Home Remedies for Hives
The itching, irritated red welts of hives can be uncomfortable and unattractive, but fortunately they usually only last a few days. Until they clear up, however, they can be very irritating. Home remedies for hives can help you cope until they clear up.
The most important thing to determine when you get hives is what may have caused them. In children, the most likely culprit is a food allergy, such as peanuts, peanut butter or strawberries. Adults usually have a reaction to some type of medication that’s been prescribed. If this is the case, call your doctor and stop taking the medicine until your doctor has advised you on how to proceed.
Home Remedies for Hives Calm the Itch
Most home remedies for hives focus on getting the itch under control since scratching will only make the welts worse and can lead to a secondary skin infection. One of the most common remedies is to dab Milk of Magnesia over the reddened areas. Interestingly, calamine lotion, which works well on poison ivy, chicken pox and other rashes, doesn’t seem to help much with hives.
If you have time to soak in a warm (not hot) bath, try adding ½ cup cornstarch and ½ cup baking soda. This will soothe the itching and help reduce the swelling. When you get out of the tub, gently blot yourself dry, since rubbing will only reduce more histamine under the skin. If you can, leave the light film residue of cornstarch and baking soda on the skin for continued relief.
You can also add one or two cups of finely powdered oatmeal to your bath and soak for at least twenty minutes, sponging the oatmeal water over the affected areas.
Cool compresses will also soothe the itching, since the cooler temperatures will impede the release of histamines in the skin. For added effectiveness, try using compresses of cool milk and leave on the hives for ten to fifteen minutes several times a day.
If you have access to Asafoetida, a spice that resembles garlic, you can add ¼ teaspoon to about four tablespoons of castor oil and mix thoroughly to be sure the Asafoetida is completely dissolved. Gently apply this to the skin and leave on (but be aware you’ll have a slightly garlicky odor).
Basil as a Home Remedy for Hives
A traditional home remedy for hives that comes from the Orient is made by boiling an ounce of basil to one quart of boiling water and allowing it to steep until it has cooled to room temperature. Washing the hives with this solution will reduce histamine levels and cool the skin’s heat, both of which will bring you relief.
Finally, be sure that you eat and drink plenty of foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and orange juice, so that the hives will heal more quickly. Above all, do not give in to the urge to scratch, as this triggers your body to release more histamines and prolongs the cycle of itching.