Can heat and sun cause hives?
Hives (also known as urticaria) affects about 20 percent of people at some time during their lives. For some people, hives is triggered by allergic reactions to certain foods and environmental substances. But summer time can be a particularly hard time for chronic hive sufferers, due to sun hives and hives caused by heat.
Can heat cause hives?
Also known as cholinergic urticarial, heat hives can affect up to 15 percent of chronic hive sufferers. This hives reaction involves being very sensitive to heat or sweat, and symptoms normally appear as body temperature rises.
Symptoms of heat hives include:
- Areas of swelling and redness
- Itching/burning sensation on the skin.
Look out for symptoms that appear during exercise, in hot weather or after showering or bathing in hot water. Or for symptoms that reduce as the body’s temperature lowers.
What are sun hives?
Also known as solar urticaria, sun hives are a rarer form of hives that cause the skin to swell when exposed to natural sunlight (or any source that emits UV light).
Symptoms usually develop very quickly (within 30 minutes) after exposure and can last anywhere from an hour to several days. Be on the lookout for:
- Stinging, itchy rash
- Red, swollen marks on the skin
- Lightheadedness, headache, nausea or vomiting (usually present if large areas of the body are affected).
Natural Sun Hives and Heat Hives Treatment
Anti-histamines are commonly used to treat the symptoms of hives as they block the release of histamine (the chemical responsible for your allergy symptoms). But, over time, some people can build up a tolerance and they may lose their effectiveness.
At Health & Wellness Australia (HWA), we use a technique called muscle testing or kinesiology to help identify your sensitivities. Following testing, you can work with your practitioner to address the reactions triggering hives and other allergy symptoms using a natural allergy treatment called Positive Association Technique (PAT).
Positive Association Technique (PAT)
PAT is a non-invasive holistic therapy, that;
- draws on acupressure and kinesiology techniques
- aims to re-train your body
- may reduce your reactions to food and environmental substances that may be causing or exacerbating your symptoms
At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland (HWA), our Naturopaths use a form of muscle testing (kinesiology) to help pinpoint the food and environmental substances triggering your allergy symptoms.
Following this, we perform a natural allergy treatment called Positive Association Technique (PAT), which aims to reduce your reactions and symptoms.
We stimulate acupressure points down the spine with a chiropractic tool called an ‘Acustim’, while you are holding onto a sample vial of the substance, which aims to to re-train your body to no longer react to the substance.
Some cases can be complex, so our Naturopaths may also recommend supplements and herbs, and provide lifestyle advice to help you achieve the best long-term results.
Get in touch
- Call us on 1300 853 023 / 09 479 5997 (NZ) to chat to our friendly staff
- Send us your question HERE
- Request a Free PAT Information E-PACK HERE
Please note this blog contains general information only. Always consult your health care professional before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
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