Urticaria (Hives): Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Verywell Health Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Options that a doctor may recommend include: If there are signs of allergy, and the person has swelling in their lips, face, or tongue, the doctor may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector to carry for use in emergencies. If someone has hives, the rash typically has these features: Hives is not contagious. The bites go away after a few weeks, but they can still give you a hard time. It is also known as Stress Hives and Stress Urticaria. If youre breaking out in hives, its a good idea to take an antihistamine, like Claritin or Allegra, to help block the histamine pathway from forming new hives. They can grow larger, change shape, and spread. A hive can be as tiny as a pencil tip or as big as a dinner plate. (You can also take Benadryl, but itll most likely knock you out, so its probably best to save that for nighttime.) At an allergy clinic, a specialist may do a skin prick test to find out whether there is an allergy to specific substances, such as chemicals, dust mites, or specific foods. A bad case of hives may appear as a single large patch of puffy, raised skin. Often, the cause of chronic hives isn't clear. Hives may disappear or reappear over the course of the. Stress is only one of several triggers that can cause symptoms like skin rashes or hives. Elsevier 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Heather L. Brannon, MD, is a family practice physician in Mauldin, South Carolina. Often, the cause of chronic hives isn't clear. GoodRx is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the third-party brands identified. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Hives can appear anywhere on the body, such as the: Some people have papular urticaria in reaction to insect or spider bites. Baby Hives: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - Verywell Family Read on to learn how to identify a stress rash and the best way to treat one. Hives are often-itchy bumps and raised patches that develop when the body releases histamine. The best approach to treatment depends on the cause and whether the issue is acute or chronic. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only.