Stress hives: symptoms and treatment

Have you ever noticed that, during a stressful situation, you suddenly developed blotches or hives? It is more common than it seems — after all, emotions manifest in the skin. At Farmaciasdirect, we explain how to identify, prevent and treat stress hives. Keep reading!

What is urticaria on the skin?

Urticaria is a skin condition characterised by the sudden appearance of wheals, blotches or hives of different sizes and shapes. These are lesions that present with inflammation and raised skin, are reddish in colour and may be accompanied by itching.

This condition appears in response to the release of histamine and other substances by the immune system. It is therefore a defence response against an agent perceived as a threat.

Types of urticaria

According to the triggering agent and duration, the most common types of urticaria are:

• Acute urticaria: the triggering agent is usually an allergen present in a food, external agent, medication or insect sting.
• Chronic urticaria: the triggering agent is unknown, but the urticaria persists over time.
• Physical urticaria: cold, heat, pressure, etc., are the triggering agents in this type.
• Stress urticaria: the triggering agent is stress caused by intense emotional stimuli. It may occur intermittently or persist over time, becoming chronic.

What is stress and how does it affect our health?

What we know as stress is, in reality, a natural response that our body carries out when faced with a situation it perceives as risky, threatening or challenging.

When this "risky" situation is perceived, our body begins to release cortisol and adrenaline — hormones that prepare us to respond quickly to the perceived threat. The problem arises when these levels remain elevated for a long time, potentially becoming prolonged and chronic, with negative effects:

• Our defences weaken, making us more susceptible to infections.
• Digestive problems, such as wind, gastritis, diarrhoea, constipation, pain, loss of appetite, etc.
• Mood changes: fatigue, sleep problems, irritability, etc.
• Skin changes, such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea or urticaria.

What is stress urticaria?

Stress urticaria is a type of urticaria that arises when our immune system detects an emotion or situation of anxiety as dangerous, triggering this skin condition.

Symptoms of urticaria

We can identify it as urticaria because:

• Red or whitish wheals appear, with an irregular border.
• There is irritation, itching, a burning sensation and a feeling of heat.
• Symptoms appear suddenly and resolve after a short time; although in some cases, duration may be prolonged and it may become chronic.

How to identify stress urticaria

To know that this urticaria is caused by stress, we should look at whether:

• We are going through a difficult emotional period.
• We frequently feel psychological pressure.
• We live with constant anxiety.

Stress therefore not only affects our mind or daily pace of life — it can also affect our body as a whole. For this reason, managing our emotions and stress is essential for our health and wellbeing.

Treatment for stress urticaria

Since histamine is released, the ideal approach is to use antihistamines to counteract it. They can be taken orally or applied topically directly to the affected area.

A good topical treatment for stress urticaria is Fenistil, a medication that does not require a prescription. Its active ingredient is dimetindene maleate, an antihistamine that relieves itching while making the wheals disappear in cases of urticaria or skin rashes in small, localised areas. Fenistil is also a medication for stings and irritation associated with allergic skin reactions, such as those caused by mosquito bites and other insect stings. It can be used by adults and children from 2 years of age, 2 to 4 times daily.

In some cases, it may be necessary to resort to oral or topical corticosteroids to treat urticaria and its symptoms.

Remember that treatment with corticosteroids and oral antihistamines must be prescribed by a doctor. Whenever symptoms persist or worsen, you should see a doctor. You may also seek support from an allergist to manage the condition and its recurrences, and consider psychological support to help you manage your emotions.

How to prevent stress urticaria?

Stress urticaria can be prevented as long as we control the triggering agent; to this end, Farmaciasdirect suggests:

• Improving your lifestyle: sleeping the necessary hours, following a balanced diet and exercising regularly.
• Working on the management of stress, emotions and daily routine.

Health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. Understanding ourselves and the way we manage our daily lives, our emotions and everything that happens to us is essential for maintaining our health — and it can be learnt and put into practice every day with the right support.