The body responds to attack in different ways. Our skin can react to toxins with an eruption of red and/or flesh-colored bumps. Hives are often raised, very itchy,        appear in splotches or blotches on different parts of your body, and they can disappear in one place to appear in another.

Hives can itch, burn, or sting. They may last for minutes, hours, or days and usually leave without any scarring, unless we can’t resist scratching the itchy areas. 95% of the time we never find out exactly what is causing them, as they are an immune response to a toxin, like a passing virus, or an allergic reaction to some food or environmental exposure.

Any physical or emotional stress can cause hives, including sudden changes in temperature, sweating, overexercising, medication allergy, or intense anxiety. The body’s immune response can react within an hour to these inside or outside stressors.

Warm oatmeal baths can help, or baths with 1/4 to 1/5 cup of bleach. Antihistamines can help. Corticosteroids help, and are usually only applied topically. Hives can cause extreme distress and be widespread, in that case oral corticosteroids can be used for short periods.

Anaphylaxis is possible in people who are prone to allergies and is a dangerous swelling of the throat making breathing difficult. It can start with swelling around mouth and lips. Anaphylaxis is an an emergency and requires an adrenaline injection.

Mast cells release histamine and an excess will often cause a rash or itch. There is a syndrome called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. This is more common than recognized, but still somewhat rare.

A 6 food elimination diet can work: Eliminate Milk, Wheat, Egg, Soy, Peanuts and Tree nuts, and Fish and Shellfish. I add red meat to this list.

Eliminate these foods for 2 weeks and see the effect on your symptoms. Then add ONE of the food groups at a time to see if the symptoms recur. If the symptoms recur, stop that food and see if they reoccur. This is a long, arduous process, but blood tests do not identify food allergies unless you suffer from anaphylaxis. Your healthcare provider can refer you to an allergist for skin testing.

Any inflammatory response is made worse by alarm. Itching is very distressing to the body and the nerves become hyperactivated which makes the itching worse. Follow the 2 step program while you work on other solutions.

Take care

Judy