Why Are My Hives Not Going Away?

Has this ever happened to you? You can’t stop scratching your skin. You see red bumps on your arms. Later in the day or week, the bumps turn into swollen and itchy welts and spread to other parts of your body. The itch is more intense and your skin is even painful from burning and stinging sensations. Sleep is a problem because you wake up scratching your skin, trying to relieve the itch. And all of this is taking a toll on you physically and mentally.

If this sounds familiar, you may have chronic hives, also called chronic urticaria.

About 1 in 5 people, or 20%, will develop hives at some point in their life. Hives are commonly found on the legs, arms and chest. But they can develop anywhere on the body. Sometimes the hives appear and disappear quickly. Other times they last six weeks or longer. Hives lasting more than six weeks are considered chronic hives. This could be the answer to your hives not going away.

Allergy & Asthma Network has a Chronic Urticaria Toolkit to help you better understand these skin conditions. The Toolkit explores causes of chronic hives and how to diagnose and treat them. It has resources to help you manage acute and chronic urticaria.

What is Chronic Urticaria?

Hives typically fall into two categories: acute and chronic.

1. Acute Hives occur due to an allergic reaction to something touched or eaten, an infection, or stress. For many people, hives are triggered by an allergic reaction to environmental allergens such as pollen or mold, and food. Some people break out in hives when it’s too cold or too hot outside. Sometimes a reaction to water can cause hives. Acute hives generally last less than six weeks.
2. Chronic Hives, or chronic urticaria, look and feel like acute hives but last six weeks or longer. The hives may break out, disappear, and then come back again often on different parts of the body. Chronic urticaria is most common in adults aged 40-59. The condition affects more women than men. Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), also called chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), is the diagnosis when the cause of hives is unknown.

What is included in the Chronic Urticaria Toolkit?

The Chronic Urticaria Toolkit will help you identify symptoms and find resources for treatment and relief. The toolkit from Allergy & Asthma Network contains a wealth of information. It explains in plain language what hives are, triggers for hives, and the treatments available.

Check out the Toolkit for information on:

1. Types of hives, including chronic spontaneous urticaria, also called chronic idiopathic urticaria
2. Diagnosis of chronic hives
3. What can trigger hives or CSU symptoms
4. Developing a treatment plan, including treating chronic hives
5. Learning to manage hives with lifestyle changes
6. Mental health support – find 10 actions to support your mental health while living with hives.
7. Other important resources include answers to frequently answered questions, plus webinars and videos from experts in the field.

You can use Allergy &Asthma Network’s Chronic Urticaria Toolkit to learn more about the causes and triggers of chronic urticaria. You can also get advice on handling the itch and skin irritation. The Toolkit is also appropriate for clinicians to learn more about hives and current research in the field.

Living with hives is not easy but there are ways to manage hives and make the condition less stressful. Allergy & Asthma Network’s Chronic Urticaria Toolkit provides you with resources and support. Use the Toolkit to get steps for improving your quality of life, including lifestyle changes.

Research shows that a chronic urticaria management and treatment plan can improve home life and productivity at work or school. The information in the toolkit will help you take proactive steps to improve your life with hives.

Download the Chronic Urticaria Toolkit

In addition to the resources on our website, you can also download a FREE printable version of the Chronic Urticaria Toolkit by filling out a short form. Your download will be available immediately.

The resource includes:

• How to talk to your doctor
• Questions for your doctor
• Control test for patients and healthcare providers
• Keeping a journal
• Links to the full online toolkit

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The Chronic Urticaria Toolkit was created with support from: