When to worry about skin swelling with hives

Hives are raised, itchy areas caused by the release of inflammatory chemicals in the skin. Deeper swelling, called angioedema, may affect the lips, eyelids, hands, feet, or tongue. Individual welts can fade while new ones appear elsewhere. The pattern and accompanying symptoms matter more for urgency than the size of one welt.

Move away from a suspected food, medicine, sting, heat exposure, or product if one is apparent. Follow any allergy action plan provided by your clinician. Avoid rubbing the skin and use only treatments recommended for you. Record the timing, foods, medicines, activities, and symptoms so a clinician can look for a pattern.

Call emergency services for a tight throat, hoarse voice, trouble swallowing, wheezing, shortness of breath, dizziness, faintness, confusion, or blue or grey lips. Get urgent advice if swelling is spreading quickly or follows a new medicine or food. Arrange a medical review when hives keep returning, last beyond the expected episode, bruise as they fade, or come with fever or joint pain.

Ask which symptoms should trigger your emergency plan, whether a medicine or exposure may be involved, what you can safely use for future flares, and whether recurrent hives need further evaluation.