Why do people break out in hives?!
Question: People can get hives for lots of different reasons. Often, the cause is not known. One common reason for getting hives is an allergic reaction. Some common allergic triggers are certain foods (like milk, shellfish, berries, and nuts), medications (such as antibiotics), and insect stings or bites. Other causes of hives are not related to allergies and these can include:
exposure to the cold (like diving into a cold pool)
exercise
sun exposure
nervousness or stress
infections caused by viruses
Answers: People can get hives for lots of different reasons. Often, the cause is not known. One common reason for getting hives is an allergic reaction. Some common allergic triggers are certain foods (like milk, shellfish, berries, and nuts), medications (such as antibiotics), and insect stings or bites. Other causes of hives are not related to allergies and these can include:
exposure to the cold (like diving into a cold pool)
exercise
sun exposure
nervousness or stress
infections caused by viruses
i broke out in hives when i was in elementry school because i ran around the gym in warm cloths when i shoulda been wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt.. ya it sucked
one time i was at a friends house and this happened to me, so i went ot the hospital later that night, doc. said that i was close to something that i was allergic to. probably the dog. he said that most of the time u never find out what it was that caused it.
They become nervous & this breaks down the immune system which causes the nerves to react and swell. This can also happen from certain foods.
Your very complex immune system has cells in it called "mast cells". These cells contain granules filled with histamine. When an allergen triggers these cells, they release their granules. Histamine dilates (enlarges) post capillary venules (smaller veins), activates the endothelium (the tissue around the veins & arteries), and increases blood vessel permeability (they become leaky). This leads to local edema (swelling), warmth, redness, and the attraction of other inflammatory cells to the site of release. It also irritates nerve endings (leading to itching or pain). Cutaneous (skin) signs of histamine release are the "flare and wheal"-reaction (typically called HIVES). The bump and redness immediately following a mosquito bite are a good example of this reaction, which occurs seconds after challenge of the mast cell by an allergen.
Here is a
very technical explaination in case you really wanted more info (WIKIPEDIA):
Mast cells play a key role in the inflammatory process. When activated, a mast cell rapidly releases its characteristic granules and various hormonal mediators into the interstitium. Mast cells can be stimulated to degranulate by direct injury (e.g physical or chemical), cross-linking of IgE receptors, or by activated complement proteins.[1]
Mast cells express a high-affinity receptor (Fc