ive had an allergic reaction to something that i dont even know what it is. but no matter, ive been itchy for 2 days now and the knock off benadryl isnt working. i just just curious if scratching your hives, then touching a different area of your body would spread hives like poison ivy. anyway, any general advice on hives would help as well :(
2006-10-16 07:19:14 · 55 answers · asked by bottlerockets87 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Skin Conditions
Hives will not spread with scratching, because hives are a manifestation of what is happening to you broadly across your whole system. The inflammatory skin lesions of contact dermatitis (things like poison oak) WILL spread, because you're spreading the irritant. I used to get mirror image implants of poison oak above and below the crease in the skin at my elbow!
If you think you've had an allergic reaction and it remains persistant, it could mean that the irritant hasn't been removed. I recommend you seek the attention of a qualified physician directly because this may require prescription medication to control. Allergic reactions can be very dangerous if they are left to get out of control... and that's assuming that you're correct about your problem being allergic in nature!
For people who have the tendency to have strong allergic reactions, there should be perscription medication available at all times in order to avoid a life threatening situation. A product called an "epi-pen" is available which is a automatic self injecting shot of epinephrine. This can absolutely save lives.
Good luck, it sounds miserable.
2006-10-16 07:28:47 · answer #1 · answered by bellydoc 4 · 11⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-24 20:21:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hives Spreading
2016-12-16 06:37:45 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-24 21:24:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, hives don't spread like a regular rash, but scratching them can definitely irritate the ones you have. I only got hives once, and I scratched them because they itched like burning hell and I really should have kept my hands off them. They would have healed faster if I hadn't roughed them up more. I've never had ANYTHING itch so bad, not even chickenpox! And I don't even know what caused them. I've had allergic reactions to lots of things, but I only had actual hives just the one time.
You have to keep things caaaaaalllllmmmm. Yeah, I know, that's hard to do right now. But your reaction to the allergen will only be exacerbated by freaking out. Sooooothe yourself. Keep things clean, but don't use any harsh chemicals (like cleaning supplies or harsh detergents, stuff like that) and put on some steroid cream or some pain-killer ointment. Yeah. Use the pain-killing ointment first. One with a topical anesthetic. That might help.
And if you get worse or this plague doesn't go away, seek help! Don't suffer more than you have to. Sorry to hear about your hives--once was more than enough for me and I don't EVER want them again! They were horrible! Get better soon, OK?
2006-10-16 08:17:34 · answer #5 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
First thing tomorrow call your doctor. You need to be seen by a physician because hives is nothing to play with. The Benadryl should have helped, but since it hasn't and it has been over 2 days then something else needs to be tried.
Hives should not be scratched - no they don't spread because of itching - just makes em more irritated. Put a cold compress on the hives. Hot baths and showers should be avoided because the heat bring the hives our worse. Drink plenty of water. Hives can be in your throat just waiting for you to sneeze and close up your tubes - scary? Hives is nothing to play with if they are large and over a good amount of your body. Cold helps unless you are sensitive to cold - I get hives from cold wind - my eyes swell shut.
Relax, don't scratch, and listen to some nice easy tunes till you can call your doctor.
2006-10-16 16:01:30 · answer #6 · answered by MotherNature 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't spread like that, but the scratching raises your stress level, which does cause the hives to spread a little. Scratching will also leave tiny scars. Please pony up the bucks to see an allergy specialist. Hives are very unpredictable, and a really intense attack can even be life threatening. Get professional treatment to keep the problem from getting worse while you are still young, then keep any allergy records for when you get past 50--they could return then. B.
2006-10-17 08:56:01 · answer #7 · answered by Brian M 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
YES!!!! I have hives from some thing I do not even know what it is...it has to do with really cold water when I go swimming, and when I scratch and then scratch some place else it does spread it!!!! Youhave to make sure you really wash your hands, use some hydrcortison cream...hives are a reaction to something that your body has come in contact with that it is trying to rid itself of.....washing your hands is very key!!! Ask a pharmacist what else you can use but I would start with a low does of hydrocortison cream and if that is not working then move up to like 2%..good luck
2006-10-17 06:12:39 · answer #8 · answered by Dark Goddess 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the cause of the hives.
Your example of poison ivy is a good one. There is a chemical in the ivy that gets on your skin, and that causes the allergic reaction. If you scratch poison ivy, you could spread the chemical around, and that would cause the allergic reaction to spread also.
If the hives are caused by something else (say, something internal or psychosomatic) then they probably wouldn't spread by scratching. But you should still avoid scratching them, because you can damage your skin and leave wounds that could potentially get infected.
I'm sorry your allergy medicine isn't working. Another allergy medicine that you might try is Claritin (or its generic equivalent). You can also see a doctor and get a prescription for something stronger. Traditional remedies like calamine lotion or a bath with oatmeal might help too.
2006-10-17 05:02:05 · answer #9 · answered by drshorty 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Scratching hives doesn't necessairly spread them, but it does make them flare up and get even itchier. If you ever have trouble breathing, get hold of an EpiPen. It's this portable shot that opens airways and gets rid of REALLY, REALLY severe hives.
Thing is, if you've had those hives for two days, that ain't too good. If I were you, I'd get to a dermatologist as soon as I could, because things that look like hives don't have to be hives...
I really hope everything clears up soon.
2006-10-17 06:56:29 · answer #10 · answered by emmy1024 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋