How To Get Rid of Hives Naturally? Try Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Supplements, Diet, and Lifestyle Changes

Need a natural antihistamine for hives? Stay with us and we will tell you everything you need to know about hives alternative treatment. Hives (or urticaria) is a skin rash caused by various non-allergic and allergic causes. Hives are intensively itchy, raised, and reddish-colored areas of skin. It can occur in any part of the body and can appear as small dots or large patches of interconnected welts. Hives can shock you when they appear suddenly and cause great discomfort. Although they are not life-threatening, they can become chronic and indicate a more serious, underlying disease. Urticaria affects around 20% of people at some time during their lives. If you already have allergies, you may be at risk of developing hives.

Hives are usually a non-contagious and temporary condition. As far as hives treatment is concerned, natural remedies for skin rash include modalities of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) like acupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, supplements, diet, and lifestyle change.

Ditch the Itch With Makari Wellness

When conventional therapy does not help, or you want a drug-free approach, Makari Wellness is here to help. Our goal is to solve our patients’ health problems and assist families in living the best possible lives. Traditional Chinese medicine for chronic hives is ideal for incorporating into the daily routine. Swelling, itching, and burning sensation will quickly disappear after only a few sessions, and the effectiveness of treatments appears to increase with each additional treatment.

Acupuncture aims to provide relief from the itching by addressing the root of the hives, including any internal balance present. Do not hesitate to try the alternative treatments, so contact Makari Wellness at (888) 871-8889 to book an appointment.

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What is Hives?

Hives is a skin condition caused by various factors. They appear as swelling on the skin’s surface and can be red or flesh-toned bumps. One important characteristic of hives is blanching – when you press the bump, it briefly losses color and turns white. Another symptom is intensely itching skin that can be long-lasting or short in duration. Sometimes the itching skin comes before the bumps, and sometimes the bumps and itching skin appear simultaneously. Hives can be caused by:

Sunlight
Stress, anxiety, and nervousness
Medications
Stress
Pollen
Some food (like eggs, peanuts, or shellfish)

Physical stimuli like heat, cold, and pressure
Excessive sweating
Animal dander
Some bacterial and viral infections
Insect bites or stings.

Hives can be short-lived or acute and long-term or chronic. Acute can last less than six weeks, while chronic occurs almost daily for more than six weeks.

Natural Remedies For Chronic Hives

If you feel like trying alternative medicine for hives, you can choose between acupuncture, Chinses herbal therapy, supplements, diet, lifestyle change, and even some home remedies. Identifying what triggers your hives is always helpful and will determine the type of remedies and treatments you need.

Acupuncture as Natural Remedy For Rash

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) describes hives as ‘Wind Heat toxins manifesting in the skin.’ Acupuncture, as a primary modality of TCM, is proven to help in hives treatment. It involves the insertion of thin, sterile needles through your skin at specific points on your body. TCM explains acupuncture as a method of balancing the life force or energy flow. Life force known as Qi flows through invisible energy pathways called meridians. The energy flow will be re-established by inserting needles into strategic points on those pathways.

Acupuncture points are located in all areas of the body. Sometimes the appropriate acupoints are far away from the area where your hives outbreak is. Some of the most common acupoints for hives are:

Quichi or LI11
Taichong or LV3
Zusanli or ST36

Sanyinjiao or SP6
Xuehai or SP10
Tianshu or ST25.

Chinese Herbs for Hives

Chinese herbal therapy is an excellent addition to acupuncture treatments.

Xiao-Feng San: It is one of the most common Chinese herb mixtures prescribed to patients with hives. The herbs included in the mixture are Radix Angelicae Sinensis (dang gui), Radix Ledebouriellae Divaricatae (fang feng), Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae (sheng di hung), Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis (mu tong), Radix Anemarrhenae Asphodeloidis (zhi mu), Periostracum Cicadae (chan tui), Radix Sophorae Flavescentis (ku shen), Sesamum Indicum (hu ma), Gypsum Fibrosum (shi gao), Herba Schizonepetae (jing jie), Rhizoma Atractylodis (cang zhu), Fructus Arctii (niu bang zi), and Radix Glycyrrhizae (gan cao). It showed that this mixture could significantly soothe itchy, red skin lesions caused by Wind-heat or Wind-dampness. It also has anti-inflammatory effects and is also used for treating chronic forms of hives.
Bai-Xian-Pi: According to TCM, it expels Wind and clears Heat. Dittany root bark (Cortex Dictamnus Albus) supports healthy skin and reduces inflammation; it also has detoxicant and antifungal properties. What is more, it directly inhibits scratching and vascular permeability due to serotonin and histamine release.
Mu Dan Pi: Moutan Cortex Radicis or dried Peony Root Bark is used to invigorate the blood and can assist in draining the pus and reducing swelling. It clears Fire from Yin deficiency and is great with Yin deficiency symptoms, especially without sweating. Its main bioactive ingredient, paeonol, has potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Di Fu Zi: Kochia scoparia or Dried Broom Cypress Fruit is the third most commonly prescribed single Chinese herb for urticaria treatment. It clears Heat, removes Dampness, dispels Wind, and stops itching. Di Fu Zi can be used alone or in combination with other herbs to make a larger formula. Alternatively, it can be applied externally for hives, with the dosage depending on the hives’ causes.

Supplements For Hives

Some research says that some supplements and vitamins can help relieve hives symptoms. The best vitamins for hives are:

Vitamin B12 – It is one of the many nutrients body needs to function properly. The deficiency of this vitamin can lead to hives, so taking vitamin B12 reduces the severity of the acute hives, and also reduce the severity and frequency of rash outbreaks in chronic cases.
Vitamin C – Vitamin C prevents the secretion of histamine by white blood cells and increases its detoxification. This vitamin can decrease inflammation, swelling, and other symptoms. It is also responsible for the growth and repair of skin tissue.
Vitamin D – Low vitamin D can be associated with chronic urticaria, as vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system. The correct amount of the vitamin differs for each person, but taking this vitamin can be a good starting point, especially in the long term.
Fish oil – Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects as it inhibits the chemicals made by immune cells causing itching, pain, swelling, and redness.
Quercetin – It is a flavonoid antioxidant that reduces allergic response and inflammation. It is found to modulate the entire immune system by reducing over-sensitive and hyperactive immunity. Quercetin can be found in leafy greens, raw red onion, apples, whole grains, legumes, and cocoa.

Home Remedy For Hives

When it comes to home remedies for hives and swelling, several solutions can help you make hives more bearable, especially when the symptoms are mild:

Having a Cold Bath & Applying a Cold Compress

It is known that cold shrinks blood vessels and blocks further histamine release. To soothe the itching skin, you can add baking soda, uncooked oatmeal, or colloidal oatmeal in bath water. What also you can do is to cover the affected area with moist and cool bandages – it will certainly prevent scratching.

Another recipe to take advantage of baking soda’s soothing effects is to mix the teaspoon of baking soda with water to make a paste and rub it on the areas with hives breakout. After it dries completely, wash it off. This easy treatment can be done a few times a day, as the relief is usually instant.

Witch Hazel

Witch hazel or hamamelis is a skin-protecting and healing liquid that has strong antioxidant properties. You can apply it several times a day to help calm the itching and burning sensations. People used witch hazel for centuries to soothe irritated skin and reduce swelling.

Coconut Oil

As a natural skin moisturizer, coconut oil, besides its antimicrobial properties, also can soothe the skin and comfort itching sensations usually present with hives. Just make sure that you use only virgin coconut oil as it has the best properties.

Aloe Vera for Hives

Being a natural source of vitamin E, aloe vera is excellent for treating skin with any type of rash, including hives. It is a powerful hydrating natural remedy for soothing skin, calming swelling, and stimulating circulation. You simply need to apply aloe vera gel all over the area you notice the redness and other symptoms. It takes only a few minutes to dry, and you can put your clothes on after it is completely dried. What is also important is that you need to use 100% aloe vera to avoid introducing other allergens that could further hurt your skin.

Tea Tree Oil

Itchy skin can be treated with tea tree essential oil. Make sure to dilute it with water before applying it directly to the affected area. It will calm down the itching skin and control hives due to its antifungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Always opt for pure and organic essential oils and do a patch test before applying, although they are found to be safe for most people when used correctly.

Green Tea

Due to its antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea can help treat hives from the root and make them disappear. The presence of polyphenols adds another layer of health benefits for urticaria. Two to three cups a day will ease your symptoms.

Calamine Lotion

A soothing pink lotion is an over-the-counter medication used for soothing skin prone to hives. If you need natural remedies for hives in children, this is the right one for you. It is made of glycerin, bentonite magma, calcium hydroxide, and purified water. Calamine lotion is used only externally and has very few side effects.

Using it is pretty simple – shake the bottle well, moisten the cotton ball with the lotion, then apply lotion to the affected skin area, and let it dry. Apply as often as it is needed.

Ginger

Being a natural blood purifier, ginger can help control hives outbreak. It also stimulates the blood flow and soothes the itching and burning skin. Drinking one tablespoon of ginger juice with two tablespoons of honey can relieve the skin rashes.

Turmeric

With its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is widely used to heal rashes. Drinking turmeric-infused water or milk can relieve the itching. Also, you can apply the turmeric paste directly to the area of the hives.

Wear Loose & Smooth Textured Clothing

If you suffer from hives, irritating your skin with rough or tight clothes is unpleasant. You may need to reconsider your wardrobe and opt for natural and soft fibers like cotton. Avoid wool and jute as they can be rough and itchy.

How to Prevent Hives – Lifestyle Changes

Simple and small changes in lifestyle can also help you with hives. Practicing these tips will ease your symptoms:

Eat healthy and organic food
Keep a food diary, so you can figure out what causes your hives and avoid that food (like milk, eggs, soy, wheat, nuts, seafood, etc.)
Use mild soaps, shampoos, and moisturizers
Avoid stress by practicing meditation, yoga, or whatever works for you
Shower frequently with cold water and keep your skin moisture-free with a towel dry or fan
Wear comfortable clothing made of natural and soft materials
Avoid consuming allergic medicines
Cut off or avoid alcohol
Avoid sun exposure