Hives

[katimae]

Hi,

For several days now I have been having trouble with itchy skin. My skin is a little dry but nothing unusual. I can't think of any new irritants that I just started using (lotions, soaps, detergent, etc.). Sometimes I get raised red welts like hives but they come and go. It does not look like psoriasis, or contact dermatitis, or much of anything. The irritations are located all over but seem to occur mostly under my chin and neck, in the creases of my elbows and behind my knees and on top of my toes and between them. The weather has been nice so it's not like these areas have been hot and moist since often they are uncovered. I have been under a bit of stress lately. I have had trouble with minor hives in the past but none that were this persistent. I generally eat a healthy diet, eat few processed foods, use a shower filter to limit chlorine exposure, live in a low pollution area. Any suggestions?

Please Help!!!!

Kate

[Health Dr. 2]

Hi Kate,

Hives and itchy skin are usually associated with some sort of allergy caused by something that your skin comes in contact with or something that is breathed in from the environment.

The common factors that are known to induce hives are food allergens, environmental factors, drugs, infections and infestations, synthetic products, emotional factors, systemic and general disease, physical factors and idiopathic causes.

The common food allergens that can cause hives are seafood, berries, nuts, wheat, cereals, milk, cheese, eggs, peas, oranges, fish, chicken and chocolates. Food preservatives, food additives, such as yeast and MSG, and tartrazine (the color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5) also fall in this group. Fresh foods cause hives more often than cooked foods.

The environmental factors that may produce an onset of hives are exposure to pollen, house-dust, animal dander, fungi, plants and extreme temperature changes.

Some man-made drugs are a major cause of hives. They include antibiotics, aspirin, medicines containing tartrazine, birth control pills and cold medications. Almost any prescription or over-the-counter medication can cause hives.

Frequent bacterial or viral infections in the throat, teeth, sinuses, chest, ears, joints, as well as gallbladder can also cause hives. Insect bites or even worm infestation,such as round worms are also known causes.

Some synthetic products such as deodorant, perfume, talcum powder, or cosmetics may induce hives.

Emotional and psychological factors play a big role in making a person more susceptible to hives.

There are some diseases in which hives are a factor. For instance, some cancers and hyperthyroidism.

Hives can also be triggered by physical factors such as light (solar urticaria), heat or cold, pressure, vibration, exercise, fever (cholinergic urticaria) or stroking the skin (dermographism).

And last but not least, there is idiopathic hives, a medical term that means there is no discernible cause. Chronic hives (hives that last longer than six weeks) are idiopathic 95 percent of the time.

I would suggest that you rule out any disease or health concern. Also since the itchying is where the body parts bend or are close together it could be from the moisture that is produced by the close contact whether the weather it hot or not.

You may also want to check for a candida concern. We recommend our Oregano Oil RX, Silver Fuzion™ and Latero Flora for this. Also, try to work on your emotional and stress levels. A good B-Complex with a focus on B6 will help with this. For an antihistamine effect I would suggest therapeutic dosages of a good Vitamin C with bioflavanoids. I would also suggest that you look at the ingredients of your personal care products which means anything that you put on your body. Even those bought in some of the health food stores have chemicals in them.

Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water every day. You may want to consider a liver/gallbladder/digestive tract cleanse (Oxy-Powder) to get the body clean. The liver is the main filter of the body and can get clogged thereby causing health concerns.

Take Care & Be Well,
Health Dr. 2