Hives Treatment

My 14 year old daughter has hives all over her body that won't go away. Especially under hot sun. Antibiotics healed the hives only for a while. She tried the Habatus Saudah ( black seed) oil in capsule, 500mg, 2 capsules a day before sleep and has managed to control d breakouts. If she stops the treatment, slowly the hives will return. She's not fully cured but it has helped her tremendously. Hopefully this can help others too.I bought d habatus saudah from shops selling middle eastern food and alternative medicines in my country.

There are many conditions, like hives, that can be attributed to poor gut health. Thorough cleansing is mandatory in severe conditions but if not too much advanced may respond favorably to adding Milled Flax Seed to diet and taking Oregano Oil Softgels. A good Prebiotic/Probiotic supplement first thing every morning will help. The ACV will help also. The antioxidant, flavinoid Quercetin is a potent anti-inflammatory/antihistamine. A supplemental Digestive Enzymes will help as will fresh Pineapple.

After a few weeks of this begin adding the very healthy fats like Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil, Flax, Fish, and Krill Oil. Eat Salmon, Mackerel, and Sardines. These EFA's can dramatically reverse inflammatory conditions as well as promote healing throughout the body.

I have been suffering from Idiopathic Uticaria (hives) for 3 years. A year ago I had the worse case, I was getting ready in case I went into an anaphylactic attack. No allergist, no dermatologist, no doctor helped. I went for three weeks to Weimar institute in Northern California, I change my diet to No oils, except for some olive oil, no animal fats, (became a vegetarian) no Refine sugars or flours, Cold and hot showers, exercise, clear air and sunshine, lots of water drinking, relaxation and spiritual meditation. I have lost Over 5 pounds and the hives after three months on this diet, or better, life style went away.I did use alovera gel to calm them down, it was the only thing that gave me relief and the antihistamine Zyrtec. I am afraid to leave the Zyrtec although I do not have the hives now. I think I like to try the ACV just in case it can help me to give up the antihistamine. Any suggestions?

I used to suffer with hives too. I know how awful they the burning and itching and it can get sore all at the same time. If I had them again, I would take collodial silver and you can buy a cream with that in it. I always felt my blood was too hot. Thought I would give you my thought on this. Hope you find a cure

Dear Paula,

20 years ago or so I was having trouble with hives. The doctor said it was, "stress." He said it would probably just go away.

Around the same time I was diagnosed with a blood disorder (ITP) that was considered autoimmune and I was told there was no cure. (But if it got "really bad" they said they could remove my spleen. I was 28 at the time.)

I also had symptoms of low thyroid for a very long time, but never had enough blood work to confirm that it was also autoimmune (though it seems likely.)

Through trial and error and lots of reading and wisdom from others and the mercy of God, I no longer have symptoms of low thyroid and my incurable blood disorder is cured. I haven't had hives in years.

You might try nettle infusion first. It is a natural anti-histamine and has cured hives in my children in short order. Buying a pound of dry nettle leaf in bulk will last you a while.

At night, bring a quart of water to boil. Pour that water over 1/4 cup dry nettle leaf. Let the water and leaves sit all night. (No more heat.) In the morning, strain out the nettle leaves. Chill the strong tea and try to drink the quart over the course of the day. This is a very healing infusion with lots of nutrients and natural anti-histamine. I know people who take this because it helps their energy levels. I think it would help your hives. You may not need that much nettle tea each day, but it is a great way to get quality nutrients into your system.

I also think that using 2-3 Tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil daily helped my autoimmune situation a lot, to the point of healing it. (Long story but this supports the theory that autoimmune diseases have a viral root. Coconut oil is an anti-viral.)

I also took/take iodine with companion nutrient, but there is a lot of controversy about whether or not people with Hashimoto's should use it. It would be something to read about to make an informed decision.

Keep reading here at EC. You will be encouraged and I suspect find solutions to your health issues that will leave you feeling much better!

~Mama to Many~

Hello Paula,

I have a friend who travels on cruises all the time. I think he and his wife have been on 50 cruises and they like excursions. They's gotten into lots of ocean related caves doing exotic rafting trips. There have been lots of speculation on the possibility of catching some exotic disease from inside cave environments. He started coming down with extensive hives...they would let up and then reappear. Quite debilitating and he was on a medication that cost nearly 4,000 dollars a month. That wasn't working.

Moving rashes (as well as non-moving) can be caused by blood born infections and my friend after giving up on doctors, tried taking colloidal silver twice daily on empty stomach. Over 6 months the rashes left him. He'd been plagued with the condition for about 5 years, getting worse and worse. Now he is perfectly OK; about 2 years after the last manifestation. He credits the CS.

I am familiar with allergies and all that is included with them. Dr. Batmanghelidj wrote a book on your bodys many cries for water. I drank a lot of water but read the book anyway. I found out that I was low salt and other minerals that hold water in place and that was creating a lot of my problems. Hope you find your answers.

My assumption is that if taking Benedril or another antihistamine blocks the hives then you are experiencing an allergic reaction to some agent; and diet is not the only agent that might incur an allergic reaction.

Have you recently changed your laundry detergent; or bought new bed-linens or new curtains, new carpet, etc. I wonder because it would follow from your descript that your reaction is occurring when you are in your bedroom or in your bed.

Hope you find a way around this. BTW, if you google, say, "there is no such thing as an autoimmune disease" then you may be surprised at what pops up.

I am new to this site and am finding everyone's posts extremely interesting and compelling. It's amazing that there are so many different approaches to managing and curing hives. Thank you all for your willingness to share this information. I had my first hive outbreak ever in my life this week. I am a 61 year old woman and have been very lucky with my health in general. Last year I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease which is a thyroid autoimmune process. I went off of Gluten for about 6 months, kept retesting my thyroid panel and things were back in balance. At least I have thought this. On Sunday night a started to break out with hives. I had no idea what they were; thought I was having an allergic reaction to something I had eaten over the weekend. I took a Zertec to help me get to sleep and the hives seemed to be gone throughout the day on Monday. Monday night-Tuesday morning I woke up around 1:30 itching; the hives were in my scalp, on my neck, all over my back, stomach, legs, arms, buttocks, ....you get the picture. I went to the ER where they gave me a steroid shot in my thigh which sent me into a blood pressure crash and then had to have an IV with saline to raise my BP.....the story goes on but the steroid shot did calm down the hives all day on Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday night they started to reappear and today, Thursday, I had them all over my scalp again, my neck, my shoulders, etc. I felt like I was losing my mind!

I spoke with an allergist who agreed with me that these hives were an autoimmune process and not an allergic reaction to anything I had eaten. His recommendation has been to flood my body with antihistamines to calm down the histamine production and slow the hives from emerging. The antihistamines are definitely helping but I know they are not good for me. I would like to find a way to address the Hashimoto's and strengthen my immune system to avoid these outbreaks altogether. I am open to suggestions that will be economical. Thanks for your suggestions!

Paula

I am new to this hive experience and I've felt like I'm going a bit crazy trying to deal with the hive breakout and itching as well as reading as much as possible and educating myself from all angles; allopathic and alternative approaches. I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease about a year ago but haven't been bothered much by it. This hive break out might be the result of this; an autoimmune disease process where the body's immune system believes it must attack itself. Hives are a symptom of this.

I took myself to the emergency room on Monday night and they administered a steroid shot. The hives mostly disappeared but reappeared last night and then today they were all over my body again. I spoke with an allergist who prescribed heavy doses of antihistamines to dampen the histamine production and slow down the hive outbreak. It's helping address the symptoms which is what I need to do right now. The itching is gone and the hives are slowly disappearing. Here's what he recommended:

Claritin non drowsy during the day time: 10mg

Allegra Allergy non drowsy at bed time: 180 mg

Benadryl: 50 mg at bedtime

Drink lots and lots of good water. Avoid spicy and oily foods, caffeine, and alcohol.

Please beer could cause severe hives. Please any fermented drink or food can aggravate hives. Please don't say it is a solution.

THANK YOU for suggesting toothpaste! I didn't have ACV on hand but that would have been my next thing to try. I only have Crest, not the type you tried, but it seemed to calm the itching almost immediately. I'd already tried lavender oil, tea tree oil, eucaliptus oil, peppermint oil, and camomile lotion. (all separately on different days.) Along with benadryl. Nothing was working and the itchiness was so bad I couldn't sleep.

I don't know if this will be cured by toothpaste, but at least I can rest now. I'll try to remember to report back to let you know if it's a cure. If it matters, my hives were caused by an insect bite I was mildly allergic to, and the toothpaste doesn't sting like I assumed it would.

A Bitter Sweet Cure of my Urticaria:

I've had chronic urticaria for the past six months. One day I just broke out in huge hives and welts on legs, thighs, buttocks and other places including face and lips. Hives mainly came up in the mornings when I'm about to get up. They are very itchy for around half an hour, then for the rest of the day they basically disappear.

I had a fall down my front steps several weeks ago, I hurt my ankle and back, ended up in hospital overnight and during that time I didn't eat for 24 hours. The only thing I had the next day was a cup of weak black tea. From the day I left hospital, I've only had a couple of very small hives one or two days, but now they have completely disappeared. That was seven weeks ago.

I feel having that 24 hour fast has changed the metabolism of my system which has resulted in curing my urticaria.

This could have been a blessing in disguise and could be helpful to others with the same issues.

Glen

Do you only do the ACV/Soda once a day?

Hives:

I am peri menopausal and read about estrogen dominance, where the liver is too taxed to process other enzymes, namely sugar, and so it pushes it out through the skin resulting in hives. What a nightmare, indeed. I have been on a no sugar diet (including natural sugars in fruit) & avoiding high histamine foods and after having a recent cheat and break out, Apple Cider Vinegar has certainly been a lifesaver.

To: Steve (Alaska) - Thanks for reporting on how you overcame your severe hive problem. Can you please give more details as to the amount & frequency of the ACV, activated charcoal, DAO Histaminase, and Quercetin that you had used? Thanks. - Larry / Fairfax, VA

My experience with hives began June of 2015. UV light on a hot, sunny day reacted with the warfarin that I take and caused the typical red welts and extreme itching on my forearms, neck and one ankle. The reaction may have been to the dye used in warfarin.

The dermatologist was useless. What worked for me was apple cider vinegar, activated charcoal capsules, and coconut oil. I also used supplements of DAO Histaminase and Quercetin. Cold ice packs on the affected skin followed with coconut oil helps reduce the itching.

It is my belief that hives isn't caused by a particular food or substance per se. Rather, these things function as a trigger to an overloaded immune system that is dealing with a lot of toxins in the body. I am 67 and have had time to accumulate a lot of toxins. As the charcoal and ACV cleaned out the toxins, the rash and itching went away.

Detox will be a regular practice for me from now on.

Amanda, in order to prevent gallstones, make sure you're getting adequate Vitamin K2 and magnesium. (It doesn't matter whether you get them from diet or supplement, though K2 is sourced from some exotic foods and many people need to take a supplement for it.) Calcium desposits play a role in gallstone formation. Vitamin K2's primary function is to take calcium out of soft tissues (bloodstream, kidney, gallbladder) and to put the calcium into the places where it should go -- bones and teeth -- via osteocalcins. Magnesium also assists in this process. Thus, Vitamin K2 is a very good way to prevent gallstones, kidney stones, and even artery calcification. It cleans the arteries, strengthens bones, and helps prevent heart disease at the same time.

Additionally, see Earth Clinic's own gallstones cures page (https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/gallstones.html) for more information about gallstones.

In 2013 we did a second and probably not final downsizing of our lives and household good...part of that was leaving our good mattress in South Carolina before moving to Texas....

We up-sized household goods and purchased a very comfortable Therapedic Memory Foam Mattress....three months later I woke up with what I knew was hives (never had allergic breakouts in life-69 yrs of age) on entire torso...I called my husband, and he began to ask what I had eaten different from him and if we had change detergents....I told him nothing had changed.

After immediately researching hives and changing our diet to low histamine...I visited my doctor and dermatologist to be told I had hives...My husband and I constantly went over our lifestyle...

We were renting an apartment with my computer station in our bedroom...my mind was going over my problem...I kept asking myself what was new and different....We had purchased all new furniture and household goods....Suddenly I looked around at the bed and googled "Can your mattress make you sick?" WOW!!!!

i tried many of the suggestions on this site and others....an associate that was into "New Age, Organic..etc" told me to do a Pectin Cleanse...I did not comprehend at first...I asked, "Do you mean the Pectin that is used in canning?" Answer was yes.....

MY CURE.... RECOMMENDED DAILY DOSAGE OF PECTIN (POWDER) FOR YOUR BODY.... THIS CAN BE FOUND BY GOOGLING... I USED APPROXIMATELY A TBSP... I IMMEDIATELY SAW CHANGE AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE... OVER TWO YEARS LATER.

If you take medications and or supplements you should take your Pectin dose at what you consider a safe time of day so that your meds/supplements are not removed from body.

Hello-

So sorry for all your redness and itching and all that goes with it.

I have been trying to find the solution for chronic hives for about 40 yrs, started at 8 years old.

If you can see a functional medicine doctor in your area and attempt to change your foods and possibly some therapy, you may find some really good results. I do still get them, they have decreased in duration especially, I would get them on my face and it would take almost 78 hours for them to be gone and some times just feel really sick like I had the flu.

Make sure you have an epi pen as you may need it, I have.

Many blessings to you.

Dear Cindy,

I am so sorry about the hives. They are miserable! I had them chronically for about 6 months many years ago. (They did resolve on their own. I had no idea of what to try.)

I have used nettles for allergies, including hives for my family in recent years. For adults, we use one dose of nettles one to three times a day. (A dose would be: 1 teaspoon of nettle tincture OR 4 capsules of nettle leaf, OR 1 cup of nettle leaf tea.

Some castor oil or coconut oil on the skin may help some with the irritation.

Plenty of water and some daily sunshine may be helpful.

I also find baking soda baths to be great for skin irritations, especially ones that itch - 1 cup of baking soda in a warm bath for at least 20 minutes.

Let me know how it goes.

~Mama to Many~

http://www.diagnosisdiet.com/histamine-intolerance/

This link might be of help....good luck!

I'm really suffering with chronic urticaria hives all the doctors and hospital as given me is a high dose of antistimines which is not working. I'm at my wits end I'm getting them in my head on my face an all over my body they go away within 24 to 48 hours but my skin feels so tender where they were. But they come back in different parts of my body. Please can u give me some of your knowledge into this or recommendation.

Syn, have you watched "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead"? Joe Cross cured his urticaria by juicing vegetables. Perhaps this could help you too.

I have a history of urticarial but haven't had it for years. I've had to keep on eliminating foods from my diet to the point where I'm now gluten free, sugar free, diary free, no chocolate (I cheat - it's 90% seriously dark) no processed foods, no soy, no foods containing lectins, or salicylates, all I drink is filtered water and one black coffee a day. Most of my food is organic bought from local farmer's markets.

A few weeks ago my hives started coming back! I get them around my mouth, a different place each morning, this morning I woke up to find my top lip so swollen I looked like I'd overdosed on botox or that someone had punched me. I get them in clusters on my arms, at the bottom of my buttocks, palms of my hands, near underarms. today, I've started drinking more as my system feels sluggish and slow and I need better elimination. I'm hoping it will work as I don't take pharma drugs, only vitamins and supplements/minerals/herbs.

I've had a form of hives for the last 4 years which started after taking antibiotics. I've been taking Allegra every day for it but still suffer with hives almost every single day. I just started seeing a Chinese Medicine Doctor and am taking a mix of herbs and have had 4 sessions of acupuncture. It's been about 3 weeks of treatment and I definitely see an improvement. The outbreaks are more controlled/less severe. But I also have been drinking about double or triple the water I usually drink because I have to wash down 6 herb pills after every meal. So I'm wondering if that has something to do with the decrease in the severity of the hives. Hoping to see more improvement! (Western medicine pretty much abandoned my case! )

Garlic and Lime can cure hives:

Grate (or blend) a clove of fresh garlic, (or start with half a clove). Soak it in warm water for 5minutes. Strain the juice into a mug. Add freshly squeezed lime juice (3 or 5). Add 500ml water to the garlic and lime juice and drink last thing at night and first thing in the morning. Good luck.

Please be sure to use fresh garlic (not bottled garlic powder) and fresh lime, (not lemon). It works.

My son has been suffering from horrible hives for a few months every night. Welts the size of tea plates sometimes. I my self drank the borax mixture for five days to be the guinnea pig. After no ill effects, I then gave it to my 19 year old son. He hasn't hived since day two of the treatment. (1/8 of a teaspoon of borax in a quart of water) He would drink this once a day. Borax is a natural mineral. completely safe for ingestion. It is as toxic as table salt.

My son has never had any allergic reaction to anything ever. He went to a lake in Vermont and came home with the hives. We believe it was either the poison which kills milfoil, or a parasite. Either way, the Borax either purged the toxins out of his body or the parasites. Either way, my son is hive free.

In my experience, which was over a 9 month period of time having hives on my clavical area. I had went to dermatologist and like many others it did not resolve the issue. I finally went to an Osteopathic Doctor whom informed me I was having a severe allergic reaction to something I was ingesting daily so after 1 month of narrowing down, the culprit was Green Tea & Nuts .. yes, green tea & nuts. I have an allergy to nickel and was not aware that green tea cold or hot contains nickel as well as various tree nuts. I was consuming a lot daily once I stopped it took 2 weeks for all the hives to go away. I did use Calmine lotion to help me deal with them and corn starch it kept them dry and not burn as bad. I used both 3 x a day reapplying. Not sure if what had worked or helped me will help someone else, but if it does then good. Perhaps consider it is a way of the body letting you know something is off..... Best wishes to those who are presently dealing with hives, it is a very unpleasant situation.

Hi Saiqa,

Spinach is a very high oxalate food, and in some people this may cause hives as well as other unpleasant symptoms. It's possible that a low oxalate diet may be beneficial, and there is information online about low oxalate diets and also lists of which foods are high in oxalates. Chia seeds, mentioned in the previous post that you refer to for hives, can be found in most health and grocery stores or ordered online. Best wishes.

Hi can you please tell me where to get this product as my story is very similar to yours. I ate too much raw spinich and since then I broke out in hives. Like you I too believe that I have too many toxins due to the spinach. I would really appreciate it if you could help.

Hi Dave, I didn't see your reply to me until now. Corticosteroids can be the cause. Please have your friend go to itsan.org, the international topical steroid awareness network. There is a forum there and links to blogs by people going through the horror of healing from having used topical steroids. When you use topical steroids for a rash, the skin, which is one big organ, can become "addicted" and want more, so the rash breaks out on other parts of the body so you will use more and more topical steroids. Once you stop using the steroids there is a long healing process with even more, worse breakouts. The corticosteroids damage a lot more than just the skin. Unfortunately most dermatologists will just insist you need more and stronger topical steroid creams. The only thing we know to do is to stop using them cold turkey and seek methods of comfort, (baths, single ingredient moisturizers), and go through this healing process. There is more information at the site. I really hope for your friend's sake this is not the case, but if it is, the sooner your friend stops using any corticosteroid creams the better. Good luck!

Dave, has your friend been exposed to mold?

Hello Sara,

Re: my friend with low energy/brain fog/floating skin rashes...

You ask if he has been tested for Lyme. No. I'll re ask but even if I suspected Lyme, the issue would be the same...how to treat and if me I'd go the direction of elimination of infection...exactly what he is on right now...CS three times daily.

But I'll ask and even if not tested will enquire whether he was ever exposed...knowledge of likely tick bite, etc.

Dave, has he been tested for Lyme disease?

I previously reported about 2 weeks ago about a friend who is experiencing outbreaks of rashes...leg, then arms then torso etc. This sounded like a blood born virus or fungus. I promised to report back after he started taking colloidal silver three times daily.

After ten days, the good news: the rashes has stopped. His wife is ecstatic.

The bad news as of now: his energy level is still unchanged, so he reports although the wife reports that she thinks he has more energy.

He suffers too from some brain fog and other possible brain related problems. That is something he must treat differently...to get the CS into the brain. He wants to begin that program this week.

Again, I'll report back in another two weeks to see if he is improving in energy and help with the brain fog and other neurological symptoms.

Be careful with prednisone, it can be hard to get off-of and can be deadly if used in large doses for long periods of time!

Hi there, I ve been having a lot of itching the last two years, eventually went to see a skin specialist (before that many doctors and homoepaths), the last guy told me to stay away from anything containing aspirin, or fruits and veggies containing pips (which is just about every fruit or juice (also wine), Im still on prednizone and danzit. havent had hives for about a month (probably thanks to prednizone). I hope to leave it behind me (prednizone) . Maybe it will help someone, be carefull of certain medicines...

To Sp,

Re man with skin rash problem...

Yes he did the topical you asked about and I don't know about the orals. I'll ask him.

So far on the colloidal silver for 4 days... I'll keep informed as time goes on. Interesting "test."

Has he used any topical steroid creams on the rash? Has he taken any oral corticosteroids?

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.

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.

It is God's Grace that brought me upon this site. I claim my healing as I prepare to go buy honey, thank you.

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.

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.

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 $$$.

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.

HI U WINDY, , , , , , a very good procedure for dry brushing is in the archives of EC. Look it up.

========ORH==========

Hello...I too have been suffering with chronic uticaria. Could someone please explain dry brushing? I have not heard of this. Thank you all for all your comments!

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

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.

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.

How was your father healed from heart disease?