What are hives?
Hives, also known as Urticaria [1], are swollen flesh-colored, red, pink or discolored welts with a pale center that appears on the skin. Most times they cause intense itching or stinging.
This skin condition occurs when your immune system’s mast cells release some chemicals, like histamine, that cause fluid to leak out of small blood vessels.
Some researchers have shown that up to 20 percent of people get hives at some point in their lives.
There are 2 classifications of hives, namely, Acute and Chronic hives. Acute hives usually last from a few days to a few weeks. They can be caused by:
- Infection
- Insect bite
- Medications
- Food allergies
- Physical contact with allergens such as latex and plants
Acute hives can also be caused by some physical agents such as:
- Exercise
- Cold temperature
- Water or sunlight
- Vibration
- Sweating
- Changes in body temperature
On the other hand, chronic hives recur every day or some days, and it usually lasts from 6 weeks to some months or years. Although the exact cause of the chronic condition is unknown, conditions relating to your immune system may play a role in the development of this skin condition.
In 2017, a case report noted that hives may be associated with HIV. HIV compromises your immune system and makes it weak. Due to this, the rashes, hives and other skin conditions can occur easily.
A weakened immune system is vulnerable to attacks by some microbes such as: Viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites and other causes of hives.
In 2019, researchers noted that people living with HIV have a higher chance of experiencing negative side effects like skin rash and other skin conditions, from taking medication.