Hives, also known as urticaria, are inflamed itchy skin eruptions most commonly caused by an allergic reaction. You get hives because your body's immune system releases histamines to attack allergens. The histamines produce allergy symptoms including swelling, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes.
Hives can occur anywhere on your body. Antihistamines like Claritin are the traditional treatment for hives. Many of them, however, produce drowsiness and other undesirable side effects.
Quercetin
Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D., recommends quercetin as an antihistamine alternative for treating chronic hives. Quercetin is a bioflavonoid extracted from citrus fruit skin. Taking two 400mg tablets of quercetin daily between meals for several weeks will eventually inhibit your immune system's release of histamines and other inflammatory substances (See Reference 1).
Stinging Nettle
Stems of the stinging nettle plant are covered with very fine hairs which release highly irritating compounds when touched. The odd thing about stinging nettle is that it also relieves the pain of already inflamed skin.
It's available for internal use as an extract, capsules, tincture, and dried leaf for teas. It's also used in topical creams.
The homeopathic form of stinging nettle, Urtica Urens, is produced as both pellets and drops and recommended in The Complete Homeopathy Handbook as a treatment for hives. (see References)
The Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients advises taking between 1 and 5 300mg capsules of freeze-dried stinging nettle. Take 1 capsule every 5 minutes until you experience relief, but no more than 5 in all. (Reference 3)
Caution: Stinging nettle can cause miscarriage. (Resource 1)
Chilling Out
Wear light clothing which doesn't cover your hives because warmth simply aggravates them.
Wrapping ice in a towel and applying it to your affected skin will constrict your blood vessels, shrinking the hives. It will also feel very soothing.
Equally soothing is taking a cool bath with colloidal oatmeal in your bathwater. Either buy colloidal oatmeal at any drugstore, or make your own by processing a cup of uncooked oatmeal as finely as possible in your blender or coffee grinder.
When it's fine enough that a teaspoon of it remains suspended when put in a glass of warm water, giving the water a milky appearance, run a lukewarm bath and sprinkle the blender contents in, stirring the water as you go to avoid clumping.
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