If you’re dealing with chronic hives, also known as chronic idiopathic urticaria, you may be questioning whether your diet could be contributing to those persistent, red, and itchy skin welts that last more than six weeks. It’s natural to wonder if avoiding certain foods, following a low-histamine diet, or seeking out specific foods might help heal your condition. However, according to allergist Dr. Dylan Timberlake, food isn’t typically the culprit behind chronic hives.
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What Are the Symptoms?
Chronic hives, also known as chronic urticaria, cause recurring outbreaks of raised, itchy welts on the skin. Common symptoms include:
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- Batches of welts (weals): These can appear anywhere on the body and may come and go unpredictably.
- Color variations: Welts may look red, purple, or match your skin tone, depending on your complexion.
- Changing shape and size: The welts often shift, merge, or fade, only to reappear in new areas.
- Intense itchiness (pruritus): The itching can be severe and interfere with sleep or daily activities.
- Swelling (angioedema): Puffiness or swelling may develop around the eyes, cheeks, lips, hands, or feet.
- Triggers: Heat, exercise, pressure, stress, or certain foods can provoke flare-ups.
- Duration: Symptoms persist for more than six weeks and may return repeatedly over months or even years.
The Role of Diet in Chronic Hives
You might be surprised to learn that there isn’t a strong connection between what you eat and chronic hives. Dr. Timberlake tells the Cleveland Clinic that, while some foods are high in histamine or the amino acid histidine (which your body converts to histamine), this rarely results in chronic hives. The notion that high-histamine foods could cause hives is problematic, as food allergies are seldom the root cause of this condition.
In chronic hives, you may experience welts, bumps, and even angioedema (swelling of the skin). However, if you notice symptoms such as throat tightness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting along with hives, these are signs of anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction—and not chronic hives.
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Is There a Chronic Hives Diet?
The search for a specific diet to manage or prevent chronic hives is often in vain. Dr. Timberlake notes that chronic hives aren’t usually triggered by food. If you experience a full-body reaction to certain foods, this could indicate a true food allergy, which requires a different diagnosis and testing.
Even when avoiding foods that aren’t high in histamine, like spicy foods or certain additives, people with chronic hives often see no significant benefit. In fact, a meta-analysis of 20 studies revealed that less than five percent of people who avoided such foods experienced spontaneous resolution of their hives.
Factors That Can Worsen Chronic Hives
While diet might not be a significant factor, other elements can contribute to chronic hives. Certain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can irritate allergy cells, making them more likely to release chemicals that trigger hives. Additionally, consuming alcohol can exacerbate chronic hives or trigger new outbreaks.
RELATED: Living with Chronic Hives: 4 Tips For Coping
Managing Your Chronic Hives
When managing chronic hives, focusing on your diet might not be the most effective strategy. It’s essential to discuss any dietary changes with your doctor, especially before trying diets like the low-histamine or elimination diet. These approaches can often lead to frustration and false hope.
Dr. Timberlake highlights a common scenario: you eliminate a food from your diet, and your hives temporarily improve. When they worsen again, you might cut out another food, leading to a cycle where you’re avoiding numerous foods without real relief. If you do notice an improvement after eliminating a food, reintroduce it to see if your hives return. This can help determine if that food truly affects your condition.
For those suffering from chronic hives, the journey to finding relief can be challenging. However, focusing on diet alone is unlikely to yield significant results. Instead, it’s crucial to explore other triggers and consult with your doctor for a comprehensive approach to managing your condition. Remember, while diet might not be the answer, there are still many ways to effectively manage and alleviate your chronic hives.
When to See a Doctor
Contact a healthcare professional if you experience severe hives, or if the condition lasts more than a few days without improvement.
Seek Emergency Care
Chronic hives alone do not typically lead to a life-threatening allergic reaction. However, seek emergency medical help immediately if hives occur along with symptoms of anaphylaxis, such as:
- Dizziness or fainting
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the tongue, lips, mouth, or throat
When managing your chronic hives, there are several ways to address your triggers. However, your diet shouldn’t be a major concern. It’s important to consult your doctor before attempting diets like the low-histamine diet or an elimination diet, as these can lead to false hope.
“Unfortunately, what happens is you take a food out of your diet and your hives may get better for a while. But then, your hives become worse while you’re still avoiding that food. Then, you’ll think that it must be another food, so you start avoiding that food,” Dr. Timberlake concludes. ”It can get to a point where you’re avoiding 20 or 30 foods with no real relief.
His advice?
If you decide to eliminate food from your diet. If you notice your hives are better, add that food back to your diet to see if your hives get If you decide to eliminate a food from your diet, notice if your hives improve. If they do, reintroduce that food to see if your hives worsen..
