One of the most common skin diseases is urticaria. People of different ages face it. The nature of the pathology is allergic, but different factors can provoke such symptoms. Urticaria can be easily confused with other diseases. Therefore, self-medication may not give the desired effect. How is the diagnosis of urticaria, features and treatment of this disease will be discussed later.
general description
Considering the clinic, diagnosis and treatment of urticaria, it should be noted that this is a specific skin disease, which is mainly allergic in origin. Red blisters that cause itching quickly spread on the surface of the skin. Due to the similarity of red spots with burns left by nettles, this disease got its name.
Urticaria can be an independent disease. However, its appearance is not excluded due to the development of some other pathologies. That is why the differential diagnosis of urticaria is extremely important. It is necessary to find out what factor provoked the appearance of red spots. Only after this, the doctor will be able to prescribe an effective treatment.
Urticaria is a polyetiological ailment, which can be caused by several factors at once. Today, there are several main causes that can cause a disease:
- Reaction to contact with an allergen. This is the most common cause of red spots on the skin. It is due to the development of an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. In this case, rashes appear almost instantly. This reaction of the body can be observed after an insect bite, when eating foods that cause allergies.
- Autoimmune reaction. In this case, the body's defense system begins to attack the cells of its own organism. As a result, urticaria develops. It can be chronic and, in this case, practically cannot be treated. Often this type of disease is accompanied by a number of other autoimmune conditions, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
- The formation of immune complexes. In this case, antigen-antibody complexes begin to be produced in excess in the human body. This is also an immune failure, which is manifested by skin rashes.
- Medication. Some drugs can trigger hives. This is a side reaction that requires you to stop taking the medicine. You will need to select a different drug.
Other adverse factors
Often, pathology occurs against the background of some other unfavorable factors. They can be:
- Gastrointestinal diseases, for example, dysbiosis, gastritis, colitis, cholecystitis and others.
- Infectious pathologies. These can be Helicobacter pylori infections, foci of chronic inflammation in the oropharynx, in the urinary system. In addition, gynecological infections, viral diseases (herpes), fungi and parasites can provoke the appearance of urticaria.
- Diseases of the endocrine system. It can be diabetes, ovarian dysfunction, hypothyroidism, and others.
- Pathologies of the lymphatic system.
- Malignant neoplasms.
Since the causes of this disease are many, it is necessary to carry out a differential. diagnosis of urticaria.
Varieties
Diagnosis of urticaria in children and adults is carried out comprehensively and comprehensively. The doctor must identify the reasons that provoked the development of such a reaction. Only by eliminating them can one achieve good results during treatment.
There are two forms of this disease:
- Sharp. It develops immediately after the patient contacts the allergen. In just a few minutes, red spots appear on the skin. Such urticaria disappears as quickly as it appears, if we exclude human contact with a provoking factor.
- Chronic Every day a person is exposed to a harmful factor. Symptoms are observed constantly. Moreover, they do not pass immediately after elimination of the stimulus.
In addition, urticaria may be of a physical or special type. In the first case, the appearance of characteristic symptoms occurs after exposure to the body of adverse factors:
- Pressure. If an object presses on the skin, spots appear.
- The cold. Appears in the vast majority of people who are in the cold for a long time.
- Vibrating. Appears and passes quickly.
- Sunny. Caused by exposure to skin ultraviolet radiation. It can manifest as a slight reddening, and the formation of blisters.
Special types of urticaria
- Cholinergic. Occurs with mental or physical stress.
- Adrenergic. Also caused by stress, the spots have a white border.
- Contact. When touched by a substance, matter causing an allergic reaction.
- Aquagenic. A rare variety that occurs due to contact with water.
- Quincke's edema. Giant urticaria, which develops along the muscles of the fascia. If it appears in the throat, it can cause death due to asphyxiation.
So, diff. diagnosis of urticaria and Quincke's edema allows you to start timely treatment. Sometimes the life of the patient depends on this.
Symptomatology
Diagnosis of chronic or acute urticaria is carried out using different methods. At the appointment, the doctor will determine which symptoms prevail in the patient. One of the key features of this disease is its rapid development. More often, the disease manifests itself in children and adults with weak immunity.
Why is differential diagnosis of urticaria necessary in children and adults? Symptoms of this disease can be confused with a number of other pathologies. Therefore, they should be excluded during the examination.
Rashes can appear on the skin of almost any part of the body. They are numerous blisters painted in pale pink. The consistency of the rashes is dense. The spots are very itchy, but the attack can go away in just a few minutes. In acute form, the maximum duration of an attack is several hours. Chronic urticaria lasts several months or even years.
When rashes appear, a person feels weakness, a headache. There may even be a fever.
With physical urticaria, characteristic symptoms are more likely to occur at an early age. When exposed to a variety of physical factors, blisters and spots begin to appear. But solar urticaria is rare in children. It is more often manifested in adults.
The skin around the rashes is swollen, hyperemic. The more foci of rash, the worse a person feels. Sometimes the condition does not change at all. But with Quincke's edema, a person needs emergency care. Diagnosis of urticaria allows you to distinguish an ailment from a number of other diseases and provide timely assistance.
The clinical picture in children
A special approach requires the diagnosis and treatment of urticaria in children. This is an allergic reaction called strofulus. It occurs due to food sensitization associated with exudative diathesis.
In breast-fed babies, the development of this pathology occurs more often. It is also possible if the baby’s diet is not age appropriate. A nodular bubble rash appears.
Also, hives can be caused by insect bites, infectious diseases, the presence of parasites in the body. In children, nodules of rashes of a pinkish-brown color reach up to 3 mm in diameter. At the top they have a bubble. Children comb them, as the rashes itch.
Often, such rashes appear on the hands, in the folds of the body, but can spread throughout the body. In children under 3 years of age, such phenomena are accompanied by vomiting, upset stool (diarrhea or constipation). In the chronic form, the child becomes lethargic, lacks appetite, and sleep disturbance. In children, differential diagnosis of urticaria is carried out in order to exclude scabies. These pathologies have similar manifestations. In almost all children after 7 years of age, hives disappear completely.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of allergic urticaria or its other species is still being examined by a doctor. A doctor by the type of rash will be able to suggest what type of pathology belongs. Diagnosis in the acute form is rarely carried out, since it passes independently and quickly enough. But chronic urticaria requires proper treatment. It will be necessary to determine what stimulus caused it. Otherwise, the treatment will not be effective.
Diagnosis of urticaria includes a number of laboratory tests:
- Blood analysis. Allows you to identify an infection if it develops in the body. In this case, the analysis will have an increased number of white blood cells. If the number of eosinophils is increased, this indicates an allergic reaction.
- ESR This analysis determines the ability of red blood cells to stick together. This is necessary to detect infections in the body, pathologies of an immune nature.
- Analysis of urine. Allows you to determine the correct functioning of the kidneys. Their pathology can cause hives.
- Fecal analysis. Detects the presence of parasites, their eggs or simple microorganisms.
- Antibodies to double-stranded DNA. The occurrence of specific antibodies that are involved in the destruction of the body's own cells is determined. Because of them, autoimmune pathologies arise.
- Immune status. Allows you to determine how many immune cells circulate in the body. With inflammation, infection, their number increases.
- Components of complement C3, C4. This is a complex of proteins that are produced by the body to suppress infection. A decrease in the level of these proteins indicates the development of an autoimmune disease.
- The study of the microflora of the nasopharynx, intestines. Allows you to determine the source of chronic infection. The gynecologist and dentist can also prescribe such examinations.
- Hepatic tests. Allow to evaluate the production of enzymes by this body. The products of metabolic processes in liver cells are also evaluated.
- The study of the thyroid gland. The level of hormones, antibodies to enzymes is measured. A change in their level indicates the development of an autoimmune disease.
- Allergy tests. The amount of immunoglobulins E, G in the blood is determined. They are involved in the development of allergic reactions. This study is mainly carried out in the acute form of urticaria.
Additional techniques
Dif diagnosis of urticaria also involves the use of additional techniques, the main of which are:
- Ultrasound It is carried out for the organs of the abdominal cavity and thyroid gland. Allows you to identify lesions of internal organs.
- Skin biopsy. Taking a skin sample under local anesthesia. The material is examined under a microscope, which eliminates bactericidal lesions, malignant skin lesions.
- Allergy tests skin. A small amount of allergen is applied to the skin from the inside of the forearm. Next, make a small injection or scratch. If redness and swelling occurs in this area, this confirms the allergy.
- Provocative tests. The skin is affected mechanically, for example, ice is applied, exposed to sunlight, carried out with a special spatula, etc.
Additionally, consultation with other medical professionals may be required. This is necessary to identify the provoking factor.
First aid
Even before the diagnosis of urticaria is carried out, a person needs first aid. Often this need arises with the development of an acute form of the disease. In chronic pathologies, complex treatment is required. In this case, any actions will not help to quickly eliminate the unpleasant phenomena.
In the acute form of urticaria, it is important to eliminate contact with the allergen. If everything went away on their own within a few hours, treatment is not required. A person should simply avoid contact with the substance that caused this phenomenon.
To reduce itching, you will need to take an antihistamine. This, for example, may be Loratadin, Eden, Desloratadine, etc. A person is advised to take a cool shower, but only if this condition is not caused by exposure to cold or an allergic reaction to water.
Treatment
In the course of a comprehensive diagnosis of urticaria, the main cause of the development of the disease is determined. It will need to be eliminated. This will be the main therapy, which will get rid of urticaria.
The combination of medicines is selected individually. It depends on many factors. It is impossible to independently treat such ailments. Sometimes you need to take not only antihistamines, but also steroids, antidepressants.
Glucocorticosteroids can be prescribed, for example, Prednisolone, Dexamethasone. Hyposensitizing agents are used, infusion therapy is prescribed.
Prevention
People who are prone to urticaria should follow a series of recommendations to reduce the likelihood of developing an ailment. Take a shower, wash your hands with warm water, do not contact with very hot or icy water. Soap should be soft, moisturizing. Towel, clothes should be made of natural, soft materials.
Do not sunbathe for a long time, and aspirin is also prohibited. If urticaria is caused by stress, sedatives should be taken. This will significantly reduce the manifestations of urticaria.