What could be the cause of my hives?

Question

I recently spent ten days in the Smoky Mountains, both in Tennessee and North Carolina. When I returned home, my left foot was slightly swollen upon going to bed. When I woke up the next morning, the foot was no longer swollen, but rather my left hand was. I looked in the mirror and noticed swelling above my left eye as well as red blotches under my eyes. Then, I saw the same red blotches on the undersides of both my arms.

Thinking that the blotches were caused by a viral or bacterial infection, I rushed to the ER. The sporadic swelling on the left side of my body also really scared me.

When I got to the ER, the nurse told me that the red blotches were hives. I received a steroid shot in my left hip in order to decrease the appearance of hives and the swelling. I was also given Benadryl for the itchiness of my hives. I was given a five day prescription for Prednisone and prescription Benadryl.

The doctor said that it was up to me to determine what allergen caused my reaction.

Does anyone have any suggestions in regards to how I might determine the cause of my hives? Any tips are greatly appreciated. I've never dealt with this before and am at a loss as to what to do first.

Answer 1

Hives is an allergic reaction. It is very difficult to tell what caused it; it could have been a new food eaten on your trip, and you may never get it again. When I was in school I got hives after eating a "French Dip" sandwich. I never had another one, and I never had hives again. I have no idea what was in that sandwich, but it must have been an unusual ingredient in order for me not to come across it again. If you want to go through the expense and trouble, you can go to an allergist for skin test which will determine what things you are allergic to. They can't test for everything, so it is still possible thay you may not find out what it was. However, it sounds like you had a pretty severe reaction, and under some conditions that could be dangerous. I strongly suggest you see an allergist and get a recommendation.

Answer 2

At this site (http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/~MDG/selfCare/chap5/s42.htm), it suggest insect bites could be a cause. Do you remember getting bitten? Even if you didn't feel it, there's always a chance it could have happened. The only sure way to find the problem is to expose the patient to it.The problem with this approach is that if an allergy does exist, the allergic reaction may include not only hives but also a general reaction causing difficulty with breathing or circulation. Also, you would have to go BACK to the mountains and find the thing that made you break out.

Answer 3

There are thousands of things that cause allergic reactions, everything from dust, mold and pollen, to different grasses, weeds, and plants, to different foods, to certain kinds of medications. A full allergy test will help to give you clues to caused that particular reaction. But a lot of it is trial and error, the body changes over the years, and things that u were never allergic to before will suddenly give u an reaction, and things that used to cause a reaction will suddenly won't. For an example, from my own allergy test I found out that I have over 300 allergies. Some minor, some major. For me what causes hives is sulfa, an antibiotic, that in certain medication, and soaps. In addition to that I also get hives from wool, certain common grasses, hemp, and oat dust. So to truly figure out what gave u that allergic reaction u will have to think about everything u came in contact with. Everone is different, what causes hives for one, may just ichy watery eyes for another.
Best wishes on finding allergen.

Answer 4

I get hives all the time! All you can do is buy some anti-itch gel, there is a brand called 'Swan' clear anti-itch lotion that works really well, and you can buy it at Wal-Mart or Rite-Aid or whatever. Some common reasons I get hives are: stress and worry (for me, those are the number 1 causes), cat or dog dander or hair, or just being near an animal, a dusty house, an irritating substance that has somehow gotten on skin (i.e-I used to use deodorizing powder on my carpet, but I had to stop, because it would give me hives if I would sit on my carpet).

Answer 5

You have two options

- get a full complement of allergy tests

or

- think about all the foods you ate 24 hours before the reaction occured (including ingredients of sauces etc) and how they differ from your regular diet. Ask your family if they have any food allergies.

Nutritionists may also be able to provide a list of foods that commonly cause hives.

Answer 6

Food is a big one. There can be a food you've eaten all along, and then one day you are allergic to it. My sister had hives from eating tuna. I get hives if I drink more than one orange juice or one orange juice and another citric acid per day.

I know people who get a hives-like condition from being too stressed out.

When it comes to determining allergens you have to ask what you've eaten, what fabrics or chemicals or detergents/soaps your skin has been exposed to, and (I don't know if this applies to hives or not) what you may have inhaled.

Answer 7

It's really hard to figure out what you might have gotten into. It could have been some sort of plant or it could have been some sort of chemical in the sheets or fabrics of the place you stayed. It doesn't sound like poison ivy or nettles though -- that tends to show up almost immediately after you rub against it.

Answer 8

I've gotten hives like you've described from stress.
You could have possibly been bitten by something or allergic to soemthing you ate.

Answer 9

Hives are from Insect bites they say .

Answer 10

nerves