Five Home Remedies for Hives - Hives

If you've suffered from hives, you know how uncomfortable they can be. Luckily, there are home remedies that will help you deal with this condition fast.

Apply ice to your hives.
Unless you're prone to hives caused by cold, rubbing ice over your hives for several minutes will cause them to shrink, and will also relieve the itching. Taking a cool shower can also help you feel a lot better.

If you have hives, avoid heat.
When you have hives, any kind of heat (whether from the weather, warm water, or an indoor heating system) can make them worse, as well as making you itch more. So avoid heat as much as possible.

Relieve the itching with an oatmeal bath.
Soaking in an oatmeal bath (you can find commercial oatmeal bath powders at the drugstore) for fifteen minutes can go a long way towards alleviating the itching caused by hives. Remember to use lukewarm, rather than hot or very warm, water.

Check your medicine cabinet.
Common causes of hives are anti-inflammatory medications that you can buy over-the-counter. The next time you break out in hives, try to remember whether or not you've taken any ibuprophen (which is found in Advil and Motrin) or naprosyn (which is found in Aleve). If so, the medication you took might be the cause of your hives.

Try an over-the-counter antihistamine.
An over-the-counter antihistamine, like Benadryl or Claritin, can help keep hives from getting worse. It will also help sooth the itching, and alleviate swelling and inflammation. Just remember that an antihistamine can make you feel sleepy, so you might not want to take it before you head out to work or drive a car.