How to Identify Hives

Hives, also known as urticaria, are a common skin condition that can cause red bumps or welts to appear on the skin. These bumps can be itchy and uncomfortable, and they may come and go quickly. Identifying hives can help you determine if you need to seek medical treatment. Here are some tips on how to identify hives:

1. Look for raised red welts: Hives usually appear as raised red welts on the skin that may be itchy and swollen. They can range in size from a few millimeters to several inches across, and they may join together to form larger patches of affected skin.

2. Check for blisters or pus-filled bumps: Some cases of hives may also include blisters or pus-filled bumps that ooze fluid when scratched or touched. These bumps should not be confused with other types of rashes such as eczema or psoriasis, which often have different characteristics than hives.

3. Look for a pattern of circles: In some cases, hives will form in clusters of circles that look like mosquito bites but without the bite mark in the center. This is known as “target lesions” and is often seen with severe cases of hives caused by allergic reactions or infections such as strep throat or Lyme disease.

4. Pay attention to other symptoms: Other symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and difficulty breathing may accompany hives in some cases and should always be taken seriously if experienced alongside an outbreak of hives on the skin.

If you think you have hives it is important to seek medical advice from your doctor so that an accurate diagnosis can be made and appropriate treatment prescribed if necessary. By learning how to identify hives you will be better able to recognize this condition when it arises so that you can get prompt care if needed

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Tags:

. Hives, Urticaria, Skin Condition, Red Bumps/Welts, Itchy, Swollen, Blisters/Pus-filled Bumps, Target Lesions, Allergic Reactions/Infections, Fever, Fatigue, Nausea/Vomiting/Abdominal Pain/Difficulty Breathing,

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