Individuals suffering from angioedema, especially hereditary angioedema (HAE) are mostly desperate and scared. Angioedema treatment can be an extended and agonizing experience and sometime the pain can cross the persons limits.

The following four points can be a true blessing for the sufferers.

i) Learn what are the main causes and triggers which play a role in the outbreak of angioedema and avoid them.
ii) Make a list of offending stimuli, allergens or foods that can cause allergies, eggs, nuts, wheat, dairy products etc. and avoid them.
iii) Unnecessarily touching or rubbing the rashes can cause the swelling to increase the pain, therefore must be avoided.
iv) Any form of angioedema must be given serious attention, however, if the swelling causes a danger of upper airway compromise, the case should be treated as a medical emergency.

Do not forget to read about  invaluable angioedema and related conditions in my post next week.

Angioedema is not only extremely painful but it can also be life threatening. Angioedema has some very rare forms e.g. uvula angioedema while there are some common subtypes e.g. facial angioedema. Let us see what home remedies can be helpful when you are battling this deadly disease.

Inthe more common forms of angioedema the swelling usually appears on eyes and lips. This can be a disabling disease. If the swelling is progressing rapidly, try to cool down the place and the patient should stay inside the house.

Taking green tea or mint tea can help reduce the difficulty in breathing by clearing the throat. If the swelling progresses rapidly, especially in the upper airway. make sure the patient is given prompt medical treatment.

The post next week will describe the top four tips when you are trying to manage angioedema.

The patients of dermographism know how itchy the rashes are. But from time to time the itching can boost to its highest and create an unbearable situation for the sufferer. Following steps can be useful in countering the itch and aid dermographism treatment.

Try to keep the affected area of the skin naked, not even your clothes should be tight on it. When dermographism itching is at its topmost, you will be amazed at the outcome of simply exposing the affected area to fresh air which reduces the itching significantly. Similarly, cooling down the affected are with ice pack, cool compression or simply a cloth dipped in cold water can reduce itching. If itching is still unbearable, you may try non-anesthetizing antihistamines or consult a specialist.

Next week, angioedema and its most common types would be posted and the best thing is that I will be explaining some simple yet greatly rewarding home remedies.

It is a fact that avoiding dermographism is much more stress-free than having to have  dermographism treatment.
Today’s post has some simple steps that can help you in avoiding the itchy and painful dermographism.

Obviously you need to avoid all the items, foods or mechanical tools which can cause dermographism. Avoid extreme temperatures, especially hot weather which can cause dermographism. If you have a familial history of dermographism, you should consult a doctor for advice, even if the symptoms are not observable. If you have experienced dermographism in the past, the chances are high that it might return, so you need to be extra careful.

These steps can help lessen the chances of a dermographism outbreak,  but what if you already have dermographism? Read my post next week and find out the best possible solution for reducing the itchiness and pain.

Before talking about the pathophysiology of dermographism, let me tell you that pathophysiology is the study of biochemical and chemical changes in humans due to disease. One might think if I have to learn about it, what are the doctors for? Essentially, by learning the pathophysiology of any disease, you can improve your ability of recognising and treating it i.e. dermographism treatment.

Dermographism being a subtype of urticaria, its actual mechanism remains uncertain. Certain triggers e.g. allergies, physical triggers or extreme temperature may release an antigen that interrelates with the membrane-s immunoglobulin E of the mast cells. These mast cells then release inflammatory mediators, particularly histamine, and sometimes leukotrienes, heparin, bradykinin, kallikrein, and other similar vasoactive fluids, into the tissues which then accumulate in the skin causing rashes or dermographism.

Learn how you can stay safe from dermographism in my post next week.

Dermographism is also called dermographic urticaria, as it is a subtype of hives (urticaria). The related conditions of dermographism are not much different from those of hives itself.

The most common related condition of dermatographism is angioedema. The less common related condition are the hives or welts which may also develop. Dermographism is itchy but not deadly whereas the angioedema, that accompanies it, can be fatal.

Angioedema is quite similar to hives in many aspects but in angioedema there is a swelling instead of welts, which occur deeper in the skin. The swelling usually occurs on the face: around the lips  and eyes and that is why it is also called facial angioedema. Dermographism is accompanied by angioedema which should be paid serious attention, especially if the trigger was an allergy.

Do not miss my upcoming post next week as I will be describing the pathophysiology of dermographism in and extremely simple way.

Today’s post has some very simple yet extremely valuable  tips for managing dermographism. These points are only to aid your proper dermographic urticaria treatment, not a complete treatment themselves.

1:  Understand the actual causes and triggers of dermographism and avoid them as much as you can.
2: Stay away from all the offending stimuli, allergens or foods that can cause allergies including eggs, nuts, wheat, dairy products etc. For people prone to food allergies, a food elimination technique can be helpful i.e. avoiding one type of food at one time and noting the results and then repeating with other types.
3: The itchiness can cause a need to scratch the affected area, but never rub or unnecessarily touch the rashes, this can cause the rashes to blister and increase itching.
4: Last but not the least, do not use other drugs during the treatment and do not forget to take the prescribed medicine on time.

Do not miss more information about dermographism and related conditions in my post next week.

Dermographism or dermographic is actually a subtype of urticaria. It is also known as skin writing because the rashes appear on the skin in the form of writing. The rashes seem as if someone has held the skin and written something on it. To some, it might sound like a fascinating problem especially to the tattoo-lovers, but actually it is more painful than fascinating.

Certain home remedies can reduce the agonizing itch caused by dermographism. The first and most important tip is to not cover the affected area of the skin. Avoid touching the affected area as much as possible. Do not wear tight clothes, especially during the period when the rashes are present. Contact a qualified doctor if the itching persists.

These were simple remedies, but what should one do when dermographism treatment is notworking as it should be? The answer lies in my next post, do not forget to read it.

People suffering from hives know how itchy the hives rashes can be, but sometimes the itching gets so bad that it becomes literally intolerable. When you experience that stage, do not forget to try these steps which will reduce the itching and burning .

If you want to show off your body by wearing tight clothes, postpone the show for some other time as these clothes can multiply the itching.

Most of the time the  itchy hives can be a great nuisance, but it is amazing that simply exposing the affected area to fresh air reduces the itching significantly.

Similarly, cooling down the affected with an ice pack, cool compression or simply a cloth dipped in cold water can reduce the itching.

However, even after trying all these steps if the itching is still persisting, you may take non-sedating over the counter antihistamines. But the best approach in this case would be to consult a hives specialist.

Next week, dermographism and its most common types will be posted along with some more valuable home remedies.

Hives be easy to get, but they can put up a great fight when you try to cure them. Though there are certain types e.g. acute hives, which usually vanish within a few hours after their outbreak, some other types e.g. chronic hives, can stay for much longer. The patient usually become disappointed after trying antihistamines or other expensive products. But if you follow these simple tips, you will minimize the chances of getting hives.

If you have a family history regarding hives, do not wait for the hives symptoms to appear, rather consult a qualified doctor for a early diagnosis.  Whether you are likely to get hives or not  start a proper hives treatment. Some people are allergic to certain items or foods, if you are one of them, avoid these allergens. If you have an over reactive immune system, you need to be extra careful as you have more chance of becoming prey to hives. Furthermore, you should avoid the extreme temperatures.

But what if you already have developed hives, and the itching has crossed all the limits of tolerance? Read my post next week and find out the best,simple solution.