Urticaria – also known as hives, wheals, welts or nettle rash with or without surrounding erythematous flares. This is a skin reaction that causes bumps, raised patches, or both to suddenly appear on the skin. Urticaria can be acute or chronic, spontaneous or inducible.

Acute urticaria

If symptoms are mild and occur after exposure to an allergen or irritant, home remedies can usually soothe the itchiness until the rash disappears.

Chronic urticaria

A person with chronic urticaria may need to take antihistamines regularly until their symptoms resolve.

Drug Induced urticaria

It has been known to result in severe cardiorespiratory failure. The anti-diabetic Sulphonyl urea glimepiride, in particular, has been documented to induce allergic reactions manifesting as urticarial.

It because of the autoimmune reaction. Hives occurs due to release of chemical mediators from tissue mast cells and circulating basophils.

These chemical mediators include histamine, platelet-activating factor and cytokines. The mediators activate sensory nerves and cause dilation of blood vessels and leakage of fluid into surrounding tissues. Bradykinin release causes angioedema.

Hives Triggers: ∙Some food (especially peanuts, eggs, nuts and shellfish) ∙Medications, such as antibiotics (especially penicillin and sulpha), aspirin and ibuprofen ∙Insect stings or bites ∙Physical stimuli, such as pressure, cold, heat, exercise or sun exposure ∙Latex ∙Blood transfusions ∙Bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections and strep throat

∙Viral infections, including the common cold, infectious mononucleosis and hepatitis ∙Pet dander ∙Pollen ∙Some plants

Psoriasis is an auto-immune, chronic, inflammatory disorder. It is non-contagious which is characterized by red patches with whitish-silver scales, over the skin, causing itching and burning sensation.

Psoriasis is a common skin condition, which affects about 2% of the population in the UK.

This condition can occur in both men and women equally, and it usually affects individuals below the age of 35. The intensity and severity of psoriasis can vary from person to person with some cases presenting with just a minor itch. The episodes of psoriasis alternate with periods of remission.

These scales typically develop on joints, such as elbows and knees.

They may develop anywhere on the body, including the: hands, feet, neck, scalp, face, nails, mouth & areas around genitals.

• AUTOIMMUNITY

• HEREDITARY

• STERIODS

• STRESS

• MEDICATIONS

• TRAUMA

• ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Acne is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition. It is a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles under the skin become clogged.

This condition causes spots and pimples, especially on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms. Whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts, and nodules are all types of acne.

People of all races and ages get acne, but it is most common in teens and young adults. When acne appears during the teenage years, it is more common in males. Acne can continue into adulthood, and when it does, it is more common in women.

How long has Homeopathy been used?

Fact: Homoeopathy (some times also spelled homeopathy) is based on experimental pharmacological and clinical data. Over the years, homoeopathic medicines have been extensively studied for their efficacy in a variety of indications. Clinical studies have been conducted in India as well as other countries. In fact, the term 'Allopathy' was coined by the founder of homoeopathy whom the allopaths regard as the founder of experimental pharmacology.

Fact: Homoeopathy is fast acting in acute cases and can be effectively used in treating infections, fever, cold etc. Unfortunately, people tend to go to a homoeopath only when the acute problem becomes chronic. Naturally, these cases take longer to treat. Also, most people take recourse in homoeopathy in cases of arthritis, allergic asthma or skin conditions etc., which take a longer time to treat with any other system of medicines.

Fact: Few physicians restrict the intake of onion, garlic, tea, coffee etc. along with homoeopathic medicine. But the researches have shown that there is no effect of such things on the efficacy of the medicine if these are taken in moderation & a significant gap is maintained between them & the medicine. Homoeopathic medicines act well on patients habituated to coffee and betel. Take the example of the southern states, where people primarily drink coffee, but Homoeopathy is most popular and is working very well in these states..

Fact: It's not that Homoeopathy is good for children only, it is just that children love to take homoeopathic medicines due to their sweet taste. It is good for children in the way that if we give homoeopathic treatment to our children from the very beginning it would give rise to a healthy generation because homoeopathic medicines not only remove the disease from its root but they also increase the resistance power of the body and they prevent the progression of disease or prevent the disease from becoming chronic. But homoeopathy is equally effective in adults too.

Fact: Homoeopathic medicines are given on the basis of symptom similarity. The medicine which is given to cure a set of symptoms is capable of producing similar symptoms in a healthy human being. Primary action of the medicine may be observed by the patient as an aggravation of his disease but in true sense it is only homoeopathic aggravation which is a part of curative process.

If the indicated medicine is repeated more than required, it often increases the symptoms which subside on their own after withdrawal of the same. At times, if the patient has been on steroids or other allopathic drugs and he stops them abruptly there may be aggravation of the original disease.

Fact: It appears that all homoeopathic medicines are same because they are dispensed in globules. Actually in all preparations the vehicle remains the same but it is medicated by different homoeopathic dilutions. Depending on the illness, homoeopaths medicate with different medicines. The sugar pills serve only as a vehicle for transfer of the medicine. The selected medicine, out of a range of more than 5000 different dilutions, is targeted to the individual problems.

Fact: Distill water is also a medium for dispensing of medicine to the patient so no question of diabetes and sugar.

Fact: Another very common misconception is that Allopathic or other medicines can not be taken with homoeopathic medicine. But if a person is on long continued allopathic treatment, especially steroids or "life-saving drugs", discontinuing the medicine abruptly might cause sudden increase in the intensity of his symptoms. So the best way is to reduce the dosage of the allopathic medicine gradually as the improvement starts & then stop them under the supervision of the doctor.

Fact--For diagnosis, prognosis and proper management of the case homoeopaths too advice investigations .

Fact: Qualified doctors practice Homoeopathy, in most parts of the world. In India, there are over 180 medical colleges, which offer degree and post-graduate studies in Homoeopathy. At present, there are over 1,50,000 trained homoeopaths in the country.