URTICARIA AND HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

                                                              URTICARIA

                           Urticaria is a condition characterized by sudden and transient (recurrent) eruption of a number of circumscribed, smooth, raised, pinkish and itchy wheals over the skin surface. A wheal consists of a localized collection of serum underneath the dermis and is caused by transient increase in permeability of local capillaries. It has a pale, dome shaped oedematous centre and zone of erythema around it.

AETIOLOGY OR CAUSES:-

-           Contact with certain plants, chemicals,drugs or sting of insects.

-          Unusual susceptibility to sun rays.

-          Ingestion of certain allergic foods(eg.Shell,fish,prawn,strawberries,eggs,banana,curd,brinjal,fish).

-          Allergic to certain drugs like pencillin,sulpha groups of drugs, aspirin

-          House dust, pollen and perfumes.

-          Presence of any parasitic infections like filariasis, trichiniasis.

TYPES:-

Depends on etiological agents Urticaria may be of two types.

a.       Allergic Urticaria.

b.      Non-allergic Urticaria.

ALLERGIC URTICARIA:-

                  Allergic Urticaria is caused by hypersensitive reaction to a foreign protein resulting in release of histamine and other vasodilators substances. These cause dilatation of skin capillaries and increase permeability of their walls. Consequently serum leaks out of the capillaries and accumulates inside the layers of the skin. Its very common in any age groups.

NON-ALLERGIC URTICARIA:-

                   An attack of Urticaria may be precipitated by exercise; trauma or an emotional conflict.urticaria following a hot bath is a common example. There may be an indirect release of histamine from the mast cells in all such cases.

SYMPTOMS:-

-          Itching leads rashes.

-          The rashes may fade away quickly or persist for days or months depending on the nature and period of contact with the allergen

-          Burning and pricking on kin is a classical symptom.

-          Mild fever, malaise and headache.

-          Massive oedematous swellings over the skin or inside the mucous membranes, eyelids, lips, external genitalia, extrimities, tongue and larynx are likely to be involved.

DIET:-

-          Avoid fish, prawn, brinjal,eggs and citreous fruits.

-          Avoid sulpha group of drugs.

-          Take fruits and freshy vegetables’.

TREATMENT:-

-          Chlorpheniramine maleate  2ml intra muscular injection.

-          Occasionally cetrizine or avil tablet but directed by your physician.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES:-

1.       ACONITE:-

        Red, hot, swollen, dry, burning. Rash like measles, Chilliness and formication down back. Onset is sudden and goes sudden. Low grade fever, burning sensation on skin, Fears the future, a crowd, crossing the street. Great restless.

2.       ANTIMONIUM CRUDUM:-

       Cannot bear heat of sun.These patients are very much food lovers, chilly patient, obese person, aching, worse in vertex, on ascending, from bathing, from disordered

Stomach, especially from eating candy or drinking acid wines. Desire for acids, pickles. Urticaria; measle-like eruption.dry skin, Scaly with burning and itching, worse at night.

3.       ARSENIC ALBUM:-

    Fears, of death, of being left alone. Despair drives him from place to place. Swollen, pale, yellow, cachectic, sunken, cold, and covered with sweat. Swollen, oedematous, constricted, burning, unable to swallow. Craves acids and coffee. Urticaria, with burning and restlessness.Restless,avarice,fastidious due to fear of disease, chilly patient.

4.       BELLADONNA:-

     Belladonna stands for violence of attack and suddenness of onset. Delirium; frightful images; furious; rages, bites, strikes; desire to escape. Eyes feel swollen and protruding, staring, brilliant; conjunctiva red; dry, burn; photophobia; shooting in eyes. Eyelids swollen. Strawberry tongue. Tongue swollen and painful.Dry and hot; swollen, sensitive; burns scarlet, smooth. Glands swollen, tender, red

5.       CALCAREA CARB:-

    The patient is obese,fat,fair,flabby,chilly patients,desires sweets and eggs,insecurity,anticipatory anxiety, Scratches head on waking. Itching of lids, swollen, scurfy. Swelling of upper lip. Small wounds do not heal readily.

6.       HEPAR SULPH:-

   Anguish in the evening and night, with thoughts of suicide. Hasty speech, eyes are red and inflamed, eyelids are swollen, itching on skin leads rashes, Unhealthy skin; every little injury suppurates. Chronic and recurring Urticaria. Cannot bear to be uncovered; wants to be wrapped up warmly.

7.       LYCOPODIUM:-

One of the best remedy for Urticaria, hot patient,cowardice,food lovers, Hurried when eating. Eyes half open during sleep. Dryness of throat, without thirst. Desire for sweet things. Violent itching; fissured eruptions.

8.       SEPIA:-

It is great washer women remedy, Indifferent to those loved best. Weeps when telling symptoms. Ptosis, ciliary irritation. Swelling and cracking of lower lip. Urticaria on going in open air; better in warm room. Ringworm-like eruption every spring. Itching; not relieved by scratching; worse in bends of elbows and knees. Sweat on feet, worse on toes; intolerable odor.

9.       SULPHUR:-

Its is very good remedy for all skin disease, aversion to bathing, hot patient,therotical speech. Very forgetful. Childish peevishness in grown people. Dry, scaly, unhealthy; every little injury suppurates. Itching, burning; worse scratching and washing. Skin affections after local medication.Pruritus, especially from warmth, is evening, often recurs in Spring-time, in damp weather.

Some of other drugs are bryonia,causticum,conium,dulcamara,silicea,acid phos,mezerium,petroleum,pulsatilla,rhus toxi,veratrum album.