affect the tongue, uvula, vocal cords and larynx and cause asphyxia.
Hives can persist for a few hours to a few days to disappear without a trace, it is called acute form is the most common form.
However, this rash can develop over 6 weeks or recur repeatedly at short intervals. In the latter case, is called chronic urticaria.
The causes of urticaria are numerous:
Physical urticaria triggered by stress, heat, cold, charging port, vibration ....
Acute urticaria induced by physical exercise in a 16 years old patient.
Dermographism in a 38 years old patient, with chronic urticaria.
It consists dermographism the appearance of an urticarial wheal following a simple friction.
Infectious urticaria
Facial edema and urticaria associated with a viral infection.
Allergy testing are negativs Lesions disappear with the disappearance of the infection.
Contact urticaria
Angioedema with immediate allergy to latex.
Systemic urticaria: due to the presence of a systemic disease affecting in particular the immunity
Disabling chronic urticaria in a 52 years old patient. Autologous serum skin test (IDR with its own serum) positive.
Negative immunological tests.
Autoimmune urticaria by anti-IgE or anti-IgE receptor existence.
In all cases, allergy tests ordered by your doctor to know the possible causes.