Is hives contagious?

Hives is not contagious. The skin symptoms occur as a result of various causes, which can sometimes be infectious. The rash does not contain any pathogens that could be transmitted.

If the cause is an infection, for example in the intestine, the main infection may be infectious and contagious. However, the infection is caused by the intestinal pathogen, not by the hives itself. A recurrence of hives in the infected person would be pure coincidence and very unlikely.

Therapy

Hives always has a trigger. The ideal treatment for hives is therefore to avoid the trigger. With food or medication such avoidance is possible.

However, this is hardly possible with heat, cold, other physical stimuli or pathogens. In this case, if the symptoms are severe and the hives are uncontrollable, a drug therapy can be applied. The trigger for the skin rash is the hormone histamine.

Symptomatic therapy consists of rendering this hormone ineffective by taking so-called antihistamines. These have to be taken over several months. If the relief is to occur quickly and acutely, a cortisone therapy is advisable.

If the symptoms are severe, it can be taken for a short period of time. Cortisone is unsuitable for long treatments. The symptoms of hives can be relieved by home remedies.

In particular the severe itching seems unbearable to many patients and can be alleviated by cooling. Cool water or cool compresses of the affected area alleviate the symptoms. A rare form of hives, however, is caused by cold on the skin surface.

If this form is present, the symptoms worsen and cooling should be avoided immediately. If the itching becomes unbearably severe, household remedies should be avoided and medical treatment by a doctor should be started. Under no circumstances should the rash be scratched.

This hardly provides any relief of the symptoms, but brings the risk of a skin infection. For mild symptoms, homeopathic remedies can bring about an improvement. Homeopathy can be used and provide relief especially in the case of chronic urticaria.

Suitable remedies for hives are “Ascatus fluviatilis” and “Apis mellifica“, which helps with any rashes. However, to achieve a holistic approach, the exact form of hives must be known. Whether food or infections are the triggers or whether hives are sensitive to cold or heat is crucial. In the case of severe symptoms and poor treatment success, a doctor should nevertheless be consulted in an emergency. Homeopathy can only be used as a supplement to drug therapy or for mild symptoms.