How does urticaria treatment work?
Most cases of urticaria clear up without treatment within a few days.
If your symptoms are bothering you, your GP may prescribe or recommend medication to relieve symptoms like itching, redness or swelling. Treatments for urticaria include:
These work by blocking the histamines in your body that are causing your symptoms.
These work by reducing the chemicals that trigger inflammation in the body. Prednisolone is a common corticosteroid used to treat severe urticaria.
If your urticaria is severe or doesn’t get better with treatment, your GP will refer you to a specialist skin doctor called a dermatologist for further tests and treatment.
How effective is urticaria treatment?
Antihistamines and corticosteroids are normally effective in treating the symptoms of acute urticaria.
Treatment for chronic urticaria is often more complex and usually focuses on managing symptoms and reducing exposure to possible triggers.
How long does it take for urticaria treatment to work?
Most antihistamines start to work within about 30 minutes of taking them.
Corticosteroid creams start to take effect as soon as you apply them.
Prednisolone tablets and liquid start to work within around 4 hours.
Can urticaria come back after treatment?
Urticaria is a symptom rather than a medical condition. Therefore, it is likely to come back if you come into contact with whatever triggered it in the first place.
It’s important to try to identify what triggered your urticaria and prevent or limit exposure to it in the future.
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