Dermographic Urticaria

Witch Hazel to Control Urticaria

My dermographic urticaria case started with the bottom of my feet. The itching welts were so bad that I had to come home from work and put my feet in our freezing pool water for an hour or so to cope with the itching. Then I noticed whenever I touched something, it would leave these marks and raised welts. I would scratch an itch and believe me I tried not to and that would start a horrible reaction that only got worse and needed an ice pack to relieve the pain and itch.

My father told me about the use of witch hazel for itching and believe me using Witch Hazel saved my life. You can only take so many Benadryl in a day. I would come home and have a glass of wine to wind down and then the itching would start up. I found out over the Internet that wine has histamines in it, especially red wine which was my favorite, and that was making my itching worse.

Anyway, now my problem has a name and I have been living with dermographic urticaria for eleven years now. I am off Benadryl and I am not itching as much as five years ago. I just use witch hazel and that is all I need. I guess you can learn to live with anything and without drugs. But thank the Lord for the Internet. I have learned so much from people like you going through the same thing. I like to figure out what is wrong and there is a wealth of information available here at our fingertips. Thank you.

Kathy

Dermographic Urticaria Disease

Information to prevent, control, and cure your hives at this dermographic urticaria treatment page. Two different options for treatment are provided.

I have this dermographic urticaria disease and take large doses of Atarax. My sister has it as well and it is very severe. She cannot function without medication even for one day until she went to Hawaii for a vacation and accidentally forgot her Atarax at home and could not acquire any on her ten day trip. She waited for the itchy torture and it never came. She thought maybe it was in remission or something but upon returning to Oregon she began itching right away.

Well by process of elimination she found out the reason she was not itching was the sun. She now does not need medication at all but has to lie out in the sun. If the UV index is too low she will go to the tanning bed salon because without the UV rays she will itch. Weird!

Emily

Hives on Torso

I am 22 and have dermographic urticaria or dermatographism. I remember starting to notice it mostly in middle school, although I did not know what it was until just recently. What bothered me the most about it in school was during activities like swimming in gym or changing in the locker room. I would have hives on my torso that people would notice. Also if you squeezed a pimple on your face it would turn into a big hive.

My face gets real red when I get nervous or embarrassed and so giving a speech or something similar is problematic.

I do not notice this dermographic urticaria skin problem much anymore during the days. I have learned to be careful not to scratch or rub my face. It mostly bothers me now in bed at night when I am not doing anything. I will itch on my back and it will just get worse and be a pain when trying to get to sleep.

Tor

Zyrtec, Zantac, and Atarax

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I recently relocated from California to Pittsburgh, PA and within two weeks broke out in full body hives. I have now suffered from them for two and a half months - on Zyrtec, Zantac and Atarax daily. The hives are fairly well controlled, although I still have breakouts. I cannot drink wine or beer because they both make the hives come on much stronger.

I saw a dermatologist and my internist who both did a scratch test and told me that I have some degree of dermatographism or dermographic urticaria. The problem is that no one knows why you develop it or how to get rid of it. My dermatologist told me I may start to feel better in 6 months to 2 years - not too helpful.

I am interested in trying the noni juice now that I have read your blog. I have also sought treatment in acupuncture and I highly recommend it. There is some research showing full resolution of chronic urticaria with acupuncture and although it has not been a cure, I do not have to take medications on the days I have treatment and the dermographic urticaria hives have definitely improved.

I am so sorry to hear there are others suffering from this. Sometimes I start to feel sorry for myself but I know there are worse things. I am only 36 and fear I may have to deal with this for the rest of my life.

Paula

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