 Hives , also known as urticaria, is the outbreak of pale red, swollen bumps on the body. It can occur on any part of the body including the face, back, arms or legs. It is a type of hypersensitivity reaction in which the cause for the reaction is idiopathic (unknown). Also, it can come in various shapes and sizes. Hives can be associated with redness, itching, and a burning and stinging sensation. These can last for more than a minute or even more than that; up to days.

What causes hives?
Most of the times, hives are idiopathic, i.e. the reason that causes this type of hypersensitivity reaction is unknown. The bumps are caused by the action of histamine that makes the plasma in the blood leak out of the small blood vessels. Histamine is a substance that is released from a specialized cell and is what causes allergic responses in general. There are three types of hives- namely, acute, chronic urticaria and physical urticaria. Acute urticaria is when the hives last for less than six weeks. Chronic urticaria occurs when the hives last for more than six weeks. 

Physical urticaria refers to the condition when the hives are triggered due to causes such as heat, cold, sun exposure, sweating, pressure and exercise. Although, this condition is mainly idiopathic, there are common causes that may trigger this condition such as:

Foods such as nuts, fish, chocolates, milk and milk products
Environmental triggers such as pollen grains, dust etc
Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol
Insect bites
Latex
Blood transfusion
Bacterial infections including strep throat and urinary tract infection
Pet dander
Plants such as poison oak or poison ivy
What are the symptoms of urticaria?
Hives are usually self-diagnosable. The various symptoms of urticaria are:

Swollen red bumps known as weals
The red bumps can occur suddenly and subside all of a sudden as well
 Blanching which is characterized by the whitening of the swollen red part.
They occur on any part of the body and can change shapes, and sizes. It can become larger or it can reduce in size; it can also move around in the body.

Hives - Most Common 9 Reasons Behind It!

Skin rashes are a regular problem in both men and women. These can be caused by a variety of factors, both internal and external to the body. However, rashes on the genitals and the groin area can be very problematic, painful and embarrassing. Some could be caused due to problems within the body while some could be contracted externally such as rashes caused by sexually transmitted diseases.

Types of groin rashes in women
Women tend to be affected by rashes as the genital area along with the innerwear tends to be a fertile breeding ground for microorganisms. Infections can also grow uninhibited if medications or appropriate precautions aren t taken. Some of the common types of groin rashes in women along with their causes are mentioned below.

Chaffing or intertrigo: This is one of the most common forms of rashes, which are both painful and can be unsightly as well; these look like inflamed spots. This is primarily caused by the rubbing of the inner thighs against each other.
Jock itch: Although more commonly associated with men, Jock itch can affect women as well. Medically known as  tinea cruris , jock itch occurs when the moisture from your sweat gets trapped within the folds or creases of skin in the groin area thus, encouraging fungi (dermatophyte fungi) to grow there. It is more common among obese people or if you happen to wear tight clothing during exercise. The rash will look like raised papules, which are red in color and quite itchy.
Infections caused by the imbalance or proliferation of fungi such as yeast: Yeast infections caused by fungi candida usually occur when the pH (the alkaline to acidity) balance of the vagina is disrupted. This will not only result in vaginal discharge, itching pain and discomfort, but will also result in rashes around the vagina along with swelling.
Contact rashes: Dermatitis may be transferred either through skin to skin contact or by using shared utensils and clothing items such as towels. Contact dermatitis or skin infections look like red rashes and can happen anywhere within the body, including the genitals and groin.
Friction rashes: Some rashes occur as a result of adverse reactions to items of clothing rubbing against the skin such as jeans or using razors or the use of nylon thongs. These rashes occur due to the body reacting to these and look more like inflammation of the skin.
Rashes caused by STIs and STDs: Certain rashes may develop on a woman s groin as a manifestation of sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Some examples of these are Chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis and herpes; just to mention a few. These are usually accompanied by mild to severe pain and can only be cured after a proper consultation with the doctor.
Get to the doctor: Heat rashes, intertrigo and friction rashes usually go away by themselves. Vaginal yeast infections may require topical creams while other forms of bacterial infections can be treated by creams or oral antibiotics after proper consultation with a physician. If the pain is unusual and the rashes tend to persist along with other symptoms, you should immediately visit your doctor for further analysis and treatment.

6 Types of Groin Rashes in Women

Do you know that dandruff causes acne?

Acne is a skin condition that happens when pores get clogged with dead skin cells and oil, giving rise to pimples. It can be caused by numerous reasons like hormonal changes, improper diet, stress, consumption of specific drugs, excessive use of cosmetic products etc. In addition to these factors, acne can be caused by dandruff too, which may not be known to most of you. It has been observed that people who suffer from dandruff problems are more prone to getting pimples.

How does dandruff cause acne?

Dandruff has been associated with presence of yeast or fungi, it is also associated with abnormal skin ultrastructure. Dandruff makes the skin on your scalp flaky. These dry flakes of skin are often responsible for clogging the pores on your face, mostly affecting your forehead. In this way, dandruff triggers appearance of acne and can worsen the condition of your skin if you already have pimples. Though acne is more common among teenagers, acne due to dandruff is mostly experienced by people above the age of 20.

How can you prevent acne due to dandruff?

Eradicating dandruff from your scalp is the best way to prevent acne breakouts on your skin due to dandruff. Here are some simple ways to keep acne due to dandruff away from your skin.

1. Ensure that your hair stays off your face

Keeping hair off your face will ensure that dandruff doesn't come in contact with your skin and clog pores, preventing pimples. For this, you can use hair bands or tie your hair in a ponytail or braid.

2. Brush your hair at least twice a day

Brushing your hair at least two times a day will ensure that the dead cells on your scalp are removed and don't get a chance to clog pores. This option is highly beneficial in getting rid of acne caused by dandruff.

3. Use medicated anti-dandruff shampoo

Topical medicated solutions like a medicated shampoo should be used as a treatment. Short contact period of shampoo with scalp is important for more benefit. Good conditioner should also be used after head wash with shampoo.

consult.

Ways To Get Rid Of Acne Due To Dandruff!! 

Scabies is a disorder of the skin that is caused by tiny mites known as Sarcoptes scabies. The condition takes the form of an itchy pimple-like rash on the surface of skin that is formed when the microscopic mites burrow into the skin where they lay eggs and reproduce over a span of several weeks. It is a highly contagious disease as the mites can easily pass from one person to another through shared clothing or bedding.

How to treat scabies with homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a wonderful science that treats diseases with natural and safe medicines. In scabies, Homeopathy is the best alternative treatment option as Homeopathic medicines are very competent in treating this kind of infection. They stimulate the disease fighting mechanism of the body to fight scabies. As the healing system of the body is strengthened, the disease is completely eradicated. Its holistic approach attacks the infection at the root and prevents recurrence of the disease. Some of the homeopathic medicines used to treat scabies are as follows:

Sulphur: This is the most commonly prescribed medication for outbreaks of scabies. It treats skin that is itchy and irritated, especially if it worsens with the application of water or heat. Sulphur is a great remedy for symptoms that get aggravated during the night due to high sensitivity and if the skin is prone to pimples and eruptions.
Sepia: Sepia is a popular and effective remedy for scabies in cases where the skin feels itchy but scratching provides no relief. Often, the symptoms worsen when the patient is exposed to open air, wherein this homeopathic medicine is a useful cure.
Arsenic Album: This homeopathic medicine is prescribed when scabies leads to the skin becoming hypersensitive and violently itchy. Soreness, burning sensations and dryness are often accompanying symptoms and the skin may even begin to peel off in large scales. All these symptoms are treated by arsenic album.
Causticum: The symptoms of scabies respond well to causticum, especially when the condition occurs in the folds of the skin, between the thighs and the fingers. The intense itching, burning and redness are treated by causticum in a very efficient manner.
These are just a few of the commonly used Homeopathic remedies and are mentioned only to create awareness about the effectiveness of Homeopathic medicines for scabies. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any disease.

Treatment For Scabies In Homeopathy!

Lymphedema is a condition that typically affects the arms and legs. The most common cause of this condition is damage to the lymph nodes or their removal as part of a cancer treatment program. There is no known cure for this condition. However, surgeries such as Vascularized lymph node transfer surgery may help deal with it better.

Vascularized lymph node transfer surgery involves replacing the affected lymph nodes with healthy lymph nodes from other parts of the body. This allows blood to flow more easily and restores or augments the lymphatic drainage system. In most cases, the healthy lymph nodes are harvested from the patient s groin. This procedure is relatively new, and its limits are still being explored by doctors. In cases of breast cancer that causes lymphedema in the upper limbs, this procedure may be performed along with breast reconstruction.

To be a viable candidate for this procedure the patient must have maximized control over lymphedema through other forms of lymphedema therapy. This therapy will need to be restarted after the surgery to ensure good results. The lymphedema diagnosis should also be less than 5 years old such that the patient s lymphedema is in its early stages.

As with any other surgical procedure, there are certain risks associated with this procedure. These can include

Reaction to anesthesia
Bleeding
Infection
Scarring at the site and poor healing
Damage to adjacent blood vessels
Nerve damage that can cause a temporary loss of sensation
Muscle weakness
Numbness ta the sites from where healthy lymph nodes were harvested
Risk of Lymphedema in the area where the lymph nodes were harvested from
After the surgery, the patient will need to keep pressure off the site where the lymph nodes have been transferred. The surgery site may be bandaged but compression garments will not need to be worn. On being discharged the patient may resume normal activities such as driving and work. High-intensity exercises that involve the use of the operated limb should be avoided for at least a month after the surgery. Compression garments should not be used until recommended by the doctor or a minimum of 2 weeks post-surgery. They will also need to schedule review consultations with the doctor. The schedule followed usually involves check-ups after 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. 

Lymphedema - Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer Surgery!

Urticaria, commonly known as hives, usually occurs due to an allergic reaction. Sheetapitta is a similar condition in Ayurveda, as the symptoms are similar. Sheetapitta is comprised of two words-  sheeta  (cold) and  pitta  (warm). The condition occurs due to dominance of cold (existing in kapha and vata dosha) over pitta dosha.

Causes of Sheetapitta/urticaria-
Ayurveda believes, sheetapitta is caused due to the following reasons-

Excess intake of pungent (katu) and salty (lavana) food, mustard
Over consumption of sour gruels
Sleeping during the day
Contact with cold substances
Exposure to cold wind
Improper emesis (vomiting)
Insect bite (keeta damsha)
Coming in contact with poisonous bugs and insects (krimi samsarga)
Effect of seasonal changes on the body
Due to the factors mentioned above, especially because of exposure to cold wind, kapha and vata doshas become aggravated, and inevitably combine with pitta dosha. These spread all over the body and produce rashes on the surface of your skin.

Symptoms-
A person having sheetapitta/urticaria will encounter these symptoms-

Itching/pricking sensation
Nausea/vomiting
Fatigue
Tastelessness (aruchi)
Thirst (pipasa)
Lethargy
Reddish discoloration of the eyes (rakta lochanata)
Fever
Ayurvedic approach to cure Sheetapitta-

Ayurveda focuses on eradicating the doshas and purifying of the body toxins with Ayurvedic medicines & Panchkarma procedures. This is the essential part of Ayurvedic approach to cure urticaria. Abhyanga (massage), svedana (fomentation), vaman (induced vomiting) and virechen (induced lose motion) are very effective in treating Urticaria.

Ayurvedic treatment for Urticaria (Sheetapitta)-
Ayurvedic treatment for urticaria involves body purification therapy like Samshodhana, and oral medications. Some popular, effective techniques used in the treatment are-

Applying mustard oil all over the body
Applying mustard oil mixed with Saindhava lavana and Yavakshara
Use of a herbal powder named Eladi choornam that contains natural ingredients like elaichi
Applying medicated paste prepared from Haridra and Doorva, Kushta and Ghee over the rashes
Apart from these, herbs such as Guduchi, Yashtimadhu, Amalaki are recommended in the treatment of sheetapitta
Although urticaria is not a fatal condition, it can seriously affect one s quality of life. Many people suffer from urticaria for several months or years. Continual intake of conventional medicines reduces body s immunity. Moreover, the incidence of recurrence of this condition is often found. Thus, Ayurveda has an upper hand in treating hives, as it offers a comprehensive and permanent solution for this problem.

Sheetapitta - Causes, Symptoms & Ayurvedic View On It!

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