Common Triggers of Urticaria (Hives): Infection, Medicines, and Physical Factors
Besides food, infection and physical triggers are two often-overlooked groups of causes.
Common Trigger Categories
- Infection: respiratory infections, digestive tract infections, and others, especially common in children
- Medicines: some fever and pain relievers, antibacterial drugs, and others may trigger it
- Physical factors: pressure, friction, changes in cold and heat, sun exposure, exercise and sweating
- Food and additives: in some people it is truly linked to specific foods
- Other: irregular daily routine, stress, and underlying conditions such as thyroid problems
How to Sort It Out
Comparing the timing of each flare-up with the factors above one by one is more useful than vaguely wondering "did I eat something wrong?" Record what happened in the 24 hours before a flare-up, including medicines and exercise; a trigger is more worth noting when it appears again and again.
When to See a Doctor and What to Do
Bring your organised records and photos when you see a doctor, so the doctor can judge the type and whether further tests are needed. If you have trouble breathing, a tight throat, swelling of the tongue or throat, repeated vomiting, or a change in alertness, call 120 right away.
This article is for general information only and not medical advice. Please follow your doctor's instructions.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If your symptoms affect daily life, please see a doctor.