Hives Attack

For two consecutive days last week, I experienced hives attack. When I got up on the first day, I noticed red patches on my arms, elbows, legs, back shoulders, and even butt. I haven’t experienced any allergies before so I got a bit alarmed. I thought maybe I ate something that caused it. I didn’t mind it much and thought it would just go away on its own.

When I got awakened early morning of the second day, around 4:00 a.m., I felt freezing cold. When I checked my body I saw swollen, red patches all over. As in, all over. That was when it dawned on me the culprit could be the extreme cold. We left the windows opened and the electric fan turned on, too. I immediately closed the windows and switched the fan off. I also got a blanket from my closet and wrapped it around my body, with only my face showing while I was lying down. When I woke up again at 7:00 a.m., the red patches were all gone like I didn’t have them earlier.

After a little googling about rashes, I learned the red patches I had were hives. A health article from EHow.com has this to say about it:

Hives are typically triggered by an outside stimulus, such as contact with an allergen such as food, plants or medications. Extreme heat or cold can also cause hives, along with certain illnesses such as strep throat. The trigger causes histamines to be released into the skin walls through the bloodstream, causing swollen, red patches and welts to appear. Hives can also occasionally cause breathing difficulties. Antihistamines can lessen side effects of hives, while removing the trigger usually solves the problem permanently.

I’m just a little worried because this is the first time I had hives attack. It had been difficult for me because the red patches could be very itchy at times. I had to muster enough discipline not to over-scratch them lest I end up worsening my condition.

I know I easily get cold but this is the first time my body reacted almost exaggeratedly. Now I’m extra careful as to leaving our natural air-con (i.e. wind from outside the windows) open at night. (That’s one of the perks we have for living on the third floor of a residential building.) I don’t wanna get hives again. Ever.