10 Best Homeopathic Medicines for Urticaria

Urticaria, commonly known as Hives or ‘nettle rash’, refers to sudden outbreak of raised, elevated, pale red itchy bumps (wheals also called welts) on the skin surface. It is a skin reaction to certain allergens. Hives can be accompanied by burning, and stinging pain. They are not contagious which means they don’t spread from one person to another via direct skin contact.

Homeopathic Treatment

Hives can be treated effectively with natural homeopathic medicines. They are helpful in the treatment of Hives which have occurred recently as well as the ones which have been there for longer duration. It treats the root cause behind it, and helps in excellent recovery. Mainly they aim to correct the hypersensitive nature of immune system to certain allergens. The medicines firstly help to clear the acute outbreak of wheals, and afterwards help to prevent its recurrence gradually over a period of time. The wheals clear with these medicines along with relief in itching, burning, and stinging sensations. It is to be noted that in the case of Anaphylaxis, urgent help from conventional system should be taken as homeopathy doesn’t help such cases.

Homeopathic Medicines for Urticaria

1. Apis Mellifica – Top Grade Medicine

It is a leading medicine for the treatment of Hives. There are red inflamed wheals with marked burning, stinging sensation. There is itching that gets most intense during the night. The wheals may be painful and tender to touch. They usually appear from heat. The Hives which trigger in warm weather are also indicative of its use. Swelling of the face, eyelids, and lips may also appear. Other than that, Urticaria from insect bite is another characteristic to use it.

2. Urtica Urens – When Hives Appear Same Season Every Year

Use of Urtica Urens is considered when it appears in the same season every year. Wheals are red with itching and burning, and the patient constantly rubs skin to seek relief. Stinging also appears in welts. Swelling of the face may appear along with the above symptoms in some cases. Nettle rash from eating shellfish is also indicative to use this.

3. Natrum Mur – For Heat / Cholinergic Type

It is very effective for treatment of Hives that trigger due to heat and too much exercise. Those who need it get wheals over whole the body accompanied with excessive itching. The wheals appear like large red blotches. Burning and smarting sensation also appear in them. In many cases stinging sensation is also felt in the rash.

4. Rhus Tox – For Water Induced/Aquagenic Type

It is helpful to people who suffer from water induced Hives. Here the patient gets wheals from skin contact with water. The appearance of wheals is accompanied by itching. After one scratches, burning sensation appears. Stitching pain also accompanies.

5. Dulcamara –From Cold Air Exposure (Cold Induced Type)

It is suitable for cases of cold induced type. Those who need it get Hives from exposure to the cold air. They get red wheals on the whole body. It is accompanied with excessive itching. Needle like pricking sensation also appears in the wheals.

6. Chloralum – For Dermatographic Type

Chloralum is mainly recommended for dermatographic type. Those who need it get welts on skin, if the skin is scratched.  The patient complains of intense irritation, itching, and stinging feeling.  This medicine also helps cases of hives that appear at night and get better in the day. In such cases, wheals are large red, and sometimes accompanied with swelling of the face and the eyelid. The wheals have itching that compels a person to scratch until it bleeds. Apart from it, this medicine is also indicated when complaint appears due to alcohol intake.

7. Conium – For Exercise Induced Type

Conium offers help in hives triggered by violent bodily exercise. The welts appear with itching. Among those who need it, itching gets worse upon scratching.

8. Astacus – When Accompanied By Liver Complaint

Astacus is administered in cases where Urticaria is accompanied by liver complaints. The wheals appear over the entire body. They result in itching and stinging pain. It is mainly indicated in long standing (chronic) cases.

9. Sulphur – when It Appears On The Whole Body

Sulphur is indicated for nettle rash which appears over the entire body. This is accompanied by itching, and intense burning sensation on the whole body. Itching gets better by scratching most of the times. In addition to this, stitching-like prickling sensation on the skin is also felt. Formication sensation as if an insect is crawling on the skin is another accompanied symptom.

10. Arsenic Album – When Burning Sensation Is Marked

It is useful in cases where intense burning sensation is present in the welts. Intolerable itching is also an added factor. After scratching, pain is felt on the skin. The welts may be small or large in size. Marked restlessness appears with above-mentioned symptoms.

11. Bovista – When It Triggers On Waking In Morning

Bovista is helpful in cases of Urticaria that triggers specifically on waking in the morning. Wheals cover the entire body and can be quite big in size. Itching is also there that gets worse on slight warmth in the body. One gets no relief even if one scratches. Apart from it, it is also helpful in cases when bathing triggers such complaints.

12. Copaiva – For Chronic Hives In Children

Copaiva is a significant medicine to treat chronic (long standing) Hives among children. Red wheals are and spread all over the body are the signs to use it. Aggressive itching is an added factor. Along with this, the skin is usually dry with heated sensation.

13. Elaterium – When Rubbing Relieves

Elaterium is beneficial in cases of Hives where rubbing the skin makes the complaint better. Those who need it have extreme itching spread over the entire body. Burning is also felt along with itching. There is smarting and stinging pain on the affected portion.

14. Apium Graveolens – When Itching Changes Location Upon Being Scratched

Its use is made in cases of nettle rash where wheals are very itchy, and itching keeps on changing its location upon being scratched. Burning, and stinging sensation is also felt. Left side of the body is mostly affected in cases where it is required.

15. Antipyrinum – With Intense Itching

It is also administered for Hives with intense itching. Those who\ need it scratch the skin harshly and tear it with nails due to extreme itching. Other than this, it is indicated in those cases of urticaria where welts appear and disappear suddenly.

16. Calcarea Carb – For Chronic Cases

Calcarea Carb is indicated for chronic cases. Red welts with severe itching, and burning are present among those who need it. Skin of the body is rough, and dry. Relief in the cold air is seen in many cases.

17. Kreosote – With Excessive Itching In Evening

Kreosote is mainly indicated when there is excessive itching in the evening hours. Burning sensation is felt after scratching the skin, especially, on the arms and legs. Heated sensation is felt in the entire body.

18. Kali Bromatum – When It Worsens In Winters

Kali Bromatum is an important medicine for cases which worsen in the winters. The wheals appear as smooth, red, elevated patches on the skin. Itching appears, especially at night in the bed. The itching gets worse in high temperature.

19. Pulsatilla – When It Worsens In Summers

Pulsatilla is an important medicine for hives that worsens in summers. There appear red hives with itching, and burning or pricking. The itching gets worse mainly in the evenings in case they need it.

20. Hepar Sulph – For Chronic Recurring Hives

Hepar Sulph is effective for cases of chronic recurring hives.  There are wheals in cases needing it with violent itching and stinging sensation. Mostly the wheals form on hands and fingers were it is required. Relief from warmth mainly appears.

21. Rumex – When Itching Worsens On Undressing

Rumex is useful in those cases in which itching worsens on undressing. Along with this, stinging, and pricking sensation is there. Worsening of hives in the open air is yet another indication for its use.

22. Anacardium – For Hives With Marked Angiodema

Its use is indicated when there is excessive redness of skin with wheals. Wheals may ooze a yellow liquid. The eruptions itch, and burn. The itching is unbearable, and it gets worse from scratching and also in the evening. Along with this swelling of the face is an accompanying factor.

What Are Its Causes?

Hives usually arise from an allergic reaction to an allergen that results in release of chemicals mainly histamine under the surface of skin. This results in inflammation, and collection of fluid under the skin resulting in wheals (Hives). People who have allergic tendencies are at risk of Hives. Many times in over half of the cases, the exact causes and trigger factors cannot be ascertained.

What Triggers It?

The main triggers include foods such as eggs, nuts, shellfish. Also certain medications like some antibiotics, NSAID’s, even exercises, scratching, alcohol, insect bites may also trigger it. Other triggers include sun exposure, stress, extremes of heat or cold, some intestinal parasites, animal dander, pressure on skin, dust mites, water application, certain plants, such as poison ivy. In some cases, viral infections (like common cold, mononucleosis, hepatitis), and bacterial infections (urinary tract-infection, strep throat) may trigger it. Sometimes it can arise in patients who have thyroid and Celiac’s disease (gastric disorder in which an immune response in the small intestine is triggered from eating gluten that damages the small intestine).

Pathophysiology Behind It

Hives result when there is release of histamine (a chemical produced by immune system during an allergic reaction to get rid of allergen) from mast cells and basophils under the skin’s surface. Its release is triggered when the allergen bound IgE antibodies bind to receptors on mast cells and basophils. Histamine leads to dilatation of blood vessels under the skin, and causes redness, and warmth on the surface of the skin. Following this, these vessels become leaky, and cause fluid to accumulate under the skin causing wheal formation, and swelling.

What Are Its Signs And Symptoms?

Wheals: It is the major sign of Urticaria. It refers to raised, elevated, smooth-surfaced, itchy bumps on the skin with clearly defined edges. They are itchy. Also, burning, and stinging sensation may appear.

Location of wheals: They may appear on the surface of the skin on any of the body part. They may be localized confined to one body part, or many, or may be present on the entire body.

Color of wheals: It may be pink, red, pale or skin-colored. On being pressed, they may turn white (blanching).

Size of wheals: They can be small like a pin point or may be several inches big. They may also join and form larger ones known as plaques.

Shape of wheals: They may be round, oval or ring-shaped.

Duration of wheals: They usually disappear within a few hours but will not remain present beyond one full day.

Angiodema: In some cases, angioedema arises. This means swelling appears under the skin mainly around the eyes, lips, mouth, and sometimes around the genitals, hands, and feet.

Anaphylaxis: Very rarely, Hives may appear from severe allergic reaction, and lead to anaphylaxis (in which intense swelling of lips, tongue, throat arise along with troubled breathing, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and sometimes it may lead to fainting. Anaphylaxis is a severe life threatening condition and thus it should be treated urgently.

Acute vs Chronic Urticaria

1. Acute: It refers to the type of urticaria that recurs in less than 6 weeks after the first onset. The trigger behind acute urticaria remains unidentified. It mostly arises from certain medicines like aspirin and NSAID’s like ibuprofen,food (eg, nuts, fish, eggs, tomatoes, and milk) and insect bites.

2. Chronic: In this type of Urticaria, there are recurrent episodes for more than six weeks, several months or could even extend into several years.

Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria

In 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the chronic Urticaria cases, no cause can be identified or attributed and such cases are referred to as Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU). However, it is considered to be linked to stress, anxiety, poor emotional well-being. A link between stressful life – changing event (like death of family member, divorce) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder – a mental health condition triggered by a traumatic event like sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, an accident) has also been found out in a recent study. Though, exact cause is not known but certain triggers other than stress are also linked to Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria and it also includes alcohol, sunlight, heat, cold, exercise, scratching, pressure from tight clothing, NSAIDS like aspirin. and ibuprofen.

What Are Its Types?

1. Dermatographic Urticarial:It is the most common type also known as dermatographism, dermatographia and skinwriting. In this, wheals form on the skin as a result of scratching, scraping, rubbing, stroking and slapping. There may appear raised red lines or welts along with swelling and itching. The visibility of reaction happens soon after and disappears within 30 minutes. In some severe cases, wheals last for a few hours and may extent to some days.

2. Cholinergic Urticaria:It is the one which is triggered when body gets very warm and starts sweating, such as during exercise, emotional trauma, heated environment, hot bath, eating hot/spicy food. In this, wheals are small in size that begin within 6 minutes of exercise and lasts for about 4 hours after exercise. The wheals mostly appear on the chest and neck and then spread to other areas. It is also known as Heat Urticaria. When it triggers from exercise, it is named as Exercise Induced Urticaria. Sometimes, Anaphylaxis appears in which a severe allergic reaction to exercise occurs.  The alarming symptoms indicative of this condition include trouble in breathing, rapid heartbeat, wheezing, nausea, pain in abdomen or head. This anaphylaxis condition needs urgent medical help as it can be a life-threatening condition.

3. Cold-induced: This is caused by extreme exposure to the cold air or even cold water. In these cases, the welts are large in size, and itchy that appear within minutes after exposure to cold.

This can be inherited (derived genetically from parents) or acquired. In this, Hives appear on the skin exposed to the cold. The hands can swell when one holds cold things. The lips may swell after intake of cold food or drink. The reaction may be mild or severe. In severe reactions, life-threatening risks may appear that include suffocation from severe swelling in throat after taking cold foods or drinks. Low blood pressure, increased heart-beat, fainting or shock, for example, after swimming in cold water may also happen.

4. Solar Urticaria

It is a rare condition that arises when skin is exposed to sunlight. It results in itchy rashes or welts that appear within minutes of the exposure and remain there for few hours.  The welts may result in stinging, and burning pain. The rashes mostly appear on the skin not exposed to sunlight. The rash on the hands or the face may not appear which is exposed to the sunlight. A person who has sensitivity to sunlight may have Hives on parts of the skin covered with thin clothing. If a large part of the skin gets covered with Hives then other symptoms may appear including difficulty in breathing, low blood pressure, nausea, and headache.

5. Water-induced/Aquagenic Urticaria:In Water-induced/Aquagenic Urticaria, wheals develop upon contact with water irrespective of the temperature. Wheals are small sized and there is itching and burning sensation, and flushing on skin which comes after contact with water. The symptoms develop within minutes of coming in contact with water. The wheals tend to disappear in about one hour once the source of the water is removed.  It commonly occurs on the neck, chest, and the arms but can occur anywhere on the body.

6. Pressure Urticaria

Pressure on the skin is another factor that can contribute to Hives. It arises from sustained pressure on the skin as from wearing tight buckles, tight fitted clothing. In this, the wheals may appear right after the application of pressure, and in delayed pressure type the wheals form within 4–6 hours of pressure stimulus.

7. Contact Urticaria

This appears when an allergen is absorbed through the skin. Examples of allergens are latex, cosmetics, stinging nettle. Immediately after contact with the allergen there appears localized swelling, and there is redness on the skin.

8. Infection Induced

It can be triggered by a certain viral infection (eg, Mononucleosis, Hepatitis) or certain bacterial infection (eg, strep throat).