Natural Remedies for Hives - Holistic Symptom Relief

Colloidal Silver

Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 05/19/2015

I've heard of this a number of times in the past few months...

In most recent case a male, aged 30 reports a rash breaks out intermittently on torso, legs, arms. Very itchy and with small welts. It goes away in a few weeks but a month later reappears in a different location.

This has been going on for about a year and a half. He has been to three doctors and given antibiotics. The rashes continue.

I asked him, if prior to onset, he had had any significant viral infections. Yes, he reported; a very bad and long lasting sinus infection plus some serious dental work that produced a long lasting infection on one side of his face.

With that I wondered if he had a blood born virus infection and discounted a fungal infection. However, I asked a long shot question....have you had any problem with mold in some damp area, at house or work, and ... one more...any problem with infection where dirt might have been involved. No mold...but yes to the dirt! He'd been playing softball and slid into a base and severely tore off skin while sliding into the dirt. Leg became infected and swollen for weeks.

So my thought is a possible double issue...virus plus fungi.

He is now on doses of colloidal silver three times daily. If his energy levels begin returning within 2 weeks, the infection theory might have some validity and he'd continue taking the CS for a considerable length of time.

If anyone else on EC has any other ideas please post.

Oh, also in the past 3 weeks he had begun having intestinal problems...digestion difficulty. My fear...perhaps the infection is not just in the blood but is invading other systems. So now he is also taking Apple Cider Vinegar in the evening...a tablespoon in glass of water.

Chickweed Tea

Posted by Aneta (Chicago, IL) on 02/22/2015
★★★★★

I am pregnant and got hives. I was reluctant to use any steroids and looked into alternatives. I tried calamine lotion, zinc oxide, comfrey lotion but one thing helped me and I was able to sleep the first night without itching that would wake me up every hour- chickweed. I bought tea bags, had a tea and applied tea bag to my hives. It is only day 2 but my hives are almost gone. Also, I drink tremendous amounts of water too. I plan on planting it in my backyard this spring.

Hives Triggers

Posted by Timh (KY) on 02/20/2015 2042 posts

K: In addition to other good replies, in an effort to reduce the inflammatory response, increase Cold Water Fish in the diet or supplement Fish Oil and/or Flax Seed Oil. Brazil Nuts or supplemental Selenium is a very important antioxidant that insures protection of the sensitive Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Also be sure to take a Vit-C that has additional Citrus Bioflavonoids. Turmeric and Pineapple are good anti-inflammatory foods.

Hives Triggers

Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 02/19/2015
★★★★★

Kate77, If your clothing was new it contains bromide which can cause horrific hives...I know several people who got bad cases from new mattresses. Sealy being the worst. "Bromide is a flame retardant that they put in carpeting, furniture, mattresses, clothing, computers, iPhones and automobiles-just to name a few." (to quote Stephanie Buist). The punch line is the flame retardant does no better job from stopping a fire than without it...You can "Google" the test results. Another govt. regulation that is causing the public it's health, but making someone a lot of $$$.

Hives Triggers

Posted by Kate77 (Hudson Valley, Ny) on 02/19/2015

It's been below zero in the Hudson Valley for over a month with no January thaw. We have forced hot-air heat and DO RUN a humidifier because of the dryness. I take lysine, Vit. D, C, B-complex, acidophilous, Kelp, and drink a green drink each day with psyllium hulls, chlorella and spirulina. Yesterday when I came home it was so cold. I put on my fleece thermal underwear and low and behold, felt very itchy on my back. After several minutes of scratching and no relief, I realized I had hives! I removed the fleece (polyester), had my husband put aloe vera on my back and put on a cotton T-shirt. Immediate relief! But this morning my back is irritated from all of the scratching I did. I usually wear only cotton, so that my body can breathe. Lesson learned.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Lalaland (Los Angeles, CA) on 11/28/2014
★★★★★

Greetings all! Wanted to chime in this discussion in the hopes that I can help someone.

Earlier this year I suddenly started having hives...it was super uncomfortable. I would wake up at four with hives all over my body and would get them at various times of the day [they tend to manifest at the same time everyday].

Anyway, I did tons of research as to WHY I was getting these hives! After much trial and investigation I realized that I was GLUTEN SENSITIVE--or at least that I was having this issue because of GRAINS. I stopped eating wheat and also other grains--oatmeal, rice, etc.

It took about 2-3 weeks but the hives went away..until I ate some soy sauce [has gluten] and got the hives again....then went away until I ate flour at a restaurant that claimed there salmon was served with a "butter" sauce...who knew that it had flour in it? Anyway, I got hives again. I called the restaurant and sure enough, they fessed up about the flour. I took a good week for the hives to go away.

Its been about 4 months since I cut out grains and I am happy to report that I no longer have the dreaded hives!!

Now I see the hives as a blessing: my body was talking to me, telling me that grains were not good for me. They were ALSO causing me to put on weight and causing aches and pains.

Since cutting out grains four months ago I have lost about 2 dress sizes [I also later cut out sugar three months ago] and my constant knee pain is also gone!

No way would I consider going back to my old habits! I hope this post helps someone. Consider cutting out all grains for 3-4 weeks, then eat them again. You might find you improve by cutting them out--then a flare up when you add back in. But then, you'll have your solution!

Writing this as I am so sad to see so many people paying their docs good money only to be given meds or topical creams that don't work.

Lastly, grains, nut and diary are very related in some ways...also try cutting out the latter two items...people that have problems with grains can also have problems with nuts and dairy. [you can google this]

Good luck!! :)

""Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Hippocrates

Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda, Exercise

Posted by Gg (Denver) on 11/18/2014

Aloe rubbed on hives helps calm the itch and a friend brought me sublingual Hives (from Hyland) which seemed to help. My mother used baking soda and water paste on mosquito bites; have heard a cool bath withh baking soda eases the itch too, so perhaps. Years ago had a bad case after eating shellfish, the hives were as big as my palm. ER doc injected me with prednizone, antihistimines and steroids. Calmed the hives but the pills caused me to act irrational and crazy. There were even a couple moments of thinking more serious thoughts (that I never had before or after that incidence). Thank goodness a neighbor who was an ER doc recognized the signs; came over to look at the prescription bottles. I was given dosages for 180# person while I'm 106#. She had me stop the prescriptions immediately. As miserable as hives are, I'd try everything natural before using drugs again. Just not worth it.

Iodine

Posted by Sylvia (San Francisco, Ca) on 10/12/2014
★★★★★

I started developing hives recently on a Saturday evening for the first time in my life. Raised bumps on my arms and upper thigh and trunk. Some of the bumps seemed to be joining in pink raised patches which scared me. I am not sure what the trigger was.

I have a bottle of 2% Lugols iodine in a small bottle with a glass dropper in my cabinet which I use topically for minor wounds and scratches. I've aways found topical iodine to also be a wonderful balm for red, itchy, swollen bug bites so I thought I'd try it for the hives.

I placed the iodine drops directly from the dropper onto the hives (or onto my finger tips) and rubbed the iodine in. Within 10-15 minutes the itch was gone. Within hours I noticed the hives had settled down. I woke up the next morning with a few new hive 'patches' on my back which were large and a few new bumps elsewhere. Everyplace I had put iodine on the night before, the hives were gone. So I proceeded to rub the iodine, direct from the dropper, onto the new hives. Within the hour the large patches on my back were no longer raised and after several hours were starting to 'breakup' in terms of color.

Please note that I did not dilute the Lugol's iodine. I placed drops directly on the hive and rubbed it in. If itching didn't stop I reapplied the iodine on the hive 2-3 times until it did. I applied the iodine on all my hives and did not worry about dosage since dermal application generally allows your body to absorb what it needs (in my opinion). Also, if you look at the tremendous amounts of iodine the Japanese ingest daily and their good health I just don't feel the need to be too alarmed with a 2% solution applied to the skin (again, just my opinion).

Topical iodine was a fantastic topical relief solution for me but it still doesn't answer the question as to what triggered my hives. The day before my hives was very stressful so it could be that but I also tried a few new foods - I may never know. If I continue to have hives in the future I will dig deeper, but for now this is a good topical remedy that relieved my itch and my fear. Getting hives is a little scary.

Note: this is obviously not a remedy for people with an iodine sensitivity. Also note, your fingetips will turn quite yellow/reddish so keep that in mind if your hands need to be presentable.

Water and Baking Soda

Posted by Joyce (Easley, Sc) on 07/21/2014
★★★★★

I have battled with uticaria (hives) for 25 years.

They come on sudden and once they start I have in my youth battled with them daily for years at a time...miserable teen years...UNTIL

in my 20's I started a rotation diet to find out what I was most sensitive to. Plus began eating perservative/additive free. Good home cooking with NO MSG! And all its little counter parts. That process helped tremendously.

Then when I was 30, I was using a lot of bleach and started using a laundry soap that was not natural and hives hit me hard again. After 9 months of torture, I read a book called the water cure and increased my water intake by an extra quart a day. In a few days they had stopped. I have always been a low water drinker.

I am 47 now, and a few weeks I was into bleach and staining and other paint chemicals and they came on with vengence again. This time I stopped them in their tracks by drinking a huge glass of water with a tsp of baking soda mixed in it, (on an empty stomach) when I would wake up at night.

I am thrilled...so thrilled to have control of them so quickly.

Joyce

P.S. 27 years of studying health and helping my family naturally. If your really sick...start juicing veges and get off ALL premade food. It will blow your mind how many things your body can heal/correct that the doc says "It's inherited". Yea right. My Father was healed from heart disease/diabetes/ gout/ arthritis and tons of other issues. I was healed from ganglia cysts, trigger thumb, stomach ulcers, and other female issues. Your body was created to HEAL itself when given the right tools.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Toni (Winnipeg, Canada) on 07/06/2014
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I too have been suffering with chronic urticaria. Doctors couldn't help except to suggest I try one prescription after another and I needed to find another way to treat these symptoms. Thank you for this site!! I read about drinking water. I figured, what could it hurt to try? I found that a combination of ACV twice daily coupled with drinking LOTS of water (10X8 oz glasses) every day has reduced my hives to almost none within two weeks!! I still take an antihistamine occasionally but hope to wean myself off those in time.

I was never able to find the trigger. I am 62 and I believe that my body must have built up toxins over time. It's possible that the water, along with the ACV is flushing them out. I've read that your skin is like a second liver. If I find my skin getting itchy, I just drink another glass of water. I've also found that wiping myself down with a wet washcloth also takes the itch away. I hope that this is not a forever solution, but if it is, I can live with that. It's WATER! It's just amazing to sleep through the night without scratching my skin off and to wake up without hives all over my body and face. All this water has also been great for my complexion and digestion. I hope this helps someone.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda, Exercise

Posted by Sara (Oregon) on 05/22/2014

How exactly are you supposed to use the ACV and baking soda? Do you mix it and apply it topically? I'm breaking out in hives for the first time in my life, and my last outbreak was massive and all over my body. I'm not a fan of medication so I'm trying to find a natural cure.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jay (Boca Raton, Fl) on 02/16/2014
★★★★★

I have AIPD autoimmune progesterone dermatitis, aka, allergic to my hormones and it seems the only relief I get is from ACV my outbreaks are so bad that I can move... Try it... I use organic with the mother just 2 tsp in about 6-8 oz of H2O horrible taste but by morning it's 80% better!! Good luck

Digestive Enzymes

Posted by Luellamac (Middle Tn) on 02/09/2014
★★★★★

I am satisfied that the digestive enzymes have been the foundation of recovering from hives. My stomach has been rumbling for weeks and has accompanied the onset of hives. The rumbling has stopped and the hives are clearing up. Additionally I rub my body with castor oil once a day with special attention to the hive areas. I take l-lysine three times a day…500 mg and one benadryl. I have tried everything recommended short of prednisone and have very nearly lost my mind itching for weeks. This is the first cessation.

Beer

Posted by Michelle Fafard (Riviera Beach, Fl) on 10/24/2013
★★★★★

For two days I was itchy and crazy with hives, on my face, chest, shoulders, back, and upper arms! Was going crazy and then I read:

I had not had a drink for over three weeks so I tried beer. LOL, first time in two days, no itching! No redness hives are going away in minutes! I am allergic to so much, think I accidentally ingested soy, or it's too much sugar, via Sour Patch Kids, or caused from too much artificial colors! Beer worked for me. LOL. I usually have Generic Zyrtec have been out for over a week. Just sayin' a few minutes after the beer - - no more itching!!! AMAZING. Went from crazy scratching to fine in minutes. Don't know why only know I am grateful for this website and happy to not be red and scratching!!!

Castor Oil

Posted by Bev (Fort Lauderdale) on 09/14/2013

Have you tried Sudafed or Benedryl? I went into anaphylactic shock in the doctor's office from hives and could have died. To avoid this, all I had to do was take Sudafed or Benedryl which I then did for about a week. You may need to take it for more or less time. Hives can be very dangerous so don't mess with them.

I'm into natural remedies, too, or I wouldn't be on this site but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Also, since you have had hives for so long, I'm wondering about something in your diet. You can become suddenly allergic to foods you've been eating all your life or to a new food or a new brand from the supermarket. Eliminating grains might be a good place to start.

Since stress can also be a factor, you might want to try L-Theanine, tryptophan, 5-HTP or any one of several other stress reducers. Unfortunately, what works well for most people may not work at all for you. It's kind of hit or miss.

The site below has some info about hives.

http://www.symptomfind.com/diseases-conditions/hives/

Good luck to you.

Castor Oil

Posted by Tammy (San Jose, Ca, Us) on 09/13/2013
★★★★☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Regarding Castor Oil- I've had hives for approximately 45 days. I've tried everything. Nothing seems to work. Prescriptions have done nothing but make my skin severely dry. I have applied Castor Oil directly to the hives. It seems to calm them down. But want to warn that, soon after my skin became hot for a short period then I became nauseous. But I figured it was doing something. I feel okay today. I suggest just putting a small portion into skin. Don't over do it. I wasn't able to drink any because of nausea. I think I'll try the ACV next. But Castor oil works well on the surface! Thank you

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Mama To Many (Middle, Tennessee, Usa) on 06/23/2013

Dear Blossom, So sorry to hear about your hives! My son, when he was only 3 or 4, had terrible hives that we cured with Nettle Tea. Nettle tea is very safe. You could buy the tea bags and drink 3-4 or even more a day. Or you could take nettle leaf powder in capsules - 4 of them 4 times a day.

Turmeric is also a great anti-inflammatory and I have seen it help a number of inflammatory skin conditions in my children. Try 2 in capsules several times a day. Safe to take with the nettles. Works best with a little pepper and a little fat. Some like to mix a teaspoon of it in milk. Personally, I can't bear it that way. :) Be sure to take plenty of water with turmeric, it can be constipating.

An epsom salt bath may also be helpful. 1-2 cups epsom salt in a bath. This can be done with the turmeric and the nettles.

Let us know what helps you!

~Mama to Many~

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Blossom1464 (Birmingham, Al) on 06/23/2013
★☆☆☆☆

I've been using ACV with mother for over a year 2x a day. My body ph is 6.75, slightly acidic. I was taking kelp pills once a day, and apparently had an allergic reaction. I have raised white hives all over, from head to toes. They don't itch except on my neck. So obviously ACV isn't working. I tried ACV on skin yesterday, on white raised hives it didn't hurt, but didn't do anything. On neck where red and itchy it made it worse. I've been into herbs and natural healing for years.

I decided to not take benadryl after yest. morning, and instead took 1/2 tsp of baking soda twice yesterday in 8oz water. I also showered with pine tar soap, and pine tar shampoo. It felt better after shower, but today I'm just as covered up as I was. They are like huge white welts, some red bumps in pores. I think the only thing I can do is just let it work it's way out of my system.

I've had red itchy rashes before, but not sure what the trigger is, other than maybe stress and antibiotics. I'm going to start taking benadryl, I see no other way around this.

I also oil pull with virgin coconut oil everyday, have for a couple years. Stopped last night so it wouldn't get worse. I still think it's the kelp, it upset my stomach horribly. I can't take activated charcoal because I'm on pills I need to take.

Any idea anyone? I love this site, come here often.

Sterilize With Rock Salt

Posted by Magicpips (Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines) on 06/02/2013
★★★★★

My daughter started having hives when she turned 1.2 years old. We went to see a pediatric dermatologist and an allergist. Both of them diagnosed her with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria. She would breakout daily and have hives on her legs, arms, body and face but luckily, it wasn't the itchy kind. The meds they prescribed worked for maybe a day, but the hives would come back with a vengeance. So I stopped the medication and looked for alternative cures. I read that ACV works but it's impossible to get a baby girl to drink the stuff. She continued having her daily hives for about 9 months until we figured that the trigger might be water from the faucett (used for bathing and cleaning). We installed a water filter and her hives improved but not totally cured. She would still break out about thrice a week. Then my sis-in-law suggested that I clean my baby bottles using rock salt instead of the store-bought special baby bottle cleaning solution that I would use. To our surprise, her urticatia got better and within a week, it was gone. She got cured. Don't know if its the water, the salt or the cleaning solution. But whatever it was, it finally worked. Thank God. I just thought of sharing this. Maybe it will help other mothers. My daughter is now 2.3 and she has clear skin now. Thank you. I hope this helps.

Honey

Posted by Beautiful_soul (Atlanta, Ga, Usa) on 05/17/2013
★★★★★

Stress Hives Cure: Honey, honey and more honey.

I developed stress hives out of the blue and the first time it happened, one doctor gave me antibiotics. I got hives from head to toes and this incompetent doctor diagnosed me with shingles!!! Needless to say that he did not know what he was talking about and he did not help a bit, actually it made it worst because antibiotics are dangerous.

So I started an intensive research during the last 5 years and found out the reason for stress hives is actually very surprising: when you stress your blood glucose drops and cortisol levels rise in order to raise your blood glucose. The sole role of cortisol in the body is to raise blood glucose. Cortisol, when reaching the mast cells of the skin, creates hives and cortisol can take several weeks to adjust the right level of glucose in the blood.

I found out that honey does raise blood glucose in just minutes and when it does, cortisol is not needed. Remember this, cortisol will only rise when blood glucose is low. So how did I cure my hives and how am I preventing stress hives now? I take two tablespoons of honey each time I stress or cry and I don't have to worry about stress hives anymore.

If you are experiencing stress hives right now, do yourself a favor: take some honey and the hives will fade away in a heartbeat. I have seen it, I am a living testimony and I hope this remedy will bless all people who are suffering with this painful condition.

I will end this post by giving glory to God because it's after praying and asking God to show me the way to heal myself that I found the information. I received freely, therefore I give freely.

Be blessed.

Nikaa

Hives Triggers

Posted by S. (Charlotte, Nc) on 04/17/2013

I agree that lack of stomach acid could somehow contribute to hives. I've only had them twice that I can remember. My triggers have been staying awake for 36 consecutive hours (face), and drinking pau d'arco tea (calves).

I DO have stomach issues that I've previously taken Chinese herbs for. I've been off the herbs for a while now and the stomach issues have returned. Both times I've had hives have been times when I haven't been on the herbs.

My calves were extremely itchy when I woke up this morning. I gave them a good scratch. I initially thought I'd been bitten by bugs while I was sleeping. When I took a good look, I could see that it was hives.

I'm going to try topical coconut oil (organic unrefined) first. If it helps, I'll post here.

Chia Seeds

Posted by Lorrainez (Concord, Ca) on 02/12/2013
★★★★★

In 2012 I started to juice a lot of kale. I beleive that I released too many toxins into my system and began breaking out in hives (entire body) and vaginally bleeding. I went to 5 different specialist and all the test said I was fine. Bendaryl didnt work after a week or two. From this website I found ACV which I bathed in daily (to keep the hives under control). But I wanted to fix the problem not just maintain. A friend of mine who sells chia seeds gave me a bag to try. I took a scoop a day and within 3 day the hives went away and the bleeding stopped. My belief is that I had way too many toxins floating around in my body and my body was naturally trying to eliminate it. The chia seed allowed it to be flushed out through my bowel movements instead of my skin. I am blessed that I found the answer for my body and I hope this helps someone.

Nettle Tea

Posted by Ky Mama (Clinton, Ky) on 01/22/2013
★★★★★

My son was three years old when he woke up from a nap covered in hives. I had no idea the cause; he had no unusual exposure to food or anything that I could think of. In trying to figure out what to do (I was worried it was going to get worse! ) I considered that one of his older brothers, whom he is a lot alike, has had trouble with allergies and asthma in the past. If that son took Nettle capsules and Quercetin daily, his problems stopped and eventuallly healed. No was could I get a three year old to swallow capsules. I made him some Nettle Tea, sweetened it (honey, stevia, whatever) and he drank it in a sippy cup. In twenty minutes, his hives were gone. The next day it happened again... He woke up from his nap with hives. Less this time. I gave him Nettle Tea again and they were gone very quickly. That was over a year ago and he hasn't had hives since. Nettle is amazing! I had trouble with chronic hives years ago and I wish I had known about Nettle back then.