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Description

Hives are a sudden eruption of red and white bumps on the skin. While hives are usually itchy, and therefore bothersome, they are generally not dangerous-except in cases of bee or insect stings, when hives indicate a true medical emergency. A case of hives may last for less than 30 minutes or as long as a week.

When the body comes into contact with a substance it considers dangerous, it floods the skin with histamine to combat the problematic substance. Hives result when there is excess buildup of histamine on a particular area of skin. Substances that cause this histamine release differ from person to person, though common irritants include animal dander, pollen, aspirin, penicillin, insect bites, and foods to which the person is allergic.

Signs and Symptoms

A batch of raised, red or white bumps on a localized area of skin

Bumps may appear and disappear suddenly

The affected area may be mildly or severely itchy

Certain people can develop recurrent hives from sunlight, cold, pressure, vibration or exercise. These are called the physical urticarias. If hives develop from scratching or firmly rubbing the skin it is called dermatographism. It is the most common of the physical urticarias and it affects about 5 percent of the population. It doesn’t always itch. This condition sometimes also occurs along with other forms of hives.

Conventional Medical Treatment

Hives often do not usually require medical treatment, but if the hives remain for an extended period of time, see your doctor. After taking your medical history, your physician may ask about your exposure within the last two weeks to any possible irritants. Unfortunately, hives can be caused by such a wide range of irritants that your physician may not be able to identify the exact cause. If the cause is identified, you will be urged to avoid the substance that caused the outbreak. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe a medication, usually an antihistamine, to treat the condition.

If the hives are accompanied by shortness of breath, fever, nausea, or abdominal cramps, immediately seek medical help. You could be suffering from anaphylactic shock. Many antihistamines are available without prescription, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), taken in doses of 25 milligrams and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), taken in a dose of 4 milligrams. These can be taken up to three times a day, but because these medications can cause drowsiness, they are often taken at bedtime.

Aromatherapy

German chamomile oil can help bring relief from itching. Simply place a drop directly on the itchy skin and massage in.

Ayurvedic Medicine

Hives come from excessive heat in the body, say Ayurvedic practitioners. To cool the heat and soothe the maddening itch, they favor eating watermelon as well as drinking coriander milk or cilantro.

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Description

Indigestion is a symptom that is caused by a number of stomach conditions, including hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori, heartburn, and dyspepsia. Because many of these conditions can pose serious health risks, it is important to visit your healthcare provider in order to properly diagnose the reason for your indigestion. The condition usually occurs after eating. People experience indigestion for a variety of reasons-after eating a specific food, after eating too much food, after drinking alcohol or carbonated beverages, or after smoking cigarettes. The frequency of occurrence also varies from person to person. Approximately one in ten adults experiences indigestion weekly, while approximately one in three experiences it monthly.

Heartburn, a problem affecting the esophagus, is perhaps the most common type of indigestion. Your esophagus is a 10-inch-long tube leading from the back of your mouth to your stomach. Food travels down the esophagus to the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acids from escaping from the stomach into the esophagus. Heartburn occurs when this lower esophageal sphincter is weak or dysfunctional, allowing stomach acid to escape.

People who are overweight are at increased risk for developing indigestion because excess weight can increase pressure on the abdomen which, in turn, can make it difficult for the lower esophageal sphincter to stay tightly shut. Pregnant women also experience a higher incidence of the condition because they, too, experience increased pressure on the abdomen. In addition, people who smoke are at increased risk because cigarettes relax the lower esophageal sphincter.

Signs and Symptoms

Abdominal tenderness and distention

Feeling of fullness and discomfort in the upper abdomen

Burning sensation in the chest, often originating in the upper abdomen and radiating to the neck

Regurgitation of bitter liquid into the throat or mouth, commonly when lying down

Nausea and vomiting

Conventional Medical Treatment

If you suffer from indigestion only occasionally, you may experience relief by taking over-the-Counter antacids, which neutralize gastric acids. You also can prevent future cases of indigestion by avoiding any food or drink that irritate your stomach.

If you experience indigestion frequently, see your doctor, who will try to determine when your indigestion occurs, what foods and drinks seem to trigger it, in what part of the abdomen the discomfort is strongest, and how long it typically last. Your physician also may want to run a series of tests to make sure that your indigestion is not being caused by a more serious condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, colon cancer, stomach ulcer, gastritis, pancreatic disease, or irritable bowel syndrome. A barium X-ray, endoscopic examination of the digestive tract, or stool sample may be necessary. In order to rule out disorders of the pancreas, liver, or gallbladder, your doctor also may recommend an ultrasound examination of those organs.

If over-the-counter products do not offer relief, your physician may prescribe cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), or omeprazole (Prilosec) to block acid production in the stomach. A medication that increases the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter, such as metocopramide or bethanechol, also may be prescribed.



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