want to know about urticarial vasculitis?
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urticarial vasculitis or hypocomplementemic vasculitis is characterised by urticarial i.e. "mosquito-bite" like skin rashes that typically last for upto 24 hours,in contrast to the usual urticarial lesions that resolve in 4-6 hours.in addition,the patient may joint pain,fever etc.it is a disorder of immunity.i don't knw if u r a patient of this condition,but if u are,u need a thorough medical evaluation,because it is mostly due to some underlying disease(altough u must understand that in many cases no cause can be identified).is a chronic conditioin although the ouotlook is good with corticosteroid therapy.just for your satisfaction,some of the conditions that can lead to urticarial vasculitis are - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Sjogren's Syndrome,cancers,certain infections etc.
602115
I have had chronic urticaria for as long as I can remember, and it has gotten worse as I have gotten older (I am 20) I finally went to the doctor, thinking maybe I could get allergy shots and fix my itchiness. This is when the doctor (who is an allergist/immunologist) told me I have urticaria.  I take Singulair (often prescribed for allergies) in the morning, and Ranitidine (often used for heartburn, but it works for both conditions because it is a histamine blocker) This does not completly stop all my breakouts, but it seems to help quite a bit.  There are many different causes, and it may be impossible to find out what is causing yours (go to a doctor and see if they can help figure out the cause) Unfortunatly there is no "cure" only medicine to control it.  Besides my preventative meds, I use benedryl or hydrocortisone creams if I have an especially itchy spot.  I don't know what causes it (the doc said that a traditional allergy test won't work for me, my skin will react to the needles themselves, not necessarily the allergens), but I have figured out that stress tends to make things worse (actually having a problem with that right now, it's finals week at college, and I'm a little stressed, and rather itchy). Some people try elimination diets to see if food is a cause, but I'm not quite that desperate (yet).  Sometimes heat or cold can cause it. Cold doesn't do it to me, but heat sometimes seems to make things worse, its hard to tell, as I have a rash almost everyday somewhere on my body.  Sometimes pressure can be a cause (my underwires bras cause mine sometimes if I wear them too long, but I know thats not the main cause, because I get them a lot on my arms, and other places that don't have something pressing on them.  I have never gotten hives on the bottom of my feet, but every other part of my body is fair game. It doesn't occur much on my face (thank goodness!) but it does happen every once in a while. (Actually happened today during my Organic Chemistry II final.)  Only once have I had hives so bad that I had to go to the hospital, and that was before I was on meds.  I was in middle school, and my parents had to take me to the ER in the middle of the night because almost my entire body was covered with whelps.  They gave me something IV, but I don't know what it was. Don't remember much about that night.  \nWell, I don't know how much that helps you, but if you want to talk more, just e-mail me amy_edrington@yahoo.com (be sure to put urticaria in the subject so I don't throw it out as junk mail or spam.)\nHope my ramblings were at least a little helpful.  :)
200826
go onto webmd.com it tells u symptoms
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The first step in controlling hives is to identify the cause, if possible. Once you have identified the source of the problem, try to avoid exposure to it in the future. To relieve itching, apply calamine lotion or a cold compress to the area. \n\nA mild case of hives often disappears on its own after a few hours. A longer-lasting case should respond to the manufacturer's recommended dosage of an over-the-counter oral antihistamine. If your hives don't disappear in a few days, see a doctor. If you develop symptoms of angioedema or anaphylaxis, get medical help immediately. \n\nFor chronic or especially troublesome outbreaks of hives, your doctor will probably order a course of prescription antihistamines. Treatment with oral corticosteroids will sometimes reduce swelling when antihistamines don't work, but they are usually reserved for more severe cases. Ultraviolet light treatments are effective for hives caused by exposure to cold. If you have the subsurface welts of angioedema, you may require hospitalization. \n\nAt-Home Remedies \n\nOne of the best remedies for hives is a soothing bath. Add five or six tablespoons of oatmeal and three tablespoons of cornstarch or sodium bicarbonate to your bathwater. If you are allergic to specific things, such as bee stings or other insect bites, certain foods or medications, ask your doctor about prescribing an emergency kit containing epinephrine (also called adrenaline), which is used to treat the severe or acute hives of anaphylaxis. \n\nCall Your Doctor If: \n\nBurning or itchy welts begin to develop in your throat. You may be at risk of suffocation. \nYou develop hives accompanied by dry throat, cough, cold sweats, nausea, dizziness, difficult breathing, or a sharp drop in blood pressure after an exposure to such things as a bee sting or insect bite or a new medication. This may be a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. \nYou have recurring bouts of hives lasting a month or more. You may have a chronic condition that needs professional treatment. \nYou develop symptoms of angioedema, particularly in the head and neck. This requires medical attention before the condition spreads to the throat or tongue and blocks the air passage to the lungs. \nYou develop hives after a blood transfusion. You may be having an allergic reaction to donor blood.
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you probably have "cold urticaria"...There is a drug out there to take and I will try to remember what it is...give me a second.  It is called cyproheptadine.  I used to have this also.  There are some types of winter hats (if your rash is on the side of your face) that can help called earflap hats.  If the rash is on the middle of your face you will have to just stay out of the cold.  The good news is that this may go away.  I had this for about 4 years and it went away slowly...I can now go out into the cold with no hive.  By the way, putting moisturizer on your face every day might not be good for it.  Ask your dermatologist for more detailed advice.
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I have Systemic Mastocytosis and have just been started on the Chemotherapy agent, Gleevec.  The Zyrtec, Ranitidine, and Singulair I have taken only help by decreasing the frequency and duration of my attacks.  The Gleevec actually helps kill off the excess mast cells so that the attacks stop.  I am hoping for positive results and wish you well in dealing with your symptoms!!
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You don't indicate how long you've been getting hives, so there are several possibilities here. First, hives lasting less than 6 weeks are considered acute, and are usually due to allergies. If you have been having hive outbreaks for more than 6 weeks, then it is considered chronic, and there are several possible reasons; allergy is rarely the cause of chronic hives, though.  I really need more information to pinpoint what is going on, but I'll give it my best shot with the limited information I have.... Sorry, but this is going to be long....\n\nSome eliminations: The baby powder is probably the least likely suspect of all.  Allergies to pollens/trees/grasses usually present as hay fever, not hives.\n\nNow some possibilities based on what you've mentioned:\n\n1) Either solar urticaria or cholinergic urticaria. True solar urticaria is very rare, so not as likely as cholinergic, which is hives induced by heat. Since you are using baby powder to help with chafing, that tells me heat may be a problem where you are. If you are a young male (approx. age 15-29), that would also fit, since cholinergic urticaria most often strikes that age group, and is more common in males. If the hives go away soon after coming in out of the heat, that is also an indication. If you also experience itching and/or hiving during a hot shower, when you are embarrassed or angry, or during any other form of passive warming (eg getting into a hot car), those are all sure signs of cholinergic urticaria. Cholinergic usually presents as small wheals (hives) with intense itching. A third possibility along these lines is polymorphic light eruption, which is an itchy, bumpy rash caused by exposure to sun.  The rash usually persists for several days following sun exposure.\n\n2) Alcohol, especially wine and beer, contains chemicals (histidine) which the body converts into histamine, which causes hives. Alcohol also causes mast cell degranulation - mast cells are a special type of immune system cell which produce several chemicals. When they degranulate, they release those chemicals into your body; one of those chemicals is histamine. \n\n3) Seafood, especially shellfish, naturally contains histamine. Have you ever heard of scombroid poisoning? It's the common name for seafood poisoning, and another name for it is histamine poisoning. So if you are eating a lot of seafood, this could easily be the culprit. Also, the less fresh the seafood, the higher the histamine content will be.\n\n4) Allergies can occur at any time, and most people who first experience an allergy to something are often surprised, since it is to something they have 'always' used/consumed, and they 'never had problems with it before.' Well guess what, you have to have previous exposure to something to become allergic to it. So it only makes sense that if an allergy develops, it will be to something you already use. Since the pattern has been to begin hiving during times when you are drinking, my best guess is alcohol is the problem here. You are either having an outright allergic reaction to whatever you are drinking, or as mentioned above the levels of histamine in what you are drinking is getting to you. There is research to suggest that some people have too-low levels of something called diamine oxidase, which is produced by your body to help rid itself of histamine. Without sufficient diamine oxidase, you may experience effects from histamine (hives, possibly other symptoms as well). \n\nI suggest you try not drinking alcohol for a while, to see if your hives clear up. Or you can try changing what you are drinking, if you insist  on continuing to drink - instead of beer, try a vodka, or instead of wine try a liqueur. It also woudn't hurt to cut the seafood at the same time, you may be overwhelming your system with high levels of histamine from what you are consuming. If the problem continues, try a total elimination diet, or consult with an allergist fo
617081
allergic angiitis is also called the churg-strauss disease.
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Evans' Syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which an individual's antibodies attack their own RBCs as well as their platelets. Its overall pathology is therefore effectively a combination of the two autoimmune induced conditions: autoimmune hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenic purpura.\n\nAutoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition in which the red blood cells that normally carry oxygen and carbon dioxide are destroyed by an autoimmune process. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is a condition in which the platelets in the blood are destroyed by an autoimmune process. Platelets are a component of blood that contribute to the formation of blood clots in the body to prevent bleeding.\n\n[edit]\nThose Affected\nThe incidence of Evan’s Syndrome is not precisely known. The syndrome is reported to be a complication affecting 4-10% of those persons with a particular type of thrombocytopenia known as autoimmune thrombocytopenia purpura. The syndrome is more prevalent in children than in adults.\n\n[edit]\nSigns and Symptoms\nThe signs and symptoms of Evan’s Syndrome will be a combination of the signs and symptoms of the two underlying conditions. In autoimmune thrombocytopenia purpura the following may be found: Bleeding of skin or mucus lined areas of the body. This may show up as bleeding in the mouth, or purpuric rashes (look almost like bruises), or tiny red dots on the skin called petechiae. Laboratory results will show low levels of platelets\n\nIn autoimmune hemolytic anemia the following may be found: Fatigue, Pale skin color, Shortness of breath, Rapid heartbeat, and/or Dark urine\n\n[edit]\nPossible Causes\nThe cause of the signs and symptoms of Evan’s Syndrome are directly related to the low levels of red blood cells (RBC) and platelets in the blood. These low levels are a result of circulating antibodies that bind to the blood cells and destroy them. Antibodies are made under normal conditions against foreign substances in the body and are therefore very useful in warding off infection. In conditions that are referred to as “autoimmune” the body makes antibodies against itself. In the case of Evan’s Syndrome, it is not currently known what triggers this reaction to happen.\n\n[edit]\nDiagnosis\nThe diagnosis of Evan’s Syndrome is based primarily on laboratory findings, as well as the corresponding physical signs and symptoms. A complete blood count (CBC) will confirm the presence of anemia and low platelets. Additional studies may include a peripheral smear and a Coombs test. A peripheral smear of the blood may reveal evidence of red blood cell destruction or reticulocytosis. Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells and are usually abundant in Evan’s syndrome where there is a need to replace ongoing losses. There are also distinct shapes to certain cells that may be found when a sample of the patient’s blood is viewed under a microscope. In patients with Evan’s syndrome the red blood cells may appear small and globular shaped (then called spherocytes) but will not be fragmented. A Coombs test is used to detect the presence of antibodies against the RBC and is usually positive in immune mediated haemolysis.\n\n[edit]\nTreatment\nThe treatment for Evan’s syndrome will involve close monitoring of hemoglobin and platelet counts. To increase the number of platelets and RBCs in the blood, the patient may be given a corticosteroid such as prednisone. Prednisone will reduce the destruction of the platelets and the RBCs. A certain level of prednisone may need to be taken for the patient's entire life to prevent the levels of platelets and RBCs from dropping. Further treatment may be necessary with immune system suppressing drugs to block the production of the antibodies. To specifically treat the anemia of the syndrome, it may be necessary to provide the child with new RBCs by a blood transfusion. It has not been shown to be effective to transfuse platelets in a similar fashion to treat the t
118914
Autoimmune disorder.\n\nCauses of this can be from systemic diseases like Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, or from certain cancers, or from allergens.\n\nThey are often treated with antiinflammatory medications and immune mediators.
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Anaphylaxis is a severe and rapid systemic allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis occurs when a person is exposed to a trigger substance, called an allergen, to which they have become sensitized. Minute amounts of allergens may cause a anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis may occur after ingestion, inhalation, skin contact or injection of an allergen.\n\nWhat test(s) did they do? Have you had allergy tests done? If you did indeed suffer an anaphylactic shock, you should see a doctor and get an Epinephrine syringe to carry with you. My daughter's allergic to insect stings and always has one when she's outside.
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Churg Strauss Syndrome (also called Churg Strauss Vasculitis) is an extremely rare autoimmune disease of unknown cause, characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels in people who are asthmatic or have some type of allergic condition.  \n\nAlthough there is no "cure" for Churg Strauss, the symptoms have been shown to improve with regimens of corticosteroids and (although it is NOT a cancer) sometimes low dose chemotherapy.   \n\nSee the link below for a more comprehensive description of this disease.  Good luck.
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Polymyalgia rheumatica is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by muscle pain (myalgia), stiffness, and additional generalized systemic symptoms such as fatigue, low-grade fever, and/or a general feeling of ill health (malaise). Polymyalgia rheumatica can be a relatively benign condition that is extremely responsive to treatment. In some rare cases, permanent muscle weakness, degeneration and loss (atrophy) of muscle mass, and disability may occur. The exact cause of polymyalgia rheumatica is unknown, although immunological factors and familial tendencies (genetic predisposition) have been mentioned in the medical literature.\n\nPolymyalgia rheumatica is closely related to giant cell arteritis, another inflammatory disorder. Giant cell arteritis is characterized by progressive inflammation of many arteries of the body. These two disorders have been described in the medical literature as possible variants of the same disease process. Some researchers believe they represent different ends of a disease continuum. The exact nature of the association is not fully understood.
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check this link for information on rheumatoid arthritis\nhttp://www.arthritisreliefhelp.info/Reactive-Arthritis-Is-a-Systemic-Rheumatic-Disease.php
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lupus is a noninfectious chronic disease in which antibodies in an individual's immune system attack the body's own substances. In lupus, medically known as lupus erythematosus, antibodies are produced against the individual's own cells, causing tissue inflammation and cell damage. Because the vascular and connective tissue of any body organ may be affected, various symptoms may result. Generalized symptoms include fever, weakness, weight loss, anemia, enlargement of the spleen, and a characteristic butterfly-shaped skin rash on the face. Heart, joint, and kidney disease are common (see nephritis). It is believed that the disease may be triggered by certain drugs or foreign proteins, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, or extreme stress. The disease, which may range from mild to fatal, occurs commonly in young women. It is treated with immunosuppressive drugs and steroids. See immunity; autoimmune disease.
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Usually it means a low platelet disorder.  It also occurs during disseminate coagulation disorders that are part of very serious diseases like menigococcal meningitis.  Usually, the rash should be evaluated by a doctor asap.  If it is associated with high fever, headache, neck ache and other systemic signs of illness, one needs to go to the ER asap.
619896
yes, I heard of it.  Its an autoimmune disease.  Your skin begins to tighten on your hand and face I think.  It becomes hard to eat too, they have throat problems.  A lot of people that have it also have Raynaulds and have cold fingers and toes.  There are several blood test that a specialist can do to see if you have it.  So instead of worrying, get the blood test.