Identifying Hives

Ty pical hives appear on the surface of the skin as raised, reddish bumps (welts). Many times they are accompanied by itching and general discomfort, such as stinging or burning. They range in size any where from between a fraction of an inch to the size of a small dish. The entire area of skin may become swollen and inflamed. The skin around the eyes may swell, and the lips may become swollen. As mentioned earlier, hives may appear suddenly or over a period of time. Although welts are a common occurrence they are not always a symptom of an allergic reaction.

When a person does break out in hives, they usually appear on one part of the body then spread rather rapidly to other parts of the body. It’s not unusual for the welts to grow larger and merge with other hives (or welts). Occasionally these welts can expand over very large surfaces of the skin.

The spreading of the hives can cause sensations like shivering, burning, and intense itching. The welts may appear and disappear, then reappear over the course a few minutes or several days. Hives are associated with allergic reactions to many types of allergens, including those associated with food allergies.