How to Get Rid of Stress Hives
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Have you noticed any unusual rashes or bumps on your skin ? Understandably, you might assume the changes in your skin are an allergic reaction and seek out home remedies or medications to treat it.
Have you ever considered stress as a possible cause? Generally, no. Nobody will. You could be experiencing stress hives, if you have swollen reddish bumps followed by itching.
Not to worry, we went the extra mile and discovered everything you need to know about stress hives.
What are stress hives?
Stress has an impact on both our mental and physical health. However, when stress physically affects the body, it can cause skin rashes, known as hives.
The next question on your mind might be, “What do stress hives look like?”
Early-stage anxiety stress hives can appear as swollen bumps known as welts that are typically red, and it primarily affects the face, neck, arms, and chest.
Furthermore, hives caused by stress can also form in itchy clusters that may burn or tingle. Can you get hives from stress?
Yes, you can. Let us take a look at the science behind it.
When you’re stressed, your immune cells receive signals from your body that cause them to release the chemical histamine. Histamine can cause uncomfortable hive bumps (urticaria) and itching.
What are the causes of stress hives?
If you notice any unusual rashes or hives on your body, try to keep track of how frequently they appear.
Staying alert to any skin changes may assist you in determining the cause to some extent and help to minimize them.
How long do stress hives last?
Hives caused by stress typically fade within hours or days. If you don’t scratch the rashy skin surface, it can heal faster and be less likely to leave marks.
However, if the hives persist for more than a month or return frequently, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Important note
Chronic urticaria is when the hives last longer than six weeks, and medical attention is highly recommended.
Tips on how to get rid of stress hives
Depending on the severity of the hives, they’re likely treatable with relaxation, domestic, herbal, and medical solutions.
Let’s get started with some stress busters.
1. Relaxation Methods
1. Practice Breathing exercises
One of the effective ways to avoid and treat stress hives is to relax. Before beginning your deep breathing exercises, lie down or sit in a comfortable chair and place your hands on your stomach, fingers close together. Now concentrate on your breathing.
Take a long, slow, deep breath in, feeling your belly expand as you do so. This ensures that your diaphragm is active while you breathe.
As a result, stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system soothes both your mind and body. Continued deep breathing ( diaphragmatic breathing ) exercise for 10 – 15 minutes will help you get rid of stress.
Furthermore, regular diaphragmatic breathing and yoga practice will help you manage your stress.
2. Relax your Muscles
Progressive muscle relaxation is a stress-reduction technique that involves relaxing your muscles.
Although it sounds complicated, it is simply a method of relaxing your muscles by tightening one muscle group at a time, holding it for 10 to 20 seconds, and slowly releasing the tension. This is something you can do from head to toe.
For example, if you’re starting with your toes, inhale and hold the toe muscles for about 10 seconds, then slowly exhale to release the tension.
When you’re finished with the toe muscles, move on to the next muscle group.
3. Visualize to relax
To visualize, close your eyes and imagine your favorite place to visit. Now, try to focus on everything about that location.
If it’s a garden, imagine the flowers, the scent, butterflies, the summer weather, and so on. Continue deep breathing as long as your mind is focused on the imagery.
It’s great if you can concentrate for more than 10 minutes.
4. Keep track of hives
If you don’t know what’s causing your hives, this method will help you figure it out. Maintain a “hives diary” in which you record everything about your hive patterns.
This will allow you to keep track of how frequently your hives occur, how severe they are each time, and other information.
For example, if you notice that you get hives more frequently during exams or interviews, you should train to control your stress or anxiety.
In short, identifying your stressors will help you in minimizing and eliminating stress hives.
2.Home remedies
1.Try to cool down your skin
You may put some ice cubes in the irritated area by wrapping them in a cloth. This can be done two to three times daily to aid the irritation.
2. Take Oatmeal bath
Oatmeal is well-known for its ability to soothe irritated skin. Bathing is best done with colloidal oatmeal. You can either buy them or make them yourself.
To avoid irritation, it is best to use organic oatmeal. Depending on the volume of water in your tub, you can mix four to twelve ounces of oatmeal.
Oatmeal possesses anti-inflammatory qualities and antioxidants that can help dermatologic inflammatory illnesses, claims a study titled “Oatmeal in Dermatology: A Brief Review.”(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22421643/)
However, If you don’t have time for a bath, you can make an oat paste or an oat solution and apply to the affected area. It also works quite well.
3. Avoid harsh products on skin
We all know that some soaps and lotions cannot be good for your skin. If you have hives, you must be extra cautious about the products you use.
Harsh soaps and lotions contain ingredients that can dry out your skin and aggravate your hives.
Therefore, try to use soaps or lotions designed for sensitive skin or use organic products. Also, it would be ideal if you could apply moisturizer immediately after a bath, while the skin is still damp. It keeps moisture in.
4. Wear light weight clothes
If you suffer from hives, wearing rough clothing can aggravate the situation. It can irritate or even burn your skin. So, better switch to light weight clothes.
3. Natural Remedies
- Apply neem paste or take a neem bath
According to the book “Neem : The Ultimate Herb” by John Conrick, Neem contains antihistamine properties that aid in the treatment of allergic reactions on the skin.
- Make a paste of 10 to 15 neem leaves and apply it to the affected area for ten to fifteen minutes. This will soothe your skin by reducing itching.
- To get rid of rashes or hives, you can also take a neem bath. Take enough water to bathe in and add some neem leaves. You can either gently boil the water with neem leaves or use lukewarm water from the heater and add neem leaves.
Ensure that the neem extract is absorbed by the water.
2. Turmeric tea
If you have chronic hives, turmeric can help you get rid of them. Make sure to incorporate turmeric into your diet. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties can help with hives.
- You can make a paste of turmeric powder and water, and apply it to the affected area.
- Consume two teaspoons of turmeric in lukewarm water two times per day.
3. Aloe vera
The anti-inflammatory and Anti-bacterial properties of Aloe vera can treat urticaria or hives.
Pure aloe vera extracts or natural aloe vera gel can be applied to the affected region to soothe burning skin.
It can treat hives if used three to four times a day.
Important
Neem, Turmeric and Aloe Vera are excellent natural ingredients with medicinal properties. However, it can cause allergic reactions in some people. Patch testing is advised.
4. Medical Options
You can use calamine lotion on the hives. It reduces itchiness by cooling the skin.
Furthermore, Antihistamines such as Benadryl, Allegra and claritin can also help with hives.
Important
The names of the medications are mentioned solely for your information. Please do not take medications without first consulting a doctor.
Be careful
If you have other skin conditions like Eczema or Psoriasis, the hives may worsen.
Although stress hives are not contagious, they can result in a condition known as angioedema. (a condition in which inflammation penetrates deeper skin layers)
If you have dizziness, swollen lips, breathing difficulties, or wheezing, you most likely have angioedema associated with hives. Consult a doctor right away.
How can we help ?
If you have tried all of the above methods and your hives persist, you should seek stress hives treatment right away. And that’s where we come in.
Healthvio will provide you with all the support to achieve your health goals. Our certified Health and Wellness Coaches are ready to provide you with appropriate guidance and lifestyle recommendations.
The best part is that you can meet your Health Vio from the comfort of your home.