Frequently I see patients who develop rashes or hives for unclear reasons. Unfortunately when people experience hives on nearly a daily basis, finding the cause is even harder than if the patient experienced them only infrequently. Even so, it is still important to visit the doctor to have an evaluation.

During the doctor visit

What I usually do when a patient comes in with hives is to first ask the patient if they have been using any new soaps, detergents or beauty products. Sometimes people can develop allergies or hives from these products.

We also ask about any other changes in health such as unexplained weight loss, joint pains, night sweats.

We will want to know how long the hives last and what they look like.

One good thing to do is to take a picture of the hives and bring in that picture to the doctor.

Although food allergy is rarely a cause of almost daily hives, we also ask if there is any relationship between eating specific foods and the hives.