hives around the lips

So I know a cause for hives is very hard to find, but anything at all would be helpful!

It happens very infrequently, maybe once a month at the most, but almost out of the blue at no special time of the day, a singular hive will appear around my lips. It's never quite in the same place, and lasts only for about 45 minutes, but it is always over/under one of my lips and is quite painful during the duration. The fact that it occurs sometimes when I wake up before I have ingested anything seems to rule out an allergic food reaction (to me at least), and the fact that it sometimes occurs when I'm simply driving or sitting in class seems to rule out a bug bite or something of the sort. I usually just sit and wait it out, or ice seems to dull the pain.

Any suggestions to what could be causing it or how to make it a little less painful during the duration would be appreciated, thanks!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

You seem to be having hives (urticaria). Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours. Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections or medications.

The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Take benadryl or Claritin or zyrtec for itching. Hydroxyzine may be used at night for urticaria control.

Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms
You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. It helps stabilize mast cells so they are less likely to release histamine.

If the symptoms do not improve then pls consult a physician.

Please do keep me posted about the developments.

Kind Rgds.

[margypops]

Could be as your body heats up as that is a known factor of the hives appearing , the fact the ice helps as it brings the temperature down, does it happen when you are not warm.