Urticaria, also known as hives, is a skin rash characterized by raised, itchy, and swollen patches on the skin.

Causes:

1. Allergic reactions: Food, medications, insect bites, or environmental factors can trigger allergic reactions, leading to urticaria.
2. Autoimmune disorders: Conditions like autoimmune thyroiditis, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis can cause urticaria.
3. Infections: Bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can trigger urticaria.
4. Physical stimuli: Exposure to cold, heat, sunlight, or pressure can cause urticaria.
5. Idiopathic: In some cases, the cause remains unknown.

Pathogenesis:

1. Mast cell activation: Allergens or other triggers activate mast cells, leading to the release of histamine and other chemical mediators.
2. Histamine release: Histamine causes blood vessels to dilate, leading to increased permeability and fluid leakage into the skin.
3. Inflammation: The release of chemical mediators and histamine leads to inflammation, causing the characteristic raised, itchy, and swollen patches on the skin.

Clinical Features:

1. Raised, itchy, and swollen patches: It is characterized by raised, itchy, and swollen patches on the skin, often with a red border.
2. Wheals: The patches can be circular, oval, or irregular in shape, and can range in size from a few millimetres to several centimetres.
3. Pruritus: It is often accompanied by intense itching, which can be debilitating.
4. Angioedema: In some cases, it can be accompanied by angioedema, which is the swelling of deeper skin layers and subcutaneous tissues.

Prevention:

1. Avoid triggers: Identify and avoid triggers that can cause urticaria, such as certain foods or medications.
2. Wear protective clothing: Wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen to prevent physical stimuli from triggering urticaria.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, to reduce the risk of developing urticaria.

HOMOEOPATHIC THERAPEUTICS –

1. APIS : Causation- sting bite, anger, jealousy, shock. Location- anywhere on body, more on eyes, ears and lips. Symptoms – Redness marked(rosy red), swelling with stinging pain > cold application. Right sided remedy. Good for small and giant urticarial rashes. Thirstlessness. Fiery red tongue. Craves milk. Mind- Irritable, quarrelsome, jealousy, awkwardness.
2. RHUS TOX : Causation- damp weather, getting wet. Symptoms – Lot of redness > warm application. Burning pain with lot of redness. Urticaria during fever(heat stage), urticaria with rheumatism. Thirst for cold water. Red triangular tip of tongue. Craving for cold milk, sweet, oyster. Left sided remedy. Mind – suspicious, fear of being poisoned, restlessness, anxiety about children, dreams of exertion.
3. BOVISTA : Causation – bad effects of cosmetics, after excitement. Location – all over body , especially around waist (where there is constant pressure of clothes). Symptoms – Dermatographia – patient keeps on scratching leading to more swelling and redness. Blunt instrument leaves impression. < scratching , bathing. Hypopigmented patches. Mind – Awkwardness , Quarrelsome.
4. URTICA URENS : Causation – shellfish , bee stings , pin worms, suppressed lactation. Gouty diathesis. Symptoms – burning , stinging pain associated with rheumatism or alternates with rheumatism (smaller joints affected). Marked periodicity. Also for angioedema. Good for burns , lactation, oliguria with gouty diathesis. Modalities – < cold , cold air.
5. NATRUM MUR : Causation – grief , disappointment in love , excessive salt, seashore, summer, exposure to sun. Symptoms – Good for acute and chronic urticaria , Redness , urticaria from exertion. Left sided. Mapped tongue. Craves – salt, fish. Mind – suppressed emotions. Modalities – < contradiction , music , consolation. Natrum mur chronic of Apis.

Worked By – Dr. Nazia Ansari (BHMS)