In Urticaria (or Hives) you may get sudden itching in your body (any part) together with red or pinkish swelling; this can be after intake of some foods or medicine or exposure to sunlight. It is caused by an abnormal allergic reaction. When the allergen (dust, food, chemicals etc.) enters body, our immune system reacts with this allergen by producing a chemical called histamine and causes urticaria. The allergic particle like dust, drugs, food etc. are harmless to many people, but it causes an allergic reaction to some people.

The main symptom of urticaria is itching, red or pink colored bumps on your skin, swelling on lips, eyes and cheeks etc. The main distinguishing feature of urticarial rash from other skin rash is it turn white when pressing on the bump.

There are two types of urticaria – acute and chronic. In acute urticaria the symptoms are present for the duration of less than 3 months, and it is mainly caused by intake of triggering food items, drugs, exposure to chemicals etc. But in chronic urticaria symptoms persist for more than 3 months and the cause of chronic one is very difficult to understand and often in some patients, it is associated with other diseases like hormonal and gastric diseases.

Triggering factors of urticaria include- certain medicines, food items like prawn, peanut, milk products, eggs, some plants, flowers, pollen grains, pets, insect bites, extreme cold or hot climate etc.

In Ayurveda, urticaria is explained in the name of Seetha pitta, in this condition there is an imbalance of Tridosha (Vata, Pitta & Kapha). By excessive exposure to cold wind, excess intake of spicy and salty food items, sleep in daytime, overuse of fermented items, contact with irritant chemicals and insect bite etc. Tridosha  (vata, pitha and kapha) gets aggravated, the vitiated doshas travels through the body and lodged under the skin and causes itching, burning of skin, vomiting, fever and rashes.

In conventional medicine, it is managed by antihistamines and corticosteroids. Urticaria can be effectively managed by Ayurvedic treatments. Back to Roots Ayurveda clinic in Abu Dhabi offers an effective treatment for urticarial patients. Our expert doctor in Abu Dhabi suggests effective Ayurveda treatment based on the patient’s constitution and condition. Ayurvedic management of Urticaria includes intake of herbal decoction, Panchakarma procedures like Vamana (emesis therapy), virechana (purgation therapy) and external application of medicated oil, lepa (herbal pastes) and irrigation of warm medicated water on body etc.